Posted on 07/12/2017 11:24:05 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Chaminda Walakuluge said the navy mounted the 12-hour rescue after spotting the elephant struggling to stay afloat around eight kilometres (five miles) off the island's northeast coast.
Divers aided by wildlife officials approached the distressed animal and tied ropes to it before towing it gently to shallow waters near the coast, where it was released late on Tuesday.
Walakuluge said the animal had likely got swept into the sea while crossing the Kokkilai lagoon, a large stretch of water that lies between two areas of jungle.
"They usually wade through shallow waters or even swim across to take a short cut," he said.
"It is a miraculous escape for the elephant."
Photos posted on the navy's website show the animal trying to keep its trunk above the water as divers approached it.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Later, zo-san
Up periscope
Now how are they supposed to ‘evolve’ into sea creatures if we keep rescuing them?
Pretty amazing story, good for that elephant - must have been exhausted after all that time in the water. But it’s ancestors must have gotten to Sri Lanka in exactly that way, swimming across from the India mainland.
And there is your classic sea monster sighting with a head on a long neck and two humps in the water.
Yep, looks like Nessie to me.
I wonder if they attached a flotation sling around it? Looks too big to haul onto a ship without a crane.
Not too many wild elephants in Scotland that I’m aware of tho.
Yeah, there is that fly in the ointment.
sharp eyes on that boat
what a rescue!
video now:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4688854/Miraculous-escape-elephant-5-miles-sea.html?ITO=1490
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