A young elephant stands motionless in front of the mother's body. He doesn't want to take the little trunk off his back. Yet there is not much to do: the poachers have poisoned her with a spear that hit her head
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
A young elephant stands motionless in front of the mother's body. He doesn't want to take the little trunk off his back. Yet there is not much to do: the poachers have poisoned her with a spear that hit her head.
And to think that just 24 hours earlier they had been photographed by a tourist while they were happily playing together. It is the sad story that comes from the plains of the Masai Mara National Reserve, in Kenya.
Now, however, the little one, who can no longer drink his mother's milk, he risks dying if he is not saved immediately. As the herd slowly begins to drift away, the baby elephant tries to follow another mother who is nursing her cub. The hungry orphan tries to suck, but the elephant gently pushes him away.
Elephants usually adopt orphans from the herd. But they only share milk in situations where it does not jeopardize the health of their young. Fortunately, however, Richard Roberts, del Mara Elephant Project.
Thus begins a dramatic and tense rescue. In fact, the matriarch has become extremely protective of the orphan and the rescuers struggle to capture him. In the end they prevail and Roi, this is the name chosen for the unfortunate pachyderm, he is taken to an elephant 'orphanage'.
The first few weeks of a young orphaned elephant are always critical. Unfortunately, not all of them survive. The feeling of pain and distress can become so strong that it literally takes them to giving up life, refusing food or water. Fortunately, however, Roi is immediately comforted and consoled by the older orphans of the center, who give him the attention and love he needed.
He will live here until he is three, when he is transferred to be weaned and reintroduced to wild elephants.
Roberta Ragni
Source and Photo Credit
National Geographic
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