More than half the elephants that reside in Asia are located in India and they are very dear creatures to the locals. The animals are a big part of the country's culture and religion, and therefore people like to protect them when they can.
That's why, on one fateful day, locals jumped to the rescue when they heard a distressed sound coming from a nearby forest. What happened between the locals and elephants during the next 48-hour period is unbelievable.
Indian Elephants Roam Freely
In India, there are many rural places where elephants roam freely. Like most wild animals, these elephants are hardly ever seen by the locals, but they are known to be majestic and regal creatures. Over the years, both humans and elephants have learned how to respect each other's territory.
These animals are no threat to humans unless they feel as though a boundary has been crossed. In that case, they can inflict serious damages.
The Elephant Procession In Southern India
The Urulanthanni River is located near the southernmost tip of India and is surrounded by lush forests, and is one of the homes of a local elephant herd. The creatures march through the land which is also home to multiple workers.
The people have learned to leave the elephants alone while they march through the vegetation, but it is always a marvel when they come parading through. The ground seems to shake under the weight of the massive creatures.
The Smallest Of The Herd Fell
The procession through the forest is a routine that the elephants seemed to know by heart. Unfortunately, as with all of life, one day the unexpected happened during their march. To make it across the river, each of the elephants first had to walk through farmland.
This was a normal task for the creatures. However, the smallest of their group was not used to the river crossing. And the baby found itself in a sticky situation without anyone to help.
The Baby Slid Down The Embankment
This particular baby elephant was about one-sixth the size of a fully grown adult. So still huge, but very awkward with its movements when compared to its adult counterparts. While the herd was crossing, the baby stumbled and fell into a hole near the river.
The herd was still a couple of feet away from the bank, but the bottom of the hole was covered in sticky mud. The baby was unable to move, leaving the rest of its herd unsure of how to retrieve the young one.
The Baby Elephant Started To Cry
The adults immediately realized that the baby was in danger, as it was struggling to get back up onto its feet. The hole was about the same size as the baby's body, so moving around was draining the young elephant fast.
What made matters worse was the thick layer of mud on the floor of the hole. Lifting its legs probably felt like moving through wet cement. The baby started crying very loudly but the adults didn't know what to do.
The Adults Had to Do Something
The rest of the herd stood there completely stunned as they watched the youngest member of their family struggle to find footing in the muddy hole. After a few minutes of standing around, they knew that they had to do something to save the baby.
As the youngster fought for its life, the others did the only thing they could in the situation. They all started to make noise, hoping that someone or something would come and help.
No One Came To Their Rescue
The adults' screams didn't bring any help, which wasn't good news for the little one. The baby was starting to show signs of fatigue and hopelessness in the hole. The sight was very hard on the adults of the herd.
As the seriousness of the situation became clear, the adults were even more desperate to do something and find help. They were stressed and started to pace back and forth in front of the hole. They couldn't just stand there.
Minutes Turned Into Hours
Elephants are naturally very intelligent animals, so they knew going into the hole after the baby was only going to make the situation worse. They were just too big for the tiny space in the ground. Time passed and the elephants were no closer to figuring out how to get the baby out of the hole.
Minutes turned into hours and the youngest member of their family was quickly losing energy. Losing the baby would be devastating but they had no idea what they could do to help.
Elephants Understand The Value Of Family
Aside from their intelligent nature, elephants are very compassionate creatures. They tend to travel in herds which helps them survive, even though their size is an advantage over predators.
Humans could take a lesson from elephants. They value each member of their herd, from the oldest to the youngest. Wherever they go, they make sure that no one gets left behind. And if someone is in danger, they won't stop until everything is under control, even if that means risking their own lives.
The Mud Started To Harden
The elephants are a family in every sense of the word, so the baby being trapped obviously put them in a desperate situation. They weren't going to leave their little one, but pacing back and forth wasn't helping the matter.
Their anguished noises weren't doing the trick, either. And with the sun beating down and hardening the mud in the hole, the baby only had so much time before they were completely out of options.
The Baby Began to Close Its Eyes
Hours passed and the baby was fading fast. The heat of the sun on top of the hardening mud was only making matters worse. It seemed as though a horrible ending was just around the corner for the young animal.
The older elephants never left the hole, and even though it hurt them to watch as the baby struggled, they weren't going anywhere. Then the baby started to close its eyes. All the herd could do was scream a thunderous cry of heartache.
One Final Idea
With one final idea up their trunks, the older elephants gave out their warning signals -- a sound that is probably one of the most heartbreaking things you'll ever hear, and one that is very hard to ignore.
When elephants are upset, they produce a sound that is akin to a trumpet. Seeing their youngest member stuck in a hole was a definite reason to start producing the sound. Hopefully, someone hears their cry.
They Made The Sound For As Long As Possible
Although we try, humans cannot completely comprehend the language of an animal. But there are some sounds that you can tell are made out of complete anguish. For any onlooker, it would be obvious that the older elephants of the herd are distraught over not being able to get their baby out of the ground.
Their cry for help kept going strong, even while they were probably exhausted from the heat. It didn't matter. Their youngest family member needed them.
