Aerial photo taken on March 21, 2022 shows forests in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. Khao Yai National Park is the first national park in Thailand, with a total area of about 2,168 square kilometers. The annual International Day of Forests is marked on March 21.(Photo: Xinhua)

A baby elephant was dramatically rescued from a manhole in central Thailand after his mother was sedated to allow the operation to proceed, wildlife officials said.

The calf fell into the drainage on the outskirts of the Royal Hills golf course in Nakhon Nayok in the early hours of July 13 morning.

Its distressed mother, believed to belong to an elephant herd traveling through the nearby jungle, stayed with the infant as it was unable to climb out of the steep pit.

The pair were discovered by a passing resident, who quickly alerted wildlife officials and Khao Yai National Park authorities to the pachyderm's plight.