This baby elephant has died just four weeks after she was rescued - tethered to a fence with a rope cutting into her ankle.

One-month-old Baitong was discovered on December 18 in a forest in Rayong, eastern Thailand, where a hunter had caught then deserted her.

Her left ankle had become infected after the rope was tied so tightly that it severed through her leathery skin all the way to the bone.

Villagers found the poor creature with her misshapen and rotten foot. Unable to forage, she had become weak and could barely stand.

Despite being rescued and receiving round-the-clock care, Baitong sadly passed away on January 11.

Prasarn Buangsook, a vet from the Bureau of Conservation Area Management, said: ''The wire cut Baitong’s foot deep through her bone. She was badly wounded and skinny because she hadn’t eaten anything for days.''

Vets took Baitong for an x-ray the following day and decided to amputate her foot.

''Her whole foot skin was dead and her bone has a huge and incurable wound. Cutting her foot off will prevent her from dying of infection,'' Prasarn added.

Footage shows one-month-old baby elephant Baitong being treated when she was rescued last December.

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This tragic baby elephant has died just four weeks after she was rescued - tethered to a fence with a rope cutting into her ankle.

One-month-old Baitong was discovered on December 18 in a forest in Rayong, eastern Thailand, where a hunter had caught then deserted her.

Her left ankle had had become infected after the rope was tied so tightly that it severed through her leathery skin all the way to the bone.

Villagers found the poor creature with her misshapen and rotten foot. Unable to forage, she had become weak and could barely stand.

Despite being rescued and receiving round-the-clock care, Baitong sadly passed away last Friday (11/01).

Prasarn Buangsook, a vet from the Bureau of Conservation Area Management, said: ‘’The wire cut Baitong’s foot deep through her bone. She was badly wounded and skinny because she hadn’t eaten anything for days.’’

Vets took Baitong for a x-ray a following day and decided to amputate her foot.

‘’Her whole foot skin was dead and her bone has an huge, incurable wound. Cutting her foot off will prevent her from dying of infection,’’ Prasarn added.