A newborn elephant calf swept into Nepal by the flooded Mechi river has been rescued and handed over to Indian forest officials on Sunday, according to authorities.

The three-day-old calf was discovered and saved by locals before being returned to India through joint efforts of Nepali and Indian officials.

Representatives from the Jhapa Forest Office, local conservationists, security personnel, and Mechinagar Ward-4 chair Arjun Karki took part in the handover at the Mechi bridge.

According to Rapid Response Team coordinator Nyutal Karki, three elephant calves were washed away by heavy floods on Saturday night.

“Two were swept further into India, while one reached Nepal. Locals rescued it and coordinated to return it to India,” Ward Chair Karki said, adding that the calf’s mother was located on the Indian side.

The rescue highlights ongoing transboundary wildlife cooperation between Nepal and India, particularly along flood-prone border regions where wild animals often get displaced during the monsoon.