A heart-rending video captured a group of elephants in Chobe National Park, Botswana, demonstrating their strong emotional bonds as they mourned the loss of a fellow elephant.
Park rangers were forced to euthanize the injured elephant after it suffered a broken leg. The grieving herd later discovered the remains, partially consumed by hyenas, jackals, and a pride of lions, and steadfastly stood by their fallen friend.
In the video, shared by Tracking The Wild, one of the elephants can be seen tenderly touching the deceased with its trunk while others flap their ears, likely to cool off in the sweltering heat.
Watch the video at the end.
Elephants are known for their remarkable capacity to grieve, exhibiting behaviors similar to humans.
They often visit the graves of their lost ones, tenderly ‘kissing’ the bodies with their trunks and swaying in mourning. Intriguingly, while humans typically grieve for close friends and relatives, elephants have been observed mourning even distant acquaintances.
Watch the video below:
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