Baby Elephant in Serious Danger Gets Help from the Unexpected
When it comes to animals that live in the wild, they know all about surviving in the wild. Unlike captive animals, they do not rely on humans for assistance. However, there are some instances when wild animals need that extra bit of help. When a baby elephant found itself in a dangerous predicament, none of its herd knew what to do. The calf was on the brink of death when a group of onlookers couldn’t take anymore. Would they save him in time?
A Wild Story
An Unusual Story
Elephants often travel in groups, and they have strong connections to their family members. When one of them is in danger, the others will do what they can to save them. What happens, though, when they don’t have the means to help their family member in need? What can they possibly do to save one of their own when time is running out? A group of elephants in India thought they were about to lose a loved one.
Family
A Big Responsibility
A baby elephant was in a terrible situation and its herd struggled to help it in any way. It was quickly becoming clear that this animal wasn’t going to make if it no rescue plan was put into motion. A group of people could see that the family was struggling, but they had no idea if they had the means to save the large baby. Would they be able to safely access the baby’s without being trampled by the herd nearby?
Close Encounter
Everyone in Danger
Naturally, wild elephants were not used to getting too close to humans, especially if they had precious cargo like a baby with them. If the humans got too close to the baby, the other elephants may not understand that they were trying to help. Assisting wild animals is often a necessity, but it can put both the humans and the animals in danger. Could they make peace with these elephants and help the baby? Or would the baby eventually perish?
Potential Danger
Roaming Free
India is home to a large number of the elephant population. Here, the elephants have lots of space to roam free. It is not uncommon for the locals to see elephants grazing in the distance. For a long time now, the residents of India and the elephants have learned to co-exist peacefully. For the most part, they share the territory fairly, and neither bothers the other. It is an unspoken agreement that has worked for a very long time.
Majestic Creatures
The Biggest Problem
While most of the local humans and elephants have been able to establish their boundries, there are still some occassional run-ins. Sadly, some elephants decide to go rampant, putting villages and locals in great danger. When an animal of this size is angry, you certainly don’t want to be in its way. Even though this elephant herd clearly needed help, there was no assuance that they wouldn’t attack or begin to trample the people that got too close.
The Dangers
The Urulanthanni River
The Urulanthanni River is a special spot in India; it is here that many of the resident elephants roam. They will either stop for a drink, or dive in to enjoy a nice bath. People who work in this area know that the elephants frequent this spot. With that knowledge, the people often try to stay away from the area to respect the elephants. They can always feel the herds coming; the ground shakes beneath them! It’s always a beautiful sight to watch the giants in their natural habitat.
The Long River
The Deep River
Naturally, baby elephants are nowhere near the size of their adult family members. While getting around the forests and through the deep rivers is easy for fully-grown elephants, the babies often struggle with the strong current and depth. With this in mind, the rest of the herd always keep an eye on the smaller members, making sure they get where they’re going safely. Unfortunately, a grave mistake was made on this particular day when the herd was approaching the river.
Troubled Water
Crossing the River
On a regular day, the elephants had come out of the neighboring forest to approach the river. In this case, they had to cross a section of land before making it to the water. Almost all of the elephants were used to this practice, and they had no trouble crossing the land and muddy surface near the river. Unfortunately, one of the newest in the family hadn’t been warned about the muddy lands. He couldn’t be prepared for what would happen next.
Getting Across
Tumbling Baby
The little baby elephant, who was only a sixth of the size of his elders, wasn’t paying attention. He was crossing the muddy land with his family, unaware of the danger that lie ahead. While his parents easily stepped over a large hole in the earth, the baby elephant took one step too far and tumbled down into a muddy hole! Even though the baby was smaller than the rest, he still had enough weight to break the ground beneath him.
Little Sprout
A Deep Hole
Unbeknownst to the entire herd, there was a hole that had been slightly covered and difficult to see. Even though the larger elephants would have had no issue stepping on or getting out of this hole, the baby elephant was small enough that he fell right down to the bottom of it! He tumbled down in a clumbsy way, and eventually hit the bottom. Fortunately, he hadn’t injured himself, but now he was stuck! This was bad news for the herd.
The Hidden Hole
A Panic Hits
As soon as the little elephant realized his predicament, he began to panic. The floor of the hole was thick with mud, which made it near-impossible for him to get his footing. Not only that, but the hole was far too deep for the elephant to climb. Even though he was small, he was still very heavy! In a matter of moments, the creature began braying very loudly to his family up above. The herd stopped in their tracks at the sound.
