Baby Elephant Hit By Motorcycle In Thailand Survives After Receiving CPR [Video]

It was an unprecedented experience for a rescuer in Thailand, who is now getting praises for saving a baby elephant hit by a motorcycle. A video of the rescuer performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the calf has gone viral on social media.

The elephant calf met with an accident while crossing the road with its herd in the eastern province of Chanthaburi on Sunday night. Mana Srivate, a rescuer, was called to the scene even though he was not on duty at the time.

Srivate, who has 26 years of experience as a rescue worker, says he never before performed CPR on an elephant. However, he was least hesitant when he was asked to resuscitate the animal. "It's my instinct to save lives," he said, reported Reuters.

In the video, Srivate can be seen compressing the chest of the animal with both his hands while the elephant was lying on its side. The elephant stands up after the CPR was performed.

Srivate's colleagues helped the motorcycle rider who was involved in the accident. He had no serious injuries.

"I assumed where an elephant heart would be located based on human theory and a video clip I saw online," Srivate told the news outlet, adding that he was worried when he heard the mother and other elephants calling for the baby while he was trying to help the calf.

"When the baby elephant started to move, I almost cried," Srivate recounted his experience.

The baby elephant stood up after about 10 minutes and it was moved to another location for treatment. The calf was later brought back to the same spot where the accident happened. The other elephants returned to the place when they heard the baby elephant calling out and it was successfully reunited with the herd.

Around 2,500 captive elephants are reportedly used for commercial purposes such as elephant ride and circus shows in Thailand. The pandemic has forced at least 85 elephant camps in Northern Thailand to close. Animal advocates have raised concerns about captive elephants facing neglect and starvation due to the crisis.