When a baby elephant in Kenya was stuck in a water catchment, her elephant family was at a complete loss. They could not fetch their little one out of the water on their own, as it was too deep and too slippery. Elephants are very cognizant creatures, and they operate with strong family bonds, so you can imagine the panic that spread through this herd.
Thankfully, when David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust-affiliate Tsavo East KWS received a call about the baby in distress, their regular workday turned into a spectacular one.
When the rescuers arrived on the scene, the elders wouldn’t let the humans anywhere near the baby, even though they were there to help.
You can’t really blame them, as there are many humans out there still ruthlessly poaching elephants. How were they to know the difference?
A second vehicle arrived on scene and sectioned off a safe area for the rescuers.
As soon as she was able, the baby ran straight to her family.
Her mother cuddled close to her while the rest of the herd added an extra barrier of protection.
(via The Dodo)
It’s amazing that these elephants let their guard down and trusted the humans. If only all humans would stop giving them such a good reason to be distrustful of us, we could then all help each other out. Elephants and humans function very similarly on the emotional scale, so it’s always great when they work together.
If you’d like to be a part of this growing relationship between man and elephant, you can donate to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust here.
