Baripada, Oct. 30 -- Motherhood knows no species. In a heartbreaking scene, a grieving mother elephant was seen fiercely guarding the carcass of its newborn calf on the fringe of Similipal National Park in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district.

The deeply moving visuals were reported from Satbhaya village which comes under Brahmangaon panchayat in Bangiriposi forest range. The calf is believed to have died a few hours after birth. A video that went viral showed the female pachyderm refusing to budge from the spot where her baby drew its last breath. Neither did the jumbo allow anyone to approach that space. The animal was seen standing firm for hours, charging at anyone attempting to come closer.

Heavy rainfall may have led to the newborn calf'...