Baby Elephant Gets a Helping Nudge from Matriarch to Climb Steep Riverbank

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A touching moment was caught in the film when a baby elephant struggling to climb a steep riverbank received help from the matriarch of its herd.

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The footage was captured by filmmaker Kim Wolhuter, 62 while visiting the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana.

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Wolhuter witnessed the baby elephant attempting to follow its mother up the bank of the Majale River but getting stuck at the bottom.

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The mother, unaware of her calf’s struggle, continued ahead while other herd members climbed out of the sandy riverbed.

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In the video, adult elephants use their front legs and rear limbs to pull themselves up the steep bank. However, the baby elephant could not gain the traction needed to ascend.

That’s when the herd’s matriarch, who was following behind, stepped in and gently nudged the calf with her trunk, helping it to safety.

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Wolhuter shared his experience with Latestsightings.com, explaining how the Majale River only flows for part of the year. Still, elephants often dig into the riverbed to access water hidden beneath the sand.

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When he saw the scene unfold, he had been driving along the riverbank, observing the animals using steep paths worn into the banks by previous floods.

He described the moment, saying, “I stopped to watch the elephants climb up the bank, marveling at their agility. After two elephants made it up, the rest of the family followed, led by a cow. That’s when the baby got stuck. The matriarch, coming from behind, gently nudged the little one up, and by the time the mother realized what happened, her calf was already safe.”

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Wolhuter added that this moment is a reminder of how caring and supportive elephants are towards each other, especially under the watchful care of the matriarch.

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