The tusker popularly known as Neela Etha that had been a tourist attraction in the Kalawewa National Park was saved from drowning in an unprotected well by wildlife conservators with the help of the police .

The tusker in a herd living in the national park had fallen into an unprotected well when it roamed into Olukaranda village in Kekirawa.

Wildlife conservators who rushed to the scene on information of the owner of the garden dug up a track leading to the bottom of the well with an excavator to make way for the tusker to come out.

It was later driven into a nearby forest reserve safely.

Ganewalpola Range Wildlife Conservator K.B.Dahanayaka, Range Asst. R. H. Dahanayake and a team of wildlife guards carried out the operation. (Pix and news by Kushana Jayawardene)