On Cam: Baby Elephant Calf Wanders Into Wayanad School, Delights Children

A young elephant calf wandered into a Chekadi primary school in Wayanad, delighting students.

They are now working to reunite the calf with its herd after it strayed into the inhabited area again.

Source : X

Students at a government primary school in Chekadi got an unexpected visitor on Monday when a young elephant calf entered the campus, sparking excitement among the children. The calf, apparently separated from its herd, strolled across the school grounds while classes were in session. 

Forest officials arrived promptly, secured the animal, and relocated it to a safe shelter. Earlier in the day, the calf had been rescued from a trench and released back into the forest, but it later wandered into the inhabited area again.

Videos shared by locals showed the little elephant moving along the courtyard and veranda, with children watching eagerly from their classrooms and reacting with laughter and cheers.

"நானும் குழந்தை தான் என்னை ஸ்கூலில் சேர்த்துக்கங்க"
கேரள மாநிலம் வயநாடு அடுத்த சேகாடி கிராமத்தில் உள்ள பள்ளிக்குள் புகுந்த குட்டி யானை,நீண்ட போராட்டத்திற்கு பிறகு வனத்துறையினர் யானை குட்டியை பிடித்து அதன் யானையுடன் சேர்த்தனர். #Wayanad #calfelephant #Forest #elephant pic.twitter.com/pOQJ4hGNZ0

— Srini Subramaniyam (@Srinietv2) August 18, 2025

 

Authorities are continuing efforts to locate the calf’s herd and ensure it is safely reunited.

Meanwhile, man-animal conflict in Wayanad has emerged as a pressing concern, with frequent encounters between humans and wildlife disrupting lives and livelihoods in the ecologically sensitive district. Surrounded by dense forests and rich biodiversity, Wayanad is home to elephants, tigers, leopards, and other species that often stray into human settlements in search of food and water, damaging crops, attacking livestock, and occasionally causing human casualties.

Rapid deforestation, expanding plantations, and habitat fragmentation have intensified these clashes, leaving local communities anxious and economically vulnerable. While the government has introduced measures such as solar-powered fencing, compensation schemes, and early warning systems, conservationists stress that long-term solutions lie in restoring habitats, reducing human intrusion, and creating sustainable coexistence strategies that balance the needs of both people and wildlife.