Swamped
Coming Back
As soon as the baby elephant began calling to his family, the entire herd stopped. They turned back, looking for the small baby. They began to surround the deep hole. At first, the elephants simply watched the baby. Perhaps they thought that it would be able to climb out; however, after a time, it was obvious that it needed assistance. Without any idea of what to do, the elephants started to make their own sounds. Something bad was happening.
To the Rescue
Way Too Big
Elephants are very smart creatures, and it was clear that the herd was trying to figure out what they could do. Naturally, they were far too big to get into the hole themselves. They tried to use their trunks to help the baby, but it seemed that his situation was far too sticky. The elephants began pacing back and forth, having no idea how to solve this terrible problem. It was a heartbreaking experience for the herd. How could they save their family member?
Beginning to Pace
Just Like Us
For those who don’t think that animals have any traits similar to our own, they couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, lots of different creatures have a great capacity for feeling different emotions, including sadness, stress, and grief. In this moment, it was clear that the elephants were feeling a fear similar to what a human would feel if their child was in danger. They immediately began to act worried and stressed, trying everything they could to help the baby.
An Animal’s Love
Killing Time
As the minutes turned into hours, the herd didn’t go anywhere. This was actually quite dangerous, since they were like sitting ducks to enemies who came out later in the day. The herd refused to budge though, staying around the hole and trying to find a solution. The baby elephant had been fighting to get out of the hole for quite some time now. He was becoming exhausted, thirsty, and hungry. It seemed as though he was starting to give up the fight.
Getting Tired
Relying on Mom
Like children, the baby elephant was reliant on the herd to help him. At just a young age, he was similar to a small child. Even though animals often need to be much more self sufficient at a younger age, this baby needed his parents to figure out how to save him. On his own, there was nothing else he could do. Realistically, he would need to get out of this hole soon, or else he was sure to succumb to dehydration, or perhaps the attack of a larger enemy. None of the heard were safe at this point.
I Need My Mom
The Anguish
The herd continued to pace and bray all afternoon, and well into the evening. Clearly, it wasn’t doing anything, but these elephants were doing it to try and help the baby. Elephants are very compassionate, and they care deeply for their family members. In this case, the herd was actually demonstrating their feelings of sadness and anguish with their actions. They didn’t know how to help, but they did know how to grieve. Anyone who looked on would have felt heartbroken.
The Trumpet
A Thunderous Noise
The heat from the sun was making the muddy hole terribly hard to breath in. The baby elephant was succumbing to his situation, and his herd knew it. In response to this, the herd began trumpeting together in unison. Elephant herds often do this in stressful situations, and it’s one of the most disturbing sounds you’d ever hear. It was a trumpeting that could be heard for miles around, and not a single animal or human in the vicinity could ignore it.
The Cries
The Advantages
Having lives around elephants for so long, many of the people who could hear the elephant’s cries immediately knew that something was wrong. They had learned over time that some sounds were natural and happy, while others meant that there was danger nearby or some kind of problem. The elephants rarely made these kinds of distress calls, so the people in the area were immediately on high alert. Something different was going on, and something had to be done about it.
The Horrible Sound
Being Inspired
Listening to the trumpeting sounds of his family, the baby elephant seemed to find inspiration. He decided that he would give another try to climbing out of the hole! The baby kicked and pushed as hard as he could, trying to find any kind of slope to help him get out of his muddy grave. Unfortunately, it was an impossible task. He slipped and slumped back into the hole, and the herd let out another round of thunderous trumpets.
Baby Kicks
Hearing the Commotion
With all of the loud trumpeting that was going on, the local residents knew that something was wrong. They only heard this sound when the elephants were in serious distress of some kind. They could hear the sounds from far away, and they wondered where it was coming from. Clearly, there was a herd somewhere on the horizon that needed assistance, and they weren’t going to stop trumpeting until help was on the way. Was anyone going to do something about this?
A Commotion
Following the Sounds
The locals weren’t about to ignore the sounds of distress. A group of people came together and agreed to seek out the sounds of the elephants and find out what was going on. They had to be cautious; even though elephants were gentle, they could be aggressive in the face of danger. The humans had to approach the situation carefully, since they had no idea what they were about to walk into. If they could, they would try to help.
