The incident took place at Jhariambagaon under Khallikote forest range, about 60 km from here, when the country was observing the Elephant Day yesterday.
While one of the elephants, perhaps the mother of the baby elephant tried to lift the calf with its trunk, others tried to help in the task, a forest officer, who witnessed the operation, said today.
"Finally the calf was rescued without help from the forest officials. After rescuing the baby, the five elephants - two male and three females - went into the Ranibara jungle," said divisional forest officer S S Mishra.
DFO said the forest officials only witnessed the scene from a distance and prevented the onlookers from moving close to the elephants.
"We have not done anything. The elephants themselves rescued the baby elephant," he said.