Pure Joy: Baby Elephant Races Toward His New Friend, Eager to Play and Share a Moment of Happiness

“His first friend came barreling down the hill to meet him. They then began to intertwine trunks, like little children holding hands.”

Orphaned baby elephant in Kenya

Loisaba was brought from the conservancy to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, where he’ll be able to grow up strong and eventually be released back into the wild. And part of why he’ll be able to do this is because he can be socialized with the herd of 10 other baby elephants at the sanctuary who also lost their families one way or another.

Baby elephants meeting at sanctuary

Jeremy Bastard/Reteti Elephant Sanctuary Community United for Elephants

Baby elephants meeting at Kenya sanctuary

“His first friend came barreling down the hill to meet him,” Reteti Elephant Sanctuary wrote. “They then began to intertwine trunks, like little children holding hands.”

Loisaba is getting all the things he needs now to grow into a strong adult elephant — from love to bottles of delicious milk.

Baby elephant herd at Kenya sanctuary

“The other elephants were excited to see him and eager to get to know him,” the sanctuary wrote. “They followed Loisaba everywhere for the rest of the afternoon. Loisaba is now a part of the family.”

Jeremy Bastard/Reteti Elephant Sanctuary Community United for Elephants