Approaching the Animals
Meeting Up
When the locals arrived at the location in question, they were met by other people who had already been watching for some time. They had been trying to figure out what the best move was going forward, since there was such a large herd surrounding the baby. In some instances, one or two large animals could be tranquilized for a short time. This allowed humans to complete a checkup or rescue without the other animals interfering. However, it seemed obvious that they weren’t going to be able to tranqualize an entire herd! There had to be another way.
Searching for a Plan
A Hopeful Look
The group of people got closer to the sounds, and finally realized what was going on. In that moment, the elephants didn’t seem to be aggressive or fearful of them, and this was a very good sign. Instead, the elephants seemed to be content that the humans had arrived. Perhaps they had been calling for them all this time? With the residents now standing close by, the elephants seemed to have a new feeling of hope for their family member.
A New Hope
Getting More Help
The humans looked at the situation and tried to brainstorm about what could be done. They had a sneaking suspicion that they wouldn’t be able to save the elephant with their own hands. Instead, the group agreed that they needed to get local authorities involved in the problem. They would certainly have the proper equipment that was needed to get the baby elephant out of the hole. At least, they hoped that was the case. Would this baby make it?
A Huge Task
The Longest Hours
Some of the people headed off into town to alert authorities about the problem. While they did that, the other portion of the group stayed behind to keep an eye on the elephant. The sun was setting, which meant that all of these animals were in serious trouble. The baby, especially, since it was helpless to pray that stalked the area at night. Everyone hoped that help would come before the baby elephant perished. At this moment, things didn’t look good.
A Long Day
Help Arrives
Luckily, long after the sun had set, a rescue team arrived by truck. At first, the elephants seemed slightly agitated by the arrival of more humans and a noisy car. This wasn’t something that they were used to, and in some cases, it would mean a lot mroe danger for the animals if the truck was full of illegal poachers! The animals seemed tense and agitated, looking for some sort of sign that this was a safe situation.
The Rescue Begins
The Relief
Everyone who was watching all of this happen from a safe distance were stunned when the rescuers arrived. Even though there was lots of noise and people, the elephants were not being aggressive. In fact, it looked as though they were trying to keep their distance! There seemed to be a mutual understanding that the people were here to help. The elephants continued to sway their trunks and pace a little, but they weren’t attempting to trample or harm anyone.
Waiting Patiently
Incredible Luck
All of the people around the elephants were stunned by their amazingly peaceful reactions. They had been certain that there would be some danger involved in this rescue, but so far, the herd seemed like they wanted the help! They watched with curiosity, and obviously a watchful eye on the baby. However, they were keeping their space and giving the humans the assurance to complete this rescue as quickly as possible. This alone was a miracle! Now, it was time to save the baby.
Well-Behaved
A Tricky Situation
The people who had arrived were part of a group of forest and wildlife officers. They moved in to assess the situation, and realized that they needed bigger equipment. Even though the baby was much smaller than its family members, there was still no way to be able to lift the animal with the tools they had! In order to get the baby out safely, they’d need larger equipment that would expand this hole.
Waiting Around
More Waiting
What the team had brought with them for the resuce simply wasn’t enough to solve the problem. They would now need to send someone back into town again to bring them supplies that could actually help. Without larger equipment, there was no way this rescue was going to happen in an efficient amount of itme. Unfortunately, this baby elephant was going to have to sit in the mud for a while longer still. Would he be able to hold on?
More Help Needed
Daybreak
The baby and its family stayed put all night long. Some people stayed with them as well in case anything happened. Finally, the sun began to break over the horizon. As the sun rose, the group could hear rumbling sounds from afar. Soon enough, a rescue team had arrived again, this time with a giant excavator in their possession. The team began to formulate a plan to get the large baby out of the muddy trap without hurting it.
A New Plan
By Any Means Necessary
The team of rescuers could feel the anguish that the elephant herd was feeling. They didn’t know how they were going to save this baby, but they’d never give up until they did. The baby elephant had been in the hole for almost an entire day, without any food, water, or warmth. Naturally, the baby had no idea what was going on. Yet, he wasn’t trying very hard to get out anymore. It was no surprise that he was exhausted.
A Tough Baby
A Big Baby
The team knew that the baby elephant was going to be heavy. On average, elephant calves weigh between 400 and 600 pounds! In reality, this baby was going to be far too heavy for their excavator. They had hoped that they would be able to scoop him up and pull him up out of the hole, but then they’d run the risk of breaking the machine! They didn’t want the baby to have to wait another day for another excavator!