The Baby's Will Was Restored
Even after losing most of its energy, the baby elephant got one last jolt of energy after hearing its herd's cry for help. It was their way of showing love and concern for their young family member.
Mustering up the last of its strength, the baby once again tried to kick and climb its way out of the muddy hole. Unfortunately, the slippery sides of the hole weren't allowing the baby elephant to climb out so easily. With one final attempt, the baby slid back down.
The Locals Couldn't Figure Out What The Noise Was
The local community that was accustomed to seeing the elephants was bothered by the loud noise coming from the distance. They had no idea what it was or where it was coming from. Some thought it was distant traffic while others thought it was very loud music of some kind.
When the noise continued on for an extended period of time, the locals knew something was very wrong. The sound was unlike anything they'd heard before.
Some Brave Locals Went To Search For The Sound
Some locals were kind of scared of the strange noise, while others were brave enough to search for the source. They concluded that the noise was coming from the forest, which was about a mile away.
They started to walk in the direction of the trees. The noise didn't stop and it grew louder the closer they got. Some started to guess what was causing the ruckus. They were going to have to be very cautious.
The Locals Reached The River
When the locals reached the river, they realized the noise was not going to stop. Being this close, the sound was almost too much to handle for human ears but they didn't turn around.
They guessed that the sound was coming from the elephants, but what they didn't understand was why they were giving off the thunderous noise. It was unusual for the creatures. That's when they feared the elephants had come across a feline predator.
The Locals Had To Get Closer But They Were On Guard
The residents were aware that a fully grown feline predator could cause massive harm to humans, and yet they moved forward toward the crying elephants. They couldn't leave when there was something obviously wrong with the herd. Curiosity won over their fear.
More and more of residents from the local community wandered into the forest, the braver people moving ever closer to the elephants. They might not be predators with sharp teeth and claws, but a wild stampede of elephants is just as dangerous.
Help Was On The Way
On a normal day, the locals knew better than to get close to the wild animals. Not that elephants are naturally aggressive, but they're still very territorial creatures that won't hesitate to stand their ground against humans who might threaten their and their herd's safety.
But this was not a normal day, and when the elephants saw the humans approaching they didn't get defensive -- exactly the opposite. There was a new glimmer of hope in their eyes.
The Humans Were Also At A Loss
Despite being smarter and having more tools at their disposal than the elephants, the locals were also at a loss. For a while, they just stared at the struggling young elephant trapped in the hole.
They knew they weren't going to be able to lift the baby out with just their hands. It would be too hard, as baby elephants weigh at least 400 pounds. Knowing they couldn't leave the baby trapped, the locals decided to call the authorities. Maybe they had something that could help rescue the animal.
The Sun Started To Set And The Baby Was Still Trapped
While waiting for the authorities to arrive, some of the locals went into town to ask others for help. As the sun began to set, the baby stopped moving. It just laid at the bottom of the hole, almost as if it were waiting for its end.
It was dark, but both the elephants and some of the locals decided to wait until more help arrived. The baby just needed to hold on for someone with the proper equipment.
Finally, Cars Started To Approach
The locals were overjoyed by the sight of headlights in the distance. Reinforcements had arrived! Even the herd seemed to know that more help was there. After what seemed like forever, the rescue team reached the strange group of people and animals.
Making way for the team, the elephants grew agitated but never showed signs of aggression toward the humans. There seemed to be a mutual understanding among all involved. Both parties wanted to see the baby elephant freed.
Forest And Wildlife Officers Were Not Enough
The rescue team that arrived told the locals that they were Forest and Wildlife Officers and that they had to assess the scene to figure out how to best approach the situation. This meant that both the locals and the elephants had to move out of their way.
The officers realized that the situation was not as easy as they first imagined. They had to go back into town to grab larger equipment and more reinforcements. It didn't seem like the situation was going to be resolved during the day.
The Locals Decided To Stay The Night With The Elephants
The situation in the forest was not normal for the authorities, so the backup officers needed to be brought up to speed and organized in town. The baby elephant and the herd, once again, had to wait it out.
As night fell, the locals and some officers decided to stay with the herd. If these wild creatures could wait, then so could the humans. It seemed like forever, but the sun finally started to come up.
They Heard Cars Rumbling Down The Street
Feeling very exhausted from spending the night in the forest, the locals and officers couldn't have been thrilled when they heard the distinct sound of cars in the distance. The wildlife officer that was sent to town had brought back another rescue team and a giant excavator.
Even though they know had the tools to get the elephant out of the hole, the officers still needed to assess the best way to do so. They didn't want to further risk the baby's life.
The Officers Got to Work
It was seven in the morning when the officers finally got to work with the rescue mission. The young elephant had been in the hole for more than a day. Judging by the actions of the herd, all they wanted was for the baby to get back up on safe land as soon as possible.
Sensing their pure anguish, the rescue team felt more determined than ever to make sure the little elephant made it out of the hole alive.
The Local Community Got Curious
With heavy artillery and lots of authority figures in their backyard, more and more of the locals became curious as to what was going on in the forest. However, the situation was delicate, and the officers had to restrain people from getting too close.
