For one baby elephant who was more than likely abandoned by his herd after getting himself stuck, help couldn’t come quickly enough.
The young male calf, who lives in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park, had stumbled into a drying mud wallow – and was unable to escape it after becoming trapped.
“It was sadly apparent that he had struggled there for a very long time as, upon rescue, he was completely exhausted and in a state of collapse,” DSWT wrote on Facebook.
The rescue team that swooped in to save him had to use straps and strength to pull the elephant, estimated to be 3 years old, from out of the mud.
Once he was freed, the little elephant collapsed onto a mattress laid out for him, exhausted by his efforts to escape.
When the elephant returned to DSWT’s Voi Reintegration Unit to recuperate, he was given IV fluids to help combat his dehydration.
The team used a rope to help him stay upright, as he was unable to stand on his own. Fortunately, he accepted the food they offered him as well.
“Twenty-four hours later and clearly still very weak, today he has been able to stand, which is a positive early sign,” DSWT wrote on Monday. “Our team continues to provide dedicated care and we will keep you posted on his progress.”
The hope is that with the help of his quick-thinking rescuers, the elephant will bounce back fully and be able to return to his home in the Kenyan wilderness.
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Watch this video about an elephant shot in the head who knew just whom to ask for help:
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