Ailing Kerala elephant calf, Maya, airlifted to Anant Ambani's Vantara for intensive hospitalisation
The Times of India · The Times Of India ·
Maya, an 18-month-old critically ill orphaned elephant calf, has been airlifted from Kerala’s Abhayaranyam to Anant Ambani's Vantara in Jamnagar for
Maya, an 18-month-old critically ill orphaned elephant calf, has been airlifted from Kerala’s Abhayaranyam to Anant Ambani's Vantara in Jamnagar for specialised intensive hospitalisation. The calf, who has been unable to stand following a severe fall in July, was shifted to the facility after medical experts sought advanced veterinary intervention as a final effort to prevent euthanasia. This life-saving transfer was initiated when Kerala officials explicitly requested the intervention of Vantara to explore every possible medical avenue.
Maya's short life has already been a test of resilience. On April 19, 2025, she was found abandoned as a severely dehydrated newborn near Kaprikkad in the Malayattoor Division. Rescued and brought to Abhayaranyam, she was hand-reared around the clock by the Kerala Forest Department. Sadly, her struggles did not end there. On July 2, 2026, the calf slipped while playing and injured her right shoulder. Despite physiotherapy and dietary supplements, her condition rapidly deteriorated.
By late October, she could no longer stand and was accepting only liquid feed. A thorough external examination revealed multiple fractures in her limbs, a chest infection, and generalised bone thinning. Faced with extremely brittle bones and a grave prognosis, a Medical Board made the heavy animal-welfare decision to recommend euthanasia on October 29 to prevent further suffering.
Read the full story at The Times of India · All coverage of this story