A five-month-old elephant in Kenya has brought tears to many people’s eyes after refusing to leave the bodies of its dead parents. Both parents, Sokotei (the elephant’s name), died from infections.
Rescuers found Sokotei in Samburu (northern Kenya) and had to work hard to bring him to safety. They were worried that he might starve to death or become easy prey for other predators.
“It was a race against time to rescue Sokotei. Everyone had a long night trying to keep him safe,” said Rob Brandford, director of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Rescuers had to wait until morning to take Sokotei to a special orphanage in Nairobi National Park. They had to give Sokotei milk and water immediately, fearing that he would be exhausted after a long night.
“When Sokotei is an adult, he will be released into the wild to join other elephant herds. It will probably take him about eight years to survive in the wild,” Brandford added.