People acting with compassion and kindness.

Saving Baby Elephant and her Mom



Most conservationists believe that man should not meddle with the natural order and that we should allow nature to run her course however cruel or grim it seems to be.


However – every rule has an exception and the dreadful plight of a baby elephant trapped in the mud of the Kapani Lagoon and her mother, who had also got stuck trying to save her yesterday, had us all in a frenzy of activity. We simply could not stand by and watch them struggle and slowly die.

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South Luangwa Conservation Society ( Zambia ) together with our neighbours – ZAWA – the wildlife authority – agreed with us and we all joined forces to try and save the mum and baby. These great photos document the unfolding drama……

The family herd desperately trying to help the screaming Mum and baby escape but they were completely stuck in the deep, rapidly drying mud with no chance of getting out.

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The brave and skilled SLCS team manages to slip a rope under the baby, narrowly avoiding mums thrashing trunk - and starts to haul her out …….
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Nearly there – the whole team is hauling as hard as they can….. But the baby is terribly frightened and won’t leave mum’s side.

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Again – she’s out and we think we’re almost there…… But despite my frantic waving and shouting – she won’t leave her mum.



One more try – the team pull her further away from mum this time….. They unwrap the ropes and help her to her feet.

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This time – thanks to a young herd cousin calling her to safety….. she makes a dash for it as the rest of the herd scream for her to come to them.

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Now back to mum who is dehydrated and exhausted – we’ve been pouring water over her to try to protect her from the scorching midday sun. SLCS staff carefully slip a rope under her….

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and the tractor starts to pull and pull – inching her out of what would have been a muddy grave - she seems to sense that there’s a chance of escape and begins to struggle for her life…

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With us all shouting encouragment and just willing her to keep going “come on Mama, come on Mama”……. to the delight of us all – she makes it! Weak and wobbly she drags herself out.


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and runs to find her baby and the rest of her waiting herd! The happiest possible ending!



The SLCS team all share a celebratory drink on the Kapani deck with our relieved guests!



It was extremely heartening for us all to see how many local people joined in the efforts to free these two elephants – the cheers of joy, first when the baby ran to his cousin and then when Mum was finally released from the jaws of the sticky, cloying mud were wonderful! Everyone seemed to identify with the mum’s plight - we all saw the incredible emotional bond between the worried herd members and mum and baby.

Thank you SLCS and ZAWA and also all the NCS staff who bravely fought to make this a happy ending!
 

Benny's story was soooo moving, SeaBreeze...it brought tears. There are definitely angels among us to help those in desperate need to be shown love and helping them to heal. :love_heart:
 
Dog abandoned with chemical burns on the streets of Houston, taken in by those who care, lost her one pup.

Image may be disturbing:

 
Love it when seeing people helping or taking good care of animals. Absolutely hate it (hard words "hate it", but) when I see and/or hear about animals being abused.
 

An orphaned week-old foal sleeps soundly in the lap of its new surrogate mum – a jumbo TEDDYBEAR.
Breeze the bay pony was found abandoned on Dartmoor National Park just a few hours after his birth.
Unable to find his mother, the tiny foundling was stumbling hopelessly around the hillside trying to suckle other mares.

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Orphaned Dartmoor Hill Pony Breeze who snuggles up with a teddybear at the Mare and Foal Sanctuary in Newton Abbot, Devon
By the time rescuers from a local equine sanctuary arrived Breeze had collapsed in a state of severe shock and dehydration.

But after being nursed back to health over the following days he was missing one vital thing – a mum to cuddle and snuggle up to.
Staff at the Devon-based Mare and Foal Sanctuary knew just the answer to comfort the lonely newborn – a four foot teddy they have named Buttons.

Sanctuary executive director Syra Bowden said: “Sadly, little Breeze hasn’t got his mum around to keep him company.
“Although his carers here at the sanctuary work around the clock to look after him, it’s not quite the same.

“As a result, we always give our orphaned foals a giant cuddly toy as a companion.
“They’re just like human babies in the way it provides them with comfort”.

Breeze is being nursed 24 hours a day by a dedicated team of carers at the sanctuary’s Honeysuckle Farm in Newton Abbot, Devon.

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Breeze sleeps with the teddy every night to keep him comforted after his mother died
He was found on May 24 by a Dartmoor farmer who was unable to locate his mother.

After arriving at the equine centre staff and their vet spent the next three hours by the poorly foal’s side as he was placed on a saline drip, had a catheter fitted and was given crucial colostrum drips, milk and medication.

A week on, Syra said Breeze was making real progress – buoyed by his cuddly new companion.
A similarly gigantic teddy proved just the tonic for Mesha, another orphaned pony who was taken in last month and became so attached to hers that she still sleeps and snuggles up to it like a real mum.

Syra said: “Breeze was very poorly when we first reached him and it was very much touch and go.
“He’s now suckling well and feeding every hour. He even tried to have a little canter and buck in his stable over the weekend.

“He’s not out of the woods yet, though. We’ll keep a very close eye on him and care for him around the clock to ensure we do everything possible to help him pull through.
“We all have our fingers crossed that Breeze will continue to grow strong”.

The charity is appeallng to the public to donate any suitable soft toys that might help future arrivals.
To find out more visit www.mareandfoal.org/shops or call the sanctuary on 01626 355 969.
 
happydreamer said:
I couldn't look thank you for caring about the innocent ones. It is our job to look after them. thank you for keeping me on my toes about this.
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The movie is really sad , I cared for such an abused little one that loved me back so much , lost him last September 2014 His name was Sunshine a little love bird
 
Pit Bull mama and her babies rescued, one baby didn't make it, and the mom had an unexpected problem in the end that the vets were able to resolve. Happy ending here for this mama and her babies, thanks to people who care.


 
Falcon, would you believe me if I tell you this is the most wonderful thing that happened to me today, hell, in a long, long time:) This is what can restore my faith in the sadness of humanity. This let's me know there is such good, it's my hope for humanity to some day, only love will exist, and outlive all evil:) denise
 


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