In a heartwarming display of maternal love and teamwork, a mother elephant recently saved her baby from drowning in a South African river, rallying the support of the herd to help pull the youngster to safety.
Curious about the river, the young calf ventured into the shallows to take a drink. Inexperience led to the baby falling into the deep water, it’s head barely visible as the frantic mother tried to lift it with her trunk.
Responding to the mother’s call for aid, five other herd members joined the effort, successfully extracting the calf from the water.
The dramatic rescue was captured in a series of stunning photographs by Wesley Wolmarans, a 33-year-old photographer.
Wolmarans recounted the scene, saying, “We had found the small herd, and as we watched them approach, we noticed a tiny baby making his way to the other side to drink.
The little one was still too young to use his trunk, so he attempted to drink with his mouth.” The calf’s misstep led to a tense situation in the South African river.
“The mum jumped up and started to panic as the little one struggled to keep his head above the water,” Wolmarans continued.
“Frantic attempts from the mum to retrieve the little one resulted in a sudden and loud trumpet, and within a second, the entire herd was in the water searching for the little one.”
The herd members used their trunks and feet to lift the baby against the riverbank, allowing it to regain solid footing.
Photos captured the emotional moment when the drenched calf was finally safe, surrounded by a protective circle of its herd.
Wolmarans added, “The mum kept him away from the water after that. Seeing the little one struggling to keep its head above the water, I felt helpless. But then it was pure joy when the herd managed to get him out safely.”
Though drowning can be dangerous for young elephants, it is not unusual for older herd members to watch over and assist each other’s offspring in the wild.
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