A mother elephant has saved her baby from drowning in a nearby river, enlisting the help of the herd to pull the infant free.
Pictures show the curious calf exploring the shallows of the river before falling in as it attempted to take a drink.
A mother elephant has saved her baby from drowning in a nearby river, enlisting the help of the herd to pull the infant free
The dramatic rescue came after the young calf fell into a nearby river, prompting a frantic rescue effort by his mother
His head is barely visible above the water as his mother tries frantically to grab hold of him and pull him up with her trunk
Pictures show the curious calf exploring the shallows of the river before falling in, while the adults in the herd stand on the riverbank
Seeing the struggle, other elephants from the herd quickly join the mother to try and pull the baby from the river
Eventually, at least five other members of the herd join the mother in her efforts and succeed in pulling the calf out of the water
‘The mum jumped up and started to panic as the little one struggled to keep his head above the water.
Photographer Wesley Wolmarans, 33, captured the moment the soaked elephant was freed, as the others huddled protectively around him
It is not uncommon for small elephants to drown in swiftly moving or deep water, a traumatic event for others as elephants have been known to show signs of grief
The kind of rescue Wolmarans witnessed is common in the wild, with elder members of the herd keeping an eye on each other’s youngsters
‘The mum kept him away from the water after that,’ Wolmarans said.