An adult elephant that died beside a water source at Thaneerpallam, near Athani in the Bargur forests leaving its calf orphaned was buried on Saturday after conducting a post-mortem examination.

Since Friday night, the calf that appeared to be about seven months old did not join any of the two herds that came to the water source to quench thirst, and remained close to the corpse of the adult elephant, which Forest Department officials said, must be in the range of 30 years.

At the time of burial, the calf had disappeared into the forests.

Since the calf had accepted leafy food from a Forest Department team while it was near the corpse, officials were hopeful that it would survive on its own in the forest.

Even if the calf comes back again, the Forest department will sustain efforts to unite it with a herd, a senior official said.

The cause for the elephant's death could not be determined immediately. Samples would be sent for laboratory testing, the official added.