Thai Rescue Worker Revives Baby Elephant With CPR After Motorcycle Crash
A remarkable rescue in Thailand captured worldwide attention after an off-duty rescue worker performed CPR on a baby elephant struck by a motorcycle.
On December 20, 2020, a baby elephant was crossing a road with a herd of wild elephants in Chanthaburi province, eastern Thailand, when it was hit by a motorcycle. The calf was left lying motionless on the road while rescuers attended to the scene. (The Jakarta Post)
An Off-Duty Rescuer Steps In
The rescuer, Mana Srivate, had 26 years of experience performing resuscitation attempts on people. However, he had never attempted to revive an elephant before.
Mana happened to be off duty and traveling when he encountered the accident. Rather than simply watching, he immediately began trying to revive the calf while his colleagues attended to the injured motorcycle rider. (GMA Network)
Photographs and video from the scene show Mana using both hands to perform chest compressions on the young elephant.
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| Credit: Kunchaylek / Reuters Source: The Jakarta Post — Reuters report and photograph License: Reuters photograph; obtain permission/licensing before commercial republication. |
He Had Never Performed CPR on an Elephant
Mana later explained that he was uncertain about the exact location of an elephant's heart. He estimated its position using his knowledge of human anatomy and a video he had previously seen online.
The situation was particularly stressful because he could hear the calf's mother and other elephants calling nearby. (The Jakarta Post)
After approximately 10 minutes of resuscitation efforts, the baby elephant began moving and eventually managed to stand. Mana was reportedly overcome with emotion when he saw signs that the calf was recovering. (The Guardian)
Reunited With Its Mother
After the calf regained enough strength, it was taken to another location for further treatment. It was later returned to the accident site in the hope that its family would come back.
According to Mana, the elephants eventually returned after the mother heard her baby's calls. The calf was then reunited with its herd. (Stabroek News)
The motorcycle rider also survived the accident and was reported to have suffered no serious injuries. (GMA Network)
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| Source: ABC News Australia — Reuters photo and report License: Reuters photograph; obtain permission/licensing before republication. |
A Rare Rescue
Mana said that despite having dealt with dozens of road accidents involving people during his career, the elephant was the only victim he had successfully revived through CPR at that point. (The Jakarta Post)
The incident became widely shared online because of the extraordinary circumstances: a rescue worker, faced with an animal he had never treated before, relied on his training and instincts to give the calf a chance to survive.
Is the Viral Story Legit?
Yes. VERIFIED.
The incident is not a fabricated social-media story. It was reported by Reuters on December 21–22, 2020, and subsequently published by major news organizations including the Guardian, ABC News Australia and GMA News. The photographs circulating with the story were also credited to Kunchaylek/Reuters. (The Jakarta Post)
One important clarification: the reports describe Mana's actions as CPR/resuscitation, but this should not be interpreted as evidence that standard human CPR protocols are generally appropriate for elephants. His intervention was an extraordinary emergency response in a specific situation.
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