Watch the sighting here:
This heart-stopping, yet ultimately heart-warming video was sent to Latest Sightings by Jolandi De Klerk. She and her husband witnessed the incident at a water hole in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.
A visit to the waterhole
Jolandi explains that having just arrived in the park, she was delighted to find their first herd of elephants drinking at a roadside water hole.
She said, “The bigger elephants had already drunk, and now the youngsters were having their turn. That’s when we spotted the cutest little baby amongst his much larger siblings.”
Slippery slope
As we watch, we hear their delight as the calf rubs itself in the cloying mud. However, it soon becomes apparent that it is quite slippery, as the calf struggles to keep its footing.
Subsequently, the calf completely lost traction and slid down into the water.
Immediate assistance
Seeing what had happened, one of the nearby sub-adults immediately extended its trunk in an effort to assist the distressed calf.
Subsequently, as other herd members realised what was happening, they too went to lend a helping trunk. However, despite their best efforts, the calf remained stuck in the water below.
A bright idea
By now, panic was starting to set in. While the calf’s squealed in distress, other elephants could be heard rumbling. This sound is used by elephants to soothe, express contentment, and in this case, to coordinate behaviour.
Amid the chaos, one of the elephants had a bright idea. Seeing their efforts to pull the calf out failing, it joined the calf in the water.
Looking on in anticipation
While the rest of the herd looked on, the innovative elephant first soothed the panicked calf.
As it did, it got the calf back on its feet and directed it towards another part of the water hole. Here, the slope was gentle.
For Jolandi and her partner, these were anxious moments. At one point, Jolandi half-jokingly suggested she wanted to help too.
Newfound hero
As it happened though, there was no need. For moments later, the calf easily walked out of the water hole, accompanined by its newfound hero.
Being the tender, intelligent creatures that they are, the other elephants were quick to gather round to reassure the relieved calf.
Reunited once again with its mother and relatives, the calf then rejoined the herd as they continued with their day.
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Intelligent elephants
Earth’s largest land mammal is also one of its most intelligent. Equipped with large brains, they show remarkable cognitive abilities.
These are evident in their renowned memory, as well as in their ability to learn and solve problems. Furthermore, their intelligence shines through in their complex social structres and emotional range.
Their memory enables them to retain a detailed knowledge of their environment, assisting them in finding resources in times of scarcity.
They display a wide range of emotions, from joy to empathy, helping strengthen social bonds. Additionally, they appear to communicate in an advanced way, both physically and vocally.
And lastly, as seen in the video, they are able to think outside the box. This, with their habit of using tools, means that they can find creative solutions to new problems.
Perhaps it is this intelligence that so draws us to elephants. They certainly have a lot to teach us.