The five-month-old lovingly laid his trunk on her as the emotional drama was played out in Samburu, northern Kenya.
The baby elephant was discovered holding a vigil for his dead mother in Samburu, north Kenya
Such was the five-month-old’s devotion, he was oblivious to the cold, and threat of predators
An autopsy later revealed that the mother elephant died due to a serious internal infection caused by a twisted gut. The youngster is seen above keeping watch over her body before night fell
After the flight, the severely dehydrated calf was driven to the orphanage, where keepers quenched his thirst with some milk and water.
Some of the other 30 orphans at the nursery were bought in to welcome and comfort the new arrival, who was named Sokotei.
Worried for his safety, keepers from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT), Kenya Wildlife Service and Save the Elephants worked through the night to capture the bull
Vets were eventually able to tranquilise the youngster in the early hours of the morning, before driving him to the Samburu airstrip
A specialist team flew in to prepare the calf for the flight to his new home at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage
After the flight, the severely dehydrated calf was driven to the orphanage, where keepers quenched his thirst with some milk and water
‘Alone, he was extremely vulnerable, but rain and the fact that he’s a wild animal meant we had to wait until morning, when everyone woke very early and ready to face a dramatic few hours.’
The rescue was part of the DSWT’s ‘Orphans Project’, which rescues and reintegrates elephants into the wild. The youngster was given the name Sokotei by keepers
The orphanage looks after elephants under the age of three that are still ‘milk dependent’
‘Once Sokotei is old enough to go to one of our reintegration centres, he will spend time going out into the bush to meet other herds, learn what food is safe and essentially learn how to be a wild elephant,’ Brandford added.
‘Once Sokotei is old enough to go to one of our reintegration centres, he will spend time going out into the bush to meet other herds, learn what food is safe and essentially learn how to be a wild elephant,’ DSWT director Rob Brandford said