Usually, when we think of an animal rescue, humans are doing the saving.
Not this time.
Here, a group of what appear to be Asian elephants loiters on the bank of a river. Some stand in the background, while others drink from the water.
The footage starts with a man floundering against the current. His head bobs in and out of the water in the middle of the river and in-line with the first group of drinking elephants.
Although he’s actually not in any danger, he lets out a cry for help…
The adults don’t even move. Some of them look pretty tired.
But a baby elephant runs into the water in an attempt to save him.
The current continues to whisk the man away, but the elephant doesn’t break stride.
The baby elephant walks briskly, deeper into the water, following a precalculated, angled path to intercept the man downstream.
Smart baby elephant to the rescue!
The elephant makes its way out into the middle of the river.
By this point, the elephant’s almost completely submerged.
Can it even cross the river safely?
The elephant might be putting its life on the line!
The elephant continues. It’s basically underwater now!
It slowly makes its way across the deepest part of the river.
Can the elephant even see at this point?
The man approaches the bank on the opposite side of the river.
The elephant continues course, walking right up to him.
The baby elephant’s the only one that ran to his rescue. The adults didn’t do a thing!
The elephant positions itself near the man, gently offering its body for support.
The man seems overjoyed to see the elephant, although he’s clearly safe and doesn’t need help.
The elephant doesn’t relent, lending a helping hoove.
The elephant’s broad body acts as a safeguard against the current and an easy object to latch onto.
The interaction’s quite heartwarming. At this point, they’re just playing around.
The man softly hugs the elephant, thanking it for caring.
The elephant continues to offer its trunk as support.
The man’s all smiles, continuing his hug.
Despite its large frame, the elephant’s very docile and thoughtful. It’s also incredibly patient and protective, standing by the human for a while.
The man maneuvers around the elephant’s legs.
He’s cheesing from ear to ear, touched by an experience of a lifetime.
So where can people just hang out with elephants? Judging by the video’s source, this encounter likely took place in Oman, a country in the Middle East bordering Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Sea.
Asian elephants can be distinguished from their African cousins by their smaller ear size and general mass. They can live up to 60 years in the wild. Right now, they’re considered endangered with a decreasing population.
All in all, these local elephants seem pretty accepting of humans!
Even though the man was never in any real danger, the baby elephant went out of its way to ensure his safety. Although the baby is small in stature relative to its family members, it has an incredibly large heart.
This baby’s got your back!
What’d you think of this awesome elephant “rescue”? Usually, “animal rescue” conjures images of humans saving abandoned pets like cats and dogs. Well, elephants are certainly capable of helping humans, too!
Check out the entirety of the incredible interaction below!
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