An unexpected guest appeared at a South African game reserve when a 10-day-old baby elephant separated from her herd and wandered into a family’s garden.

The young female, affectionately named Tom, traveled nearly 30 miles before arriving on Tuesday night at the Thula Thula Private Game Reserve in Zululand.

The game reserve’s owner, Francoise Maldy Anthony, and her staff were astonished when Tom entered their living room.

They provided the baby elephant with food and water while rangers searched for her mother. In a remarkable twist, it turned out that Tom’s mother was an elephant that Anthony’s late husband had rescued years earlier.

1 3 — How did she get here? The female baby elephant, named Tom after the member of staff who found her in the garden, was estimated to be just over one week old when it got lost and walked into the living room. Source: Barcroft Media

Baby elephants rarely get separated from their herds, so Tom’s journey to the game reserve was a rare and remarkable event. According to Anthony, who has owned the account for 15 years, she had never witnessed anything like it.

2 2 — New pet: Francoise Malby Anthony, the owner of the ranch, plays with her surprise guest in the living room. Source: Barcroft Media

The staff at Thula Thula allowed Tom to roam freely while minimizing contact to avoid rejection by her mother.

3 2 — Lost little one: Francoise Maldy Anthony has owned the Thula Thula Private Game Reserve ranch for 15 years but said she has. I have never experienced anything like it. Source: Barcroft Media

When the mother and baby were finally reunited, Tom appeared reluctant to leave, even trying to follow the van as it pulled away.

4 2 — Tiny dancer: After wandering into the garden, the ten-day-old elephant makes its way into the Anthony family’s living room. Source: Barcroft Media

5 2 — Tom nom: Game rangers Shereen Bond and David Bozas feed the distressed baby elephant in an attempt to calm it down while its mother is tracked down. Source: Barcroft Media

Overnight monitoring confirmed that Tom was successfully integrated back into her herd. Francoise Maldy Anthony, now living alone after losing her husband, conservationist and novelist Lawrence Anthony, recalled the extraordinary experience, which some belief was more than a coincidence.

6 2 — Where’s mummy? The young elephant is thought to have traveled for several miles after getting separated from its mother and the rest of the herd before ending up in Francoise Malby Anthony’s living room. Source: Barcroft Media

7 1 — Tom, meet Tom: Tom the baby elephant with chef Tom Diamini, who originally found her in the garden in Zululand, South Africa. Source: Barcroft Media

Time for cuddles: David Bozas and Shereen Bond spend some time with the young elephant who temporarily took over the living room in the main house on the game reserve. Source: Barcroft Media

Making friends: Tom, the baby elephant, and Tom, the chef, get acquainted in the lounge. Source: Barcroft Media

10 1 — One more for dinner, then? Staff from the Thula Thula game reserve feed Tom, the baby elephant, in the ranch’s kitchen. Source: Barcroft Media

Hard out here: Tom rests her trunk on the sofa after exploring the living room and getting fed. Source: Barcroft Media

Trunk in love: Francoise and her staff were careful not to have too much contact with Tom, but the charming elephant baby appeared to have been hard to resist. Source: Barcroft Media

Tom was only inside the house for a few hours while her herd was located, but Francoise and her staff described the experience as magical. Source: Barcroft Media

Trunk in the trunk: Game ranger Shereen Bond and other members of staff attempt to return Tom to her mother after tracking down the herd. Source: Barcroft Media

Canidae Pet Food Reviews: An In-Depth Look

Choosing the right pet food is crucial for the health and well-being of our furry friends. In this blog post, we'll delve deep into Canidae pet food, a popular choice among pet owners, and provide an in-depth review based on various sources.

Canidae is a well-known brand in the pet food industry, offering a range of products designed to cater to pets of all ages, breeds, and sizes.

Product Range:

Canidae All-Life Stages (Dry): This vet-formulated product suits dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes. It's available in both dry and wet formulas.
Canidae Pure: A limited-ingredient diet crafted for dogs with food sensitivities. Each recipe typically includes 7 to 10 ingredients.

Key Ingredients

The Canidae All Life Stages Multi Protein Formula, which represents the brand's product line, contains ingredients like chicken meal, turkey meal, brown rice, peas, oatmeal, and barley. Chicken meal, the primary ingredient, is a meat concentrate with nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

Recalls and Safety

Canidae has had recalls in the past. It's essential to stay updated with the brand's recall history to ensure your pet's safety.

Customer Reviews

The Canidae Dog Food product line has earned an overall rating of 4.5 stars from The Dog Food Advisor. The Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food has received the Advisor's second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.

Pros and Cons:

Pros: High protein content, suitable for all life stages, contains beneficial ingredients like flaxseed and taurine.
Cons: It contains some controversial ingredients, and not all minerals are chelated, which might affect absorption.

Conclusion

Canidae All Life Stages is a grain-inclusive dry dog food that uses a notable amount of named meat meals as its primary source of animal protein. With an above-average protein content and a profile suggesting a significant amount of meat, it comes highly recommended for pet owners.