Two baby elephants in Sri Lanka’s Galkiriyagama region received some timely help after they found themselves stuck in a pit, unable to get out for a few hours.

Wildlife officials had to step in to extract them after local people who spotted the calves alerted them. According to them, their mothers had tried to push the calves out but failed.

Authorities used an excavator to dig out soil and create a path out of the hole. While one of the elephants managed to climb out on its own, the other needed the help of the excavator.

According to News 18, the mothers were also present during the rescue operation and looked on anxiously. They were eventually led back into the forest with the help of fire crackers.