A touching moment was captured on video as a young elephant received aid from the herd’s matriarch to navigate a steep riverbank after finding itself stranded at the base.
Filmmaker Kim Wolhuter, aged 62, documented this heartwarming scene during a visit to the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana.
Wolhuter witnessed the distress of a baby elephant struggling to ascend the bank of the Majale River after its mother, prompting him to start filming.
Unaware of her calf’s plight, the elephant mother continued her journey, leaving the young one behind.
As the herd crossed the Majale River, the youngest member faced challenges. The baby elephant struggled to navigate the steep riverbank alongside the older members until the matriarch identified the issue and gently nudged the youngster to assist.
The footage captured these majestic creatures gracefully navigating the steep riverbank with their front legs bent and leveraging their rear limbs.
Despite their efforts, the tiny calf struggled to gain traction until the matriarch intervened with a gentle nudge using her trunk.
Kim Wolhuter, sharing the incident with Latestightings.com, provided insights into the elephants’ behavior along the Majale River, explaining their adaptation to accessing hidden water under the sand.
On the northern bank, eroded by floods, certain areas featured steep paths maintained by elephants for exiting the riverbed.
Witnessing a moment where a calf encountered a steep ledge while ascending, Wolhuter observed the matriarch gently guiding and nudging the little one, ensuring its safe ascent.
Wolhuter marveled at the agility of these immense creatures, highlighting the nurturing nature of elephants as the matriarch came to the rescue.
Later, the mother arrived to assist her calf, unaware that the matriarch had already ensured the little one’s safety. This showcased the strong sense of familial cooperation and support within the elephant herd.
The calf, depicted as stuck on the steep ledge and struggling to surmount the challenge, was thankfully reunited with its mother at the top of the riverbank with the help of the matriarch.
