South Indian forest officials yesterday (April 10) rescued a herd of five elephants which fell into a farm pond in a village in south India trying to save a lost calf.

Footage of the rescue shows villagers running towards the pool near Palangala village, Karnataka state, to drive the elephants towards a channel that had been dug out to allow them out.

The herd had stepped out of the forest looking for water the night before, and eyewitnesses said a calf slipped into the farm pond at while trying to drink water.

The adult elephants jumped into the pond to save the calf but got similarly stranded. The next morning villagers informed local forest officials.

Officials went to the spot with a JCB earth mover and dug a path out of the pond. Once the elephants successfully climbed out of the pond they immediately returned to the forest.

An officer on the rescue team commented: “It was a touching scene to see the elephants huddled together trying to comfort each other. We are happy to see them off,”