A newborn elephant was rejected by his mother and cried for five hours nonstop, a tragic new report reveals.

The baby elephant's mother tried to kill it after he was born at a wildlife park in China.

The elephant calf was born in Shendiaoshan wild animal reserve in Rong-cheng, China.

The veterinarians noticed that the newborn elephant was stepped on by his mom, but thought it was an accident.

They treated the baby elephant's injuries and returned it to its mother....but she attacked him again.

Finally, the calf and mother had to be separated. The newborn then sobbed under a blanket while being held by a keeper...and wouldn't stop for five hours.

The worker explained, 'The calf was very upset and he was crying for five hours before he could be consoled.

'He couldn't bear to be parted from his mother and it was his mother who was trying to kill him.'

The baby elephant, called Zhuang-zhuang, has now been adopted by the keeper who saved him.

 'They have made a good bond,' said a spokesman for the park. 'We don't know why the mother turned on her calf but we couldn't take a chance.'

Scientists speculate that the incident may be because the two lived in captivity outside of traditional family groups. This may have hampered natural instincts.