An abandoned baby elephant is fighting for her life after being rescued from a forest in central Thailand.

The female calf named Khao Tom was found alone, having been left by her mother in the Lam Khlong Ngu National Park in Kanchanburi province, in September.

She is recovering at a wildlife care centre in SuphanBuri province as she suffers from serious internal complications.

Veterinarians on Sunday diagnosed her with liver fibrosis and an enlarged heart. She was also struggling with chronic diarrhoea and intestinal lining shedding.

Heartbreaking photos taken this week show the tiny elephant, barely larger than a dog, lying on the floor while hooked up to an IV drip. Doctors were disinfecting her wounds and administering painkillers and antibiotics.

Natthanon Panphet, a specialist veterinarian and head of the Bueng Chawak Wildlife Sanctuary, said: 'The veterinary team remains concerned about her ongoing digestive issues and her milk intake, which is lower than normal. Therefore, she needs to be closely monitored on a daily basis.'

On Monday, Khao Tom was further diagnosed with decreased white and red blood cell levels, as well as reduced liver function.

Anurak Sakulphong, from the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Region 3, said the calf was receiving round-the-clock care as vets monitor her precarious condition.

Locals found her bleeding and in agony on the forest floor, just a day after her birth. Rangers transported the fragile calf to the Bueng Chawak Wildlife Sanctuary where she is currently recovering.

Thailand has up to 3,500 elephants in the wild. The population has been increasing in recent years, but it is still a fraction of the estimated 300,000 wild elephants that lived in the country at the beginning of the 20th century.

The main threats to wild elephants in Thailand are habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and conflict with humans.