Madumi, a female elephant calf at around 2½ years old, was rescued by wildlife officials from the North-western province on May 14 and transported to the ETH. She was found to have chronic wounds and a severely swollen right forelimb. We suspected that the injury was due to a snare, but there was no cable visible. After arriving at the ETH, the veterinary team performed all possible diagnostic tests, including bloodwork and x-rays which revealed a metal cable embedded at the site of the swelling.
Madumi was anesthetized and the cable surgically removed, her wound dressing was changed daily, and antibiotics were administered. She had regular blood work which normalized within a few weeks, and antibiotics were discontinued. Madumi remained in the intensive care unit for a month with a special diet and then introduced to the rehabilitation group. Now Madumi is a leading female calf in the group showing her friends where to find fresh grasses and how to play in the water.
