Elephants are everything!
With their charismatic personalities and intelligent qualities, elephants are loved around the globe.
Unfortunately, these massive mammals are still at constant risk of poaching and extinction.
Although ivory serves no real purpose outside of expensive decor, elephants have continuously been hunted for their tusks.
With elephant populations dwindling, conservationists and veterinarians have made it their mission to protect these gentle giants from extinction.
As one of the smartest members of the animal kingdom, elephants have vast memories and are prolific tool users.
It’s no surprise that one African elephant approached a group of veterinarians in a time of need.
This is an emergency!
The ailment? A bullet lodged deep in the skull.
The elephant has a literal bullet in the head.
After a near-fatal gunshot, this elephant recognized it needed help and knew just where to find it.
With a growing infection from the bullet wound, the gentle giant understood the necessity of medical attention.
He approached a group of veterinarians hoping that they’d be able to help during this perilous hour.
The veterinarian team began their work by sedating the large animal with a rather hefty tranquilizer.
After the elephant was sound asleep, they were able to run X-rays to see just how severe the injury was.
They were then able to decide on a plan of action.
The team realized that the bullet was less than an inch away from having been a direct-kill shot.
The bullet was lodged deep into the animal’s skull, so time was of the utmost importance.
Without a single moment to spare, transporting the elephant to the nearest facility was not an option.
Time to remove the bullet in the middle of the Zimbabwean savanna.
After careful precision and teamwork, the group was able to remove the deformed bullet.
When the sedation wore off, the large elephant was up and functioning with full mobility.
The team decided to name their new elephant friend Pretty Boy.
Well, meet Pretty Boy.
As one of their many skills, elephants have a unique gift of being able to differentiate between languages on the basis of gender, ethnicity, and age.
They can use this skill to recognize whether humans are likely to pose a threat, such as poachers, or if they are likely to help, such as veterinarians and conservationists.
Pretty Boy’s likely to remember the team that saved his life.
Hopefully, though, he’s able to forget the pain.
The story’s touched hearts around the globe.
It already has over 17 million views on YouTube!
Although most will never get to see an elephant in the wild, we can all hope for their safety and prosperity, nevertheless.
African elephants are currently listed as vulnerable while their Asian counterparts are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Luckily for Pretty Boy, he should live a long and fulfilling life thanks to his new veterinarian friends and his ability to ask for help.
Before you go, check out his entire miraculous story in the video player below!
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