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Teamwork saves Baby Elephant....

LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN SPOTTED!!!

This young ele was spotted by one of our A Stick scouts while on early morning patrol along the banks of The Ume River in Zimbabwe.

The scout noticed a very stressed elephant cow, not moving away from where she was, usually she would have moved when smelling humans approaching, not this time. The stick leader indicates with hand signals that there is danger ahead, the team slides into the shadows and scrubs along the dry river course, approaching closer on higher ground, he then noticed the elephant calf who has made a fatal mistake of straying onto soft ground and has floundered, panicked and sunk into this natural trap, this the reason the mother is distressed and has no way to help but was not leaving her baby's side, the rest of the herd eventually filtered off into the hills.

With the camp being 7 kilometers away and the stick leader knowing there would be no radio signal due to the hills and harsh terrain he needs to call for help, he volunteers a junior member of the team to jog back to camp and call for help.

The Conservancy Managers and Carbon Scouts arrive, their prime concern now being if they approach the calf that the cow would defend her baby with dire consequences. After listening to the calf struggle in the mud the team leader makes a risky and tough decision- to approach the calf slowly and watch the cows actions. Edging closer and closer the cow stirs in distress, but he steadily approaches until he is standing next to the baby elephant, calling the team to come closer to the calf, the cow continues to show a great deal of stress, but surprisingly doesn't charge - a plan to help the calf is quickly and quietly discussed. The team feels the cow realizes they are trying to help, After an hour she starts to move away still watching closely, when her baby screams she shows agitation, calming between these stress periods.

After six hours of digging, pulling, sweating and levering the team finally have stable ground, they assist the calf to her wobbling legs, slowly she begins to come back to life, but doesn't take a step.The team realizes she is not moving because her eyes are covered in so much mud- she can't see a thing! They wash and wipe one eye at a time and suddenly the calf take a step, her mother rumbles to her and the calf makes a new line for her...

Their reunion brings a hoarse battle cry from the mud bedraggled team! Exhausted and relieved they watch the mother and daughter shuffle off into the scrub in that peculiar elephant way.

Great team work and effort by the team at the Ume River Conservancy.

#elephant #conservation #saveouranimals #teamwork #thekaribareddproject #wildlife #carbongreenaf #southpolegroup #umeriverconservancy