In a heart-rending incident, the African baby elephant Eliot lost his entire family to a tragic lightning strike, leaving him orphaned and vulnerable.
However, a glimmer of hope emerged for Eliot when he was rescued on Christmas Day at just three days old and brought to a sanctuary.
There, he found solace in the companionship of two older elephants who had also experienced similar hardships.
Kadiki, aged three, and Beatrix, one, had their own tales of survival. Kadiki narrowly escaped a lion attack when he was only a day old, while Beatrix was rescued from a difficult situation when she became trapped in a gully.
The two elephants formed a strong bond, with Kadiki taking on a nurturing role towards Beatrix, capturing the hearts of readers with heartwarming images of him wrapping his trunk around her.
The compassionate duo has now extended their love and support to three-month-old Eliot. All three elephants reside at the Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery near Harare, under the care of Roxy Danckwerts, an animal campaigner whose charity, Wild is Life, manages the sanctuary.
Danckwerts expressed her amazement at the emotional connection between the elephants, stating, “The other two immediately comforted Eliot because they’ve been through it. The intensity of the emotion and care is extraordinary.”
Studies in the field of elephant behavior have shown that these majestic creatures possess powerful social bonds within their family groups.
The ultimate goal for the nursery is to relocate the elephants, once they have gained enough strength, to a protected reserve near Victoria Falls.
This sanctuary provides a safe haven away from poachers and will allow them to integrate with wild elephant herds, giving them a chance to thrive in their natural habitat once again.
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