\nAfrican elephants are truly incredible animals, weighing up to 6.6 tons, which roughly equates to 945 stone, and measuring about 10ft to the shoulder. These remarkable beauties have a population of around 415,000, which has fortunately increased in recent years. These animals can hear other elephants from up to six miles away, dependent on the conditions. They can also make sounds spanning over 10 octaves, but more importantly, after a long 22-month pregnancy, female elephants have astounding maternal instincts and will protect their precious young no matter what, just like this mother elephant.
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\n[post_page_title]A strange sight to see[\/post_page_title]
\nIn Kruger National Park, in South Africa, visitors come to see animals roaming in their natural habitat, day after day. One particular day was no different. Visitors arrived in safari trucks, like always, to see the incredible wild animals.
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\nHowever, one group of visitors saw something they never expected. A mother elephant was stood beside her baby. The baby was lying motionless next to her, so the onlookers began to record the situation, in anticipation of what might happen next. Was it asleep, or was something more sinister unfolding?
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\n[post_page_title]What was going on?[\/post_page_title]
\nFor several minutes, onlookers and staff at the safari watched on. Park rangers are careful to not intervene unless absolutely necessary, in an attempt to keep the animals as free and natural as physically possible.
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\nWhile the aim of the reserve is to keep the animals as they would be naturally, rangers still have a duty of care, and the last thing they want is to lose one of the animals. They decided that they would, therefore, give the mother some time to respond, and then step in if needed.
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\n[post_page_title]Using technology[\/post_page_title]
\nUpon realizing that the mother was becoming increasingly distressed while facing the onlookers and not leaving her baby\u2019s side, the rangers knew that something was seriously wrong.
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\nThey decided to use a clever piece of technology to get a closer look at what was happening. Using thermal imaging, the rangers could find out if the baby was alive or not, as warmth shows life, while cadavers are cold. Upon using the heat sensor, they discovered the baby was alive. It was not breathing, but it was still alive, at least.
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\n[post_page_title]Growing concern[\/post_page_title]
\nThe mother moved closer to her baby. She was clearly in distress and worried about her young. However, the park rangers were still hoping that nature would take its course and that the mother would be able to help.
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\nHowever, they couldn\u2019t help but worry profusely for the baby. If it wasn\u2019t breathing, it couldn\u2019t have much time left before it became fatal. To add to the concern, mother elephants are also known for trampling their babies if they feel that they aren\u2019t going to survive in the wild.
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\n[post_page_title]Herd behavior[\/post_page_title]
\nElephants live in herds of from 10 up to a staggering 90. Female elephants, known as cows, rule the herd, with the males – bulls – living in their own separate herd, until they go in pursuit of females during mating season.
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\nElephants are incredibly social animals, and elephants living alone are a huge cause for concern. Matriarchal elephants have naturally very good maternal instincts, and will all chip in with a young elephant. Elephants live for up to 70 years, so herds can become enormous with all of the mothers\u2019 offspring.
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\n[post_page_title]Understanding the situation[\/post_page_title]
\nWith the knowledge that the tiny, newborn elephant was alive, yet not breathing, the rangers\u2019 growing concern got them thinking. They wondered when it would be the right time to step in.
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\nWhile onlookers watched in desperation, hoping that a miracle would happen, the safari workers discussed how long they should leave it before assisting the agitated mother and her troubled baby. The baby\u2019s mom seemed to be trying to figure out how to help, while everyone felt like a few short minutes had turned to hours.
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\n[post_page_title]The world watching[\/post_page_title]
\nThe video of the event was published by Kruger National Park, for others to follow. It was quickly spreading across the news like wildfire, while the visitors watched from their truck, and other viewers watched from their homes.
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\nPeople were frantic with apprehension, wondering what might happen to the sweet baby elephant and what might have led to this shocking situation. Often, mother elephants are to blame for events like these, either intentionally or by accident, but this was not the case this time.
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\n[post_page_title]Getting closer to her baby[\/post_page_title]
\nThe mother moved closer still. Onlookers held their breath, either in fear that the mother would decide her baby was not going to make it and end its life, or in the hope that she had come up with a way to save it.
