By Mark McConville
A HAPLESS elephant had to be rescued from a mud pit after becoming trapped on her back with legs sprawled in the air.
Heart-warming video footage shows a forest guard using a JCB machine to dig out the sides of the pit and provide an exit for the female calf.
The four-year-old elephant struggles to get back on her feet at the beginning of the clip, flailing her legs into the air.
As the mud is dragged away by the JCB the elephant slowly regains her footing before springing up and running off to rejoin her herd.
The rescue operation took place in a pit near Geneshpur village, India and the forest department found the calf while on patrol.
Situated on the bank of the Mohand river, the rescue operation took more than an hour before the elephant was able to rejoin her herd.
“Elephants often go to the farms for food after crossing the seasonal river,” said Haridwar Warden Komal Singh.
“When the herd was returning early on Tuesday, the calf fell into the pit and got trapped. We rescued the calf with help of JCB machine.”
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