Wildlife officials decide to come up with a strategy when the elephant, who is estimated to be 25 years old, falls into a canal in Welikanda, an area in eastern Sʀɪ Lᴀɴᴋᴀ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ to Polonnaruwa.

The elephant is shown in footage wading through the canal’s waters before spotting the Department of Wildlife Conservation’s specially designed rope ladder.

The tenacious elephant makes an initial attempt to climb the bank of the canal’s treacherous slope. He makes many tries to raise his rear legs out of the water, but it is unsuccessful, and he retreats back into the canal.

Rescuers then use firecrackers to move the elephant along the canal and towards the specially constructed ladder built for him. A ladder made of ropes, sticks, and tires is eventually reached by the elephant, who then starts to raise his body out of the water.

Throughout the six-hour rescue endeavor, the helpless elephant makes frantic attempts to lift his body out of the water and take hold of the rope. He makes several efforts before succeeding in ascending the ladder and returning to dry land.