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\nShe hovered around the baby, still in a state of disquietude. This was until she seemed as though she had a plan. She edged ever closer to her young baby, and began trying to wake it up or help it to move.
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\n[post_page_title]Unexpected view[\/post_page_title]
\nThis was most definitely not the sight that visitors had expected upon entering Kruger National Park that morning. If the story had a happy ending, it would provide an incredible, unique memory, but, if the baby didn\u2019t survive, the visitors would no doubt be plagued by grief.
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\nAll anyone could do was hope for the life of the little one. Viewers of the story\u2019s video watched in suspense, with many posting comments praying for the baby elephant and wishing for it – and its mother – to recover from the ordeal.
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\n[post_page_title]Momma and baby[\/post_page_title]
\nIn an elephant\u2019s matriarchal herd, all of the cows help each other with their babies. Baby elephants rely heavily on their mothers for roughly three years, which is longer than almost any other animal.
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\nOffspring remains somewhat dependent on their mothers until the age of about 6, with bulls leaving the herd between eight and 18-years-old, while females stick with their natal herds all their life, which is led by the eldest elephant. This makes elephants one of the closest-knit and maternal group of animals in existence.
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\n[post_page_title]She needed to do something[\/post_page_title]
\nThe baby\u2019s mother\u2019s instincts began kicking in. With an innate need to protect young elephants, and not just their own, the momma elephant checked out her baby, only to realize it was still motionless and not breathing.
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\nElephants usually stick close to their herds, with their babies holding onto one of the cows\u2019 tails, so they don\u2019t get separated, but this mother couldn\u2019t quite work out why her baby was lifeless. As she frantically checked her baby over, rangers worried that she would accidentally step on it.
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\n[post_page_title]Her only solution[\/post_page_title]
\nAfter a short while – which felt like forever to everyone whose hearts had practically stopped in presentiment – the mother started trying to help. She began gently kicking her baby.
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\nOnlookers were terrified that she was about to give up hope, but they were shocked to discover that she was actually trying to wake her little baby, and prompt it to breathe. After a few soft kicks, park rangers and visitors alike were losing hope. Maybe it was too late, or perhaps it was too severe to save.
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\n[post_page_title]Protecting her baby[\/post_page_title]
\nUntil baby elephants are past their first year, they can only feed from their moms. They don\u2019t begin foraging for themselves until they are nearing two-years-old.
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\nWith their strong dependence on their mothers, cows are forced to protect their babies from everything, for many years. While this often entails fighting off predators, it also includes looking after their health. Elephants have an incredible bond with their young, often seen grieving over deceased relatives, and so, this mother was desperate to save her tiny baby.
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\n[post_page_title]An incredible rescue[\/post_page_title]
\nThe mother continued nudging her baby until finally, a miracle happened. The baby wobbled to its feet, much to everyone\u2019s amazement. Park rangers, visitors at the safari, and viewers elsewhere no doubt let out a sigh of relief.
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\nThe astounding cow had revived her baby. She successfully encouraged it to breathe, and within minutes, it was back on its feet. The brave momma elephant seemed to have calmed down significantly – after all, she had saved the young elephant and could relax, knowing it was going to be okay.
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\n[post_page_title]Depending on mom[\/post_page_title]
\nThe baby staggered around a little, trying to recover from the terrible experience. It leaned into its mom for support. The baby used its trunk to seek out its mother, seeing as an elephant\u2019s trunk is its most vital resource.
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\nThe mother also used her trunk to stabilize her little one. The tiny baby seemed to be coming around, as it\u2019s remarkable mother stayed still, trying to help it to regain its balance. Onlookers continued filming, with the knowledge that they had just witnessed one of the most phenomenal rescues.
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\n[post_page_title]Living the natural life[\/post_page_title]
\nKruger National Park is one of the largest parks in Africa. The nature reserve is over seven thousand square miles in size – even room to safely house all of its thousands of animals.
