Elephant calf Maya flown from Kerala to Gujarat for specialised treatment
The 18-month-old calf, suffering from a bone disease, was airlifted to Vantara in Jamnagar for advanced medical care.
An 18-month-old elephant calf named Maya was airlifted from Kerala to Vantara in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on Friday for specialised medical treatment, according to The Indian Express. The calf, who was previously recommended for euthanasia due to a severe bone disease, is being transferred to the wildlife conservation and rehabilitation centre founded by Anant Ambani.
Maya was found abandoned in the Malayatoor forest division in April 2025 and has been under the care of the Kerala Forest Department at Abhayaranyam. Her condition worsened after a fall in July, which left her unable to stand. A health monitoring committee had previously recommended euthanasia as doctors had lost hope, but experts from Vantara recommended a treatment plan.
Chief Wildlife Warden Dr P Pugazhendi said that Vantara will bear the entire cost of the treatment. The calf, weighing between 120 kg and 130 kg, will receive round-the-clock monitoring, pain management, advanced diagnostics, and hydrotherapy. The initial treatment period is expected to last between four and six months.
A team including a veterinary surgeon, forest officials, and the calf's mahout, Nikhil Babu, accompanied Maya on the chartered flight from Kochi airport. Vantara will facilitate Maya's return to Abhayaranyam in Kerala once her treatment is complete.