Due to the weight of the baby elephant, the equipment had to be used carefully and deliberately. Time was not on the rescue team's side, so the mission was easier said than done.
The Officers Had An Idea
The rescue team decided to use the excavator to widen the hole, removing some of the mud and dirt surrounding the baby. Unfortunately, the mud had trapped the elephant pretty badly, so they had to be careful.
The thing is, even if the elephant started to move, it couldn't be lifted out of the hole. So the officers decided to dig a pathway the creature could walk up. The job required hours.
The Job Required A Lot Of Patience
Since there was a lot of mud and dirt to dig out of and around the hole, creating even the smallest path so the elephant could walk out proved to be a complicated job. The officers had to be careful that the mud they removed didn't just fall back into the hole.
As of now, they didn't have a second plan. So instead of removing the maximum amount of dirt, they were slow and deliberate with the process.
The Locals Started To Help The Officers
Seeing that the officers were able to enlarge the hole enough so the baby elephant could move, the locals decided to jump in and help. Some of the local men volunteered to mark the area where the excavator had to dig. The rescue mission all of the sudden turned into a community project.
The baby elephant must have known it was going to live and started to fight once more. Showing their support, the herd began to pace back and forth again.
The Excavator Made All The Difference
The locals were waiting for the loud sound of the excavator to turn the elephants away. It didn't, and after all this time the entire herd was still present. The sight of them waiting for the humans to rescue one of their own was heartwarming.
The excavator was ultimately the saving grace. Without the machine, the locals would have tired out quickly, digging the mud and dirt with their hands and shovels. Even though the process was taking a very long time, they didn't want to make a mistake.
An Unexpected Problem With The Machine
They were so close, and everyone was working on their designated tasks. That's when something startled them. The loud sound of the excavator stopped. There was something wrong with the machine.
The operator of the huge piece of equipment tried to restart the engine but nothing happened. It was a nightmare. Was this really happening? What were they going to do without the heavy-duty machine to dig out the pathway for the baby elephant? Thankfully, some local mechanics jumped in.
Locals To The Rescue
The officers came to the conclusion that the engine of the excavator had overheated. There was smoke coming out of the older model. After hours of digging the machine had finally given up. Thankfully, the locals had not.
Some of the men who were volunteering were familiar with engine repair. They offered their assistance in fixing the old machine. Everyone knew time was of the utmost importance, so they got straight to work.
They Finally Got The Engine Up And Running
After some time, the locals were finally able to fix the excavator. Just like that, the rescue mission was back underway. The rescuers were able to get a bit of rest during the downtime it took to fix the machine, so they were re-energized and ready to get back to work.
There was still a lot of dirt and mud to dig out in order to create the pathway for the baby. With the temporary engine fix, the operator had to be extremely careful.
There Was No Time To Waste
The original plan of digging a pathway was taking a long time, but their aim was to push the elephant to solid ground. Unfortunately, the tiny elephant had lost all of its energy from being trapped in the hole for so long.
Additionally, everyone had to be wary of the adult elephants around them. They didn't think the rescue mission was going to take this long and the elephants were making it clear that they wanted everything to be over. They started again with their warning cries.
The Mission Turned Out To Be A Success
At first, the mission had seemed easy. There were a bunch of people who were willing to help and they had the excavator to do the digging. They never thought it was going to take over a day and that their main tool would overheat. But the mission finally came to an end the next afternoon.
After what seemed like forever, the rescuers were able to create enough space for the baby elephant to walk through. The herd and everyone gathered watched as the youngster struggled to get to its feet.
The Baby Made It Back To Its Herd
The locals were not used to being so close to the wild animals, but at that moment, no one seemed to care. Everyone watched as the baby elephant slowly made its way toward the rest of its herd. The parents of the youngest member came over to show their affection.
It was beautiful to witness. As the crowd of rescuers cheered, the herd began to show their gratitude, crying in unison. Only this time, they were cries of happiness.
The Locals Learned That Animals Experience Emotions Too
The locals watched on as the older members of the herd circled around the baby. At that moment, the rescuers realized that animals experience a lot of emotions in their life. As they made their way across the river, the older members of the herd made sure that there wasn't another accident.
The older elephants were patient as they guided their youngest member across the river, successfully making it to the other side without further incident.
The Baby Elephant Was Clearly Overjoyed To Be Free
After being trapped in a deep hole of mud, it was evident that the little elephant was happy to be free. The herd was overjoyed, and everyone could see the amount of love and devotion they had for one another.
Even though their mission was done, the locals didn't leave right away. They were witnessing something truly remarkable: a loving herd of wild elephants caressing each other with hugs as if they were the most vulnerable animals in the word and not enormous creatures.
The Elephants Showed Their Appreciation
After the rescue, everyone thought the elephants would go on their way. What happened next had the locals and officers at the loss for words. Once they were across the river, each of the elephants turned their heads to look at the group of humans one last time, as if thanking them for their help in rescuing their youngest member.
That's when each of the creatures raised their trunks in a salute, giving off a trumpet sound. The sound was a happy one and the salute rare to see. It was something none of them would forget.
