Viewers of Channel 5’s documentary were deeply moved by the story of Minnie, a baby elephant at a Thai hospital who fought a deadly illness.
Minnie, just two years old, was being treated for Elephant Herpes Virus at Lampang’s Elephant Hospital, a disease that has claimed the lives of 60 baby elephants in Thailand over the past year.
The hospital cares for around 100 sick and injured elephants annually, with dedicated elephant keepers, known as mahouts, by their side.
Wildlife expert Dr. Paul O’Donoghue visited the hospital to observe the challenging work, including Minnie’s case, which tugged at the heartstrings of many.
Despite being a feisty little elephant, Minnie faced a serious challenge when diagnosed with the virus.
Her carer, Marty, was deeply concerned for her and stayed by her side throughout her treatment.
Administering medicine was no easy task, as Minnie had to take 60 antiviral pills daily. Like many young animals, she wasn’t too keen on the idea.
Marty, however, came up with a clever solution. He hid the medicine inside bananas, Minnie’s favorite treat. As Paul observed, Marty and Minnie developed a strong bond, rarely leaving each other’s side.
Minnie’s condition initially raised alarms at the hospital when she began showing symptoms of low energy.
Elephant herpes, a hemorrhagic disease that’s especially dangerous to young elephants, is deadly if not treated swiftly. Only about a third of calves fully recover from it.
Doctors confirmed Minnie had the virus after recording a dangerously high temperature. She was immediately put on antibiotics, and thanks to Marty’s relentless dedication, the treatment was successful. This outcome brought joy to many viewers following her journey closely.
Comments on social media poured in, with many expressing their happiness at seeing Minnie’s recovery. “Loved seeing Minnie recover; it’s such a good program,” said one viewer.
Another added, “Minnie was a little terror, but I’m so glad she made it through! Now I want to shower an elephant to win its friendship.”
However, not all viewers were fully satisfied with what they saw. Some were upset by the hospital’s use of chains to restrain certain elephants.
One viewer shared, “I couldn’t finish watching because of the chains. Elephants are my favorite animals, and it was tough to see them like that.” Another asked, “Are these elephants being sent back to the tourist trade after treatment?”
Despite these concerns, Minnie’s recovery left many with tears of joy, celebrating the efforts of the hospital staff and the bond between Minnie and Marty.
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