Elephants are one of the most fascinating creatures on the planet. Humans seem to have a fascination with them in the same way we have a fascination with dogs. It makes sense that humans and elephants can bond so well since elephants are known for their rich and complex social structures. They might be viewing us as strange little squishy elephants!
Even still, we can’t help but be amazed by the things these behemoths do.
From all the viral videos and Animal Planet coverage we watched as a kid, we all know that elephants have hearts that match their size – and not just in the physical way! They have been known to save humans, fall asleep to lullabies, and generally woo the hearts of anyone they come in contact with.
Even knowing that, this video is still incredible.
One dramatic event shows us all the tools that an elephant has in its box. Love, care, and intelligence were all on display recently when a young Asian elephant at the Seoul Grand Park Zoo fell into a pool.
Caught on camera, we see how quickly the elephants react. It’s nothing short of extraordinary.
Sitting on the lip of the retainer pool, we see a mother and calf hanging about. Suddenly, the baby falls in and it’s like a hurricane of gray whips through the enclosure. All of a sudden, all the other elephants rush over to the scene and start helping.
The female near the baby panics, and the other elephants in the enclosure rush over.
Almost instantly, the calm enclosure is full of activity. The mother elephant and friends immediately know what the issue is. Caitlin O’Connell-Rodwell is an adjunct professor at Stanford and was able to provide some insight into what happened.
Even though it might not seem like this elephant calf is in any real danger, a baby elephant can’t swim until it’s several months old. And falling into deeper water like this could also cause the baby to bellow in alarm. And given how quickly the others responded, I’m assuming that’s indeed the case. – WP
Thankfully, this situation is common in the wild.
A mama knows best! As soon as the baby falls in, the other elephants know precisely what to do. The coordination is something incredible to watch. Since the adults know where the shallow area of the pool is, they run around and jump into the water.
Herding the baby into the shallow end, they lead it out of the water.
The entire event takes less than 30 seconds, and the baby is all of a sudden safe and sound. As O’Connell-Rodwell notes, this is a common situation in the wild. Babies LOVE water and are always falling in. With the swift actions of the herd and the calming presence of the matriarch of the family, everything gets sorted out quickly.
From this coordinated effort, you can tell this is a mature family.
A mature elephant family can take lots of things in stride. From this quick rescue, we can see that these gentle giants know precisely what they are doing. In the end, baby was safe!
Check out the video below!
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