As powerful as they are and as regal and imperious as they may seem, elephants are affectionate animals with fun-loving, playful sides. When acclimated to human presence in supportive settings like wildlife rescues and zoos, elephants can form close friendships with their human caretakers and even play games with them!
The wonderful caretakers of Botswana’s Elephant Havens Wildlife Foundation give their all to help the orphaned elephants they care for grow up physically and emotionally healthy. That means making sure they get their exercise, and for 6-month-old African elephant Joy, that means chasing around her favorite human like a giant puppy!
That love and affection Joy and KT clearly have for each other really hit home for other TikTok users as well. It’s heartening to know that despite losing their parents, Joy and the other orphaned elephants at Elephant Havens still know that they’re loved and cared for.
“You can train procedures for proper care all day long, but you can’t train love and compassion in what you do,” remarked @carmelknight. “That comes from the heart and it makes all the difference in the world.”