Heartwarming Tale: Orphaned Baby Elephant Rescued from Drain Finds Unlikely Mother in Sanctuary’s Resident Sheep, Forming an Unusual Bond

I’ll look after ewe! Orphaned baby elephant rescued after getting stuck in a drain finds a new mum in sanctuary’s resident SHEEP

An orphaned baby elephant has been adopted by an unusual mum… a sheep.

Amanzi the elephant is being cared for at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre in South Africa after a rough start to life.

Pals: Orphaned baby elephant, Amanzi has now found a new friend in ‘Mother-sheep’, Lammie and is inseparable from her. The centre released a heartwarming video of the pair playing together

Walkies: They enjoy walking along side each other, making sure they are always in close contact, unwilling to be separated

The adorable footage shows Amanzi resting his truck on Lammie’s back before the two intertwine their heads.

The love Lammie is showing him is far from the way the elephant has been treated before.

Rest your weary head: The adorable footage shows Amanzi resting his truck on Lammie’s back before the two intertwine their heads

Once bullied: The love Lammie is showing him is far from the way the elephant has been treated before

It was taken by truck and after already being rejected by elephants, non-profit organisation Elephants Alive stepped in to help the calf and took it into care.

Stuck: In February Amanzi got trapped in a drain near a dam belonging to the Phalaborwa Copper mine in Limpopo in north-eastern South Africa and had to be saved by mine workers

Traumatised: Although the men waited for the herd to return eventually they were forced to take the calf to the animal rescue centre because it was suffering from dehydration and exhaustion

Yesterday the centre posted on Facebook: ‘Amanzi has sadly lost his appetite for milk formula. He is being rehydrated again under the supervision of Dr. Peter Rodgers.’

Amazingly though this is not the first time the caring sheep has befriended another animal.

In 2014 the centre released a video of Lammie playing with an orphaned rhino called Gertjie, nicknamed Little G.

Playtime: Amazingly though this is not the first time Lammie has befriended another animal. In 2014 the centre released a video of Lammie playing with an orphaned rhino called Gertjie, nicknamed Little G

Firm friends: The adorable footage was captured by assistant curator Karien Smit who wanted to show the friendship that has developed between the inseparable pair