An Audience
Another Approach
Instead of trying to lift the baby, the team instead decided to try to work at widening the hole that the baby was stuck in. They focused on a specific side, and started to slowly dig away at the crevice. They hoped that by doing so, the baby would see that they weren’t there to hurt him. The job was going to take hours, but it might help the elephant climb out at its own pace.
Creating an Escape
Staying Calm
The people were very impressed with the behavior of the elephant herd. Even though the humans had brought in large, loud equipment, they were not panicking at all. They actually made way for the excavator, and stood away from the hole while the humans worked. It was a combination of elephants and humans who all looked on and hoped for the best. It could have been a nice moment, except for the obvious problem at hand.
Understanding the Situation
Working Together
The excavator was slowly making progress, and the locals started to help. They came around the area, marking off where the machine should remove the next piles of dirt. The baby elephant seemed to understand what was going on as well. He was now able to move around more freely, as the hole began to open up. Everything had to be done slowly, to make sure the dirt didn’t fall back in and injure the baby. It was a long process.
Getting Bigger
A Serious Problem
In the middle of all of the work being done, the excavator eventually stopped dead in its tracks. The loss of the loud sound was strange, and everyone looked around in confusion. The man tried to restart the engine, but nothing happened. Everything had been going so smoothly, but as soon as the sounds were cut off, it seemed hope was cut off as well. Why had the machine stopped moving? And what would they do about it?
Stalled Rescue
A Breakdown
The machine was smoking, and it was clear that it had been overworked. No one had seen this coming, but it had been working all day long. Surprisingly, a few locals who had been watching came forward, sharing that they had some engine knowledge that might help. The rescue team was more than happy to let them take a look and see if they could fix the problem. Would they be able to get it running again?
Trouble
Taking a Break
Even though a break was the last thing the elephants wanted, the humans needed it. While locals worked on the engine, the workers were given drinks and food to get their energy up. It was a long, painstaking process, but no one was going to quit now. The poor baby elephant would have to wait, yet again, while some of the workers took breaks and others repaired the machine. How long would they have to wait this time?
Catching Their Breath
Clock Ticking
It was important for all of the men and women helping to take a break, but it didn’t last long. Everyone was aware that the little baby had been in that hole for a very long time without any food or water. It was probably very cold, and also exposed to the sun during the long days. The longer of a break they took, the worse the baby would become. Everyone agreed to start using whatever tools they had until the machine was fixed.
Helping Out
Back in Action
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the engine finally roared back to life. The people watching all began to cheer, and the elephants were given a newfound sense of hope. The driver had to work slowly, making sure not to overheat the engine again. Workers used their own hands and shovels to try and help. It had been such a long day, but the closer they got to saving the animal, the harder they worked.
Back in Business
Seeing the Light
After what seemed like days, the baby elephant was starting to show signs of hope. It was approaching the newly-made ramp over and over, impatiently. This time, however, the baby elephant’s head could now be seen reaching above the ground. He was getting closer! This was a good sign for the elephants, who started to show some more signs of life again. They too, were tired and hungry, but they had remained near the baby throughout the day and night.
Small Celebrations
The Design
The ramp had to be made sturdy enough that it could hold the baby’s weight, which is why it was taking a lot longer than people had hoped. Minute by minute, though, the baby was able to get closer to the top. People refused to leave; they wanted to see this happen. With each drop of dirt, the baby would test the groun beneath it again. Obviously, it didn’t want to tumble back into the hole again!
Inch by Inch
To the Top
Finally, the little baby elephant placed his front legs on solid ground. He was finally at the top! The ramp had worked perfectly, and he found the strength to crawl out. As he emerged, everyone who had been a part of the rescue mission began to cheer loudly. Of course, the elephants were a part of this celebration as well. They all began to get excited, moving about and trumpeting as the baby was freed. It was quite the moment.
Seeing the Light
Keeping a Safe Distance
It was like something out of a movie. The adorable baby had made it back to solid ground, and people could swear the little guy had a smile on his face. He looked so cute, most people wanted to just reach out and hug him! However, the intense presence of the elephant herd was more than enough to keep everyone back. They knew that this was their baby and they would be the ones to embrace it.
Reunited
Mom and Dad
Of course, the first elephants to embrace the baby were his parents. The mother ran right up to the baby and wrapped her trunk around him tightly. Everyone who looked on immediately felt their hearts burst. The baby was finally back with its family and no one could have been happier. Cheers and applause could be heard all around and it was a beautiful moment that humans rarely get to witness. In most cases, these private moments aren’t caught on camera.
