Forest officials today rescued an elephant calf that fell into a well accidentally at Naickenpalayam in Periyanaickenpalayam here.

According to forest officials, the four-year-old baby elephant fell while trying to drink water from the 10-feet well in a private land around 5 a.m. Eight other adult elephants, that were with the calf, tried to pull it out, but in vain.

Hearing the desperate cries of the elephants, locals alerted the forest officials. The forest department personnel chased away the adult elephants to rescue the calf.

A backhoe was called to the spot and the officials broke one of the sides of the well, so as to make a path for the calf. It was finally rescued after a three-hour long struggle.

A senior official from the department said the backhoe was used as the adults may not accept the calf once it is touched by humans. “The calf might carry the smell of humans which could be disturbing to other elephants,” the official added.