Elephants are very social animals that live in herds and do not hesitate to intervene as soon as one of their peers is threatened or endangered. A video recently posted on Facebook has just delivered new proof of these remarkable abilities. Captured by tourists in an African park, the sequence reveals an extraordinary scene: the birth of an elephant.
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The female was surprised to give birth in the middle of the herd. In the footage, we can see the little one starting to come out before falling to the ground. The mother then approaches it to gently push it with her foot to encourage it to move. She is then joined by her peers who gather around the little one, emitting sonorous cries and waving their ears.
The scene is beautiful to see but contrary to what the profile that posted the video suggests, the pachyderms are probably not celebrating the birth of the baby. They are instead forming a defensive barrier to protect it from intruders, as evidenced by their attitude. Some have been very critical of tourists and guides for coming too close to the animals.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that some tourism practices have been deemed inappropriate or have lead to incidents. In 2016, a tourist was charged at by an elephant in Mozambique who had completely destroyed his car.
Check out the video above to see the incredible moment for yourself...