Happy Parents
A Strange Feeling
Now that the baby was free from the hole, no one was sure what to do next. These people, many of them strangers, had come together only a day ago and had bonded over an animal’s rescue. Now that the animal was saved, it was as if they all wanted to move onto the next rescue and do it all over again. It had been tiring and stressful, but in the end, it had been totally worth it to see that reunion.
Precious Moments
Gathering Together
As soon as the baby was safe with its mother, the rest of the herd began to approach as well. They all circled around the baby, showing their signs of affection towards him. Of course, they didn’t want to stick around much longer. The entire herd hadn’t moved from the spot for an entire day, and it was time to move on. Slowly, the group started to move away from the crowd, working their way towards the river as they originally intended.
Together Again
Taking Care
Not surprisingly, the elephant herd hadn’t forgotten what has transpired the day before. As they crossed the muddy plain, they kept a very close eye on the tiniest member. As they walked, the baby’s mother stayed close by and made sure to avoid all of the holes that could potentially trap her baby again. It was safe to say that they would be extra careful until the baby was big enough to step over the holes himself!
A Watchful Eye
Sticking Around
After what was a very emotional and very rewarding day, no one wanted to leave the area. Everyone stood in awe, watching the herd as it got further and further away. Everyone knew what was going on; they had all taken part in something amazing in the wild. Each person was grateful to have been able to help, and to have witnessed such a beautiful reunion between animals. It was like a beautiful movie was ending.
Once in a Lifetime
Crossing the River
Even as the baby safely made it across the muddy plain, the elephants wouldn’t take one step further from him. They all entered the water together, taking care to watch the baby. Of course, he was slightly wobbly and malnourished, so he was very weak. The mother and father stayed on either side of him, refusing to let him wade too far or get too deep in the water. It was an important lesson for the family to learn.
Staying Close
A Much-Deserved Break
Certainly, the herd was going to need another rest after such a stressful experience. However, it was clear that they all needed to find water, food, and shade before they could do so. Surely, the mother would be able to feed her baby as soon as the herd stopped again for some much-deserved grazing and relaxing. Although the baby was probably exhausted, he had all kinds of energy after being reunited with his family. This one was a close call!
So Much Energy
Saying Thanks
It was lucky that everyone decided to stay in the area for a while. Otherwise, they would have missed an amazing moment that could never be explained. As the elephants made it to the other side of the water, they all began to stop again. No one knew what was going on. Were the elephants confused? Had they forgotten where they were headed the day before? The people watched, waiting to see what their next move would be.
Something Wild
An Amazing Moment
The people watched in amazement as the elephants began to slowly line up along the water. They turned their large bodies towards the group of people, and lifted their trunks towards them. The notion took everyone’s breath away. What was going on right now? They had never seen the elephants act like this before, and they’d been around them for quite some time. What were they signaling? Everyone looked from one man to the next, looking for an explanation.
Raising the Trunks
A Salute
The elephants held their trunks high up in the air, and it almost seemed like a salute to the people. That was when everyone finally realized what was happening. The elephants had gathered to form a signal to the humans. It was now evident that it was a collective “Thank You” to the group, for helping out their baby. Everyone stood there in awe, amazed at this irreplaceable moment in time. Was this real life? Were these elephants really thanking them?
A Thank You
Sharing the Moment
Everyone in the group began to look around, as they each realized what was going on. People were smiling, laughing, and pointing, completely in shock of the moment. People began shaking hands, and sharing their own sides of the story for others to hear. It was a wild moment that no one wanted to forget. As they did so, the herd began to slowly raise their trunks, and walk away. They were pleased that their message had been received.
The Best Gesture
Into the Distance
The humans hung around long after the elephants were small specs in the distance. Having made such a mess trying to dig the baby out, now they had to fill the hole in. The last thing they wanted was to have another animal fall into this very large hole. They used the excavator to push all of the dirt back in its place, and made sure to fill the rest of the hole that had been there in the first place.
Back to Normal
Never Forget
Since the day of the elephant rescue, the people involved haven’t been able to stop talking about it. Everyone loves hearing the story about the great elephant rescue. These days, the people of the area make sure to listen carefully in case they hear any trumpeting. They have vowed to help their local wild animals as much as they can, so long as it’s clear that the animals need their assistance. No one who was present for that moment will ever forget what transpired.
Unforgettable
