Six-day-old elephant rescued after being abandoned by wild herd in China

An abandoned baby elephant has been rescued in China’s southwestern province of Yunnan. The calf, now named Wen Wen, was only about six days old when it was left behind by a wild herd in the province’s Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture in late August 2021. When discovered by local government officials, the animal needed immediate treatment for diarrhoea, fever, a racing heart and swelling in its legs and face. Rescuers also found severe inflammation of the area where the baby’s umbilical cord was attached. The infant elephant has been transported to the Yunnan Asian Elephant Population Breeding and Rescue Centre for further treatment. The area is home to hundreds of elephants, including a group known for going on a widely followed migration in early 2021.