Myanmar’s Rare Twin Elephant Calf Dies After Being Accidentally Trampled By Mother

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, July 8 (Bernama) -- In a tragic incident, one of the rare baby twin elephants at an elephant camp in Myanmar died on Sunday after being accidentally trampled by his mother, just weeks before his first birthday.

Kyaw Pearl, as it was fondly called, died at the Wingabaw Elephant Camp, after a team of local veterinarians working around the clock failed to save the calf.

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According to state media The Global New Light of Myanmar, Kyaw Pearl was injured when his mother suddenly stood up to protect the twins on hearing dog barks during the night on May 3.

During the incident the mother elephant Peal Sanda accidentally stepped on Kyaw Pearl, who was sleeping nearby, severely injuring his backbone.

“Despite the special care given day and night, he passed away at 5.30 am on July 6. He was buried well at the camp,” said camp officials, reported the state media.

Peal Sanda gave birth to the twins - female Pearl Sint and male Kyaw Pearl on August 26 last year, said the report.

The episode at the Wingabaw camp attracted wide media attention and public sympathy among animal lovers.

“We considered surgery. Kyaw Pearl was just over eight months old when he got the injury. He was under a lot of stress as he got other injuries and was unable to walk. We couldn’t do surgery because of his age,” said the camp, according to the state media. 

The autopsy report revealed that the calf suffered dislocation of the backbones that compressed the spinal cord, which crippled him.

Kyaw Pearl was buried on July 7 and the camp workers are planning to hold a special memorial for the deceased baby elephant.

The Wingabaw camp located on a 32-hectare (80-acre) land houses 14 elephants including orphaned elephants in the Bago region, about 50 kilometres from Yangon.

Elephants typically give birth around six times in their lifetime, with each birth usually resulting in a single calf, according to experts.

In Myanmar, elephants hold deep cultural, historical, and economic significance. They are highly revered for their strength and power.

After India, Myanmar is home to the world’s second-largest Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) with a population of about 2,000. 

Many trained elephants toil in the country’s timber industry.

-- BERNAMA