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\nThe park\u2019s animals range from rhinos to giraffes, lions to buffaloes, and everything in between. The park is protected, meaning that the animals are safe from destruction and poaching, yet are free to live pretty normal lives. The South African safari attracts around two million visitors each year, who travel to see its magnificent animals.
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\n[post_page_title]The incredible footage[\/post_page_title]
\nThe national park hosts a YouTube channel, full of videos and footage of the animals roaming free, and of course, incredible events, such as this. The channel keeps fans up to date on what\u2019s going on inside the reserve on a daily basis.
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\nThe footage of this particular event was watched a multitude of times, welcoming hundreds of comments from well-wishers and elephant lovers. It was truly a marvel to see, and thanks to the footage, everyone got the opportunity to appreciate the remarkable story.
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\n[post_page_title]The park’s mission[\/post_page_title]
\nIn 1898, Paul Kruger announced that he was going to open a sanctuary in South Africa. Kruger was the president of Transvaal Republic, but he had a dream to protect animals in their natural habitats.
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\nTerritorial disputes delayed the park\u2019s opening by many years, but thankfully, in 1927, Kruger\u2019s dream finally became a reality. He went about protecting the land and all of its many animals – which currently consists of 147 different species. Since then, the park rangers have worked tirelessly to care for the land and welcome guests.
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\n[post_page_title]The grand opening[\/post_page_title]
\nThe first visitors at the safari park in 1927 paid a little over the equivalent of $1 for their entry. They were some of the first people to ever experience animals in all their glory, roaming thousands of miles of land freely and safely.
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\nKruger not only wanted to protect animals and their environments, but he also wanted to enable humans to coexist with nature. He aimed to invite people to the park where they could walk alongside animals, with no threat to either of them, which he successfully managed.
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\n[post_page_title]Steady recovery[\/post_page_title]
\nWith help from its courageous mother, the baby elephant had gotten to its feet and was beginning to recover from its trauma.
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\nHad the mother given up on her young, the baby almost definitely would not have survived, but thanks to her, it looked as though it was going to recover just fine. The pair set off back to their herd, with the little one sticking close by. It’s uncertain what had caused the baby to become completely unresponsive, but regardless, it was rescued by its miraculous mother.
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\n[post_page_title]Putting elephants at risk[\/post_page_title]
\nThe ivory trade contributes to the greatest decline in elephant populations, with China aiding the cruel trade the most. A small piece of ivory can sell for thousands of dollars, making poaching an unfortunately popular business.
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\nPoaching and the ivory trade is now illegal in many countries, but sadly, this doesn\u2019t stop everyone. Kruger, however, promised to protect all the animals he could, making the safari park a protected and safe place for elephants – and all other animals – where no hunting can ever take place.
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\n[post_page_title]Elephants around the world[\/post_page_title]
\nIn Kruger National Park, animals and humans are at peace. The animals don\u2019t view the visitors or rangers as a threat, as they\u2019ve never experienced fear at the hands of people.
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\nIn areas where hunting is rife, however, animals have a much stronger opposition to the presence of humans, as they feel the need to fight for their lives and to protect their offspring. In India, elephants are viewed as working animals, while other parts of the world see them as beautiful animals which should remain free.
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\n[post_page_title]As if nothing had ever happened[\/post_page_title]
\nFollowing the awe-inspiring rescue of the baby elephant by its dedicated mother, the pair wandered back off across the park. The mother, with her baby walking between her front legs for protection, showed an incredible maternal connection to her newborn calf and refused to give up on it.
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\nThankfully, the heart-wrenching story was caught on camera for us all to appreciate. The bond between elephants is utterly exceptional, and we humans could learn a thing or two about unconditional love and dedication from them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

African elephants are truly incredible animals, weighing up to 6.6 tons, which roughly equates to 945 stone, and measuring about 10ft to the shoulder. These remarkable beauties have a population of around 415,000, which has fortunately increased in recent years. These animals can hear other elephants from up to six miles away, dependent on the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":72,"featured_media":73579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n