This is the ingenious moment a lost elephant was able to clamber onto a specially crafted rope ladder and escape from a canal.
The elephant, estimated to be 25-years-old, had fallen into a canal in Welikanda near Polonnaruwa, eastern Sri Lanka, when wildlife officials decided to devise a plan.
Footage shows the elephant wade across the canal’s waters before spotting the specially crafted rope ladder made for him by the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The elephant, estimated to be 25-years-old, tries to clamber up a rope ladder made for him by wildlife officials in Welikanda near Polonnaruwa, eastern Sri Lanka
The helpless animal spots a slope along the canal but the surface is too slippery and he is unable to climb up it
Wildlife rescuers craft a ladder made with rope and tyres in an effort to try and assist the elephant out of the water
The clip shows the determined elephant initially try and walk up a slippery slope along the canal’s bank.
However after a few attempts he is unable to bring his hind legs out of the water and retreats back into the canal.
Rescuers then use firecrackers to move the elephant along the canal and towards the specially made ladder prepared for him.
The elephant eventually makes his way to the ladder, made using ropes, sticks and tyres, and then begins to heave his body out of the water.
Rescuers use firecrackers to move the elephant along the canal and closer to the rope ladder
The elephant initially struggles to clamber out of the canal and continues to slip back into the water
The elephant eventually manages to grab hold of the specially designed rope and arrive back on dry land
The helpless elephant makes desperate attempts to heave his body out of the water and grab hold of the rope during the six-hour rescue mission.
After multiple attempts, he eventually manages to climb up the ladder and arrive back on dry land.
The elephant’s efforts to climb out of the canal were captured on December 8.