Indian rescue workers save baby elephant from canal and carry it home to its mother

Rangers return starving and disorientated animal to nearby forest where worried parent was waiting

This is the heartwarming moment rescuers carried a starving baby elephant on their shoulders to reunite it with its worried mum.

The baby elephant had fallen into a canal and was separated from its mother, leaving it disorientated and hungry.

Rangers pulled it out and tried to push it towards the area of the forest where its mother was waiting - but it kept returning to the rescue party.

They were left with no choice but to sling the little nelly over their shoulders and carry it to its mother in Ooty district of Tamil Nadu, India.

Finally the mother visited the calf again and managed to coax it back into the jungle.

After the elephant kept returning to its helpers they decided to carry it home SWNS (PA)

One onlooker said: "Forest officials were alerted after a female adult elephant was found near Mettupalayam forest department, attacking vehicles and civilians who were attempting to enter the area.

"Personnel burst crackers to scare the animal away, but it kept coming back.

"When they managed to push away the elephant to safe distance, they noticed that the calf was stuck.

"The forest department team safely pulled baby out of the trench.

"A member of the rescue team carried it on his should to return it to its mother."

SWNS