A viral video on social media has captured the attention of many people, including wildlife enthusiasts, at how an elephant calf got its trunk bitten by a crocodile lurking in the swamps where the herd came for a drink.
Luckily, the baby elephant was rescued by its mother, whose maternal instincts kicked in. Elephants are just one of many animals that display maternal instincts to protect their young from predators and harm. Read on to know the full details of the encounter between the crocodile and the elephants.
Mother Elephant Stomps on Crocodile Preying on Its Calf
Mothers are always there for their offspring, even sacrificing their own lives to keep their young safe. Although this is mostly observed in humans, the wildlife also has so much to offer, and the recent viral video is just one of many pieces of evidence that mother animals care so much for their young.
A Twitter post by Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Supriya Sah showed glaring proof that mother elephants go to any extent to keep their baby safe. The video starts with a shot of the crocodile snapping at the elephant calf and attacking it.
Mother elephant rescues baby elephant from the jaws of a crocodile. Elephants are Just Incredible 🐘
— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) July 30, 2022
Credits - in the Video pic.twitter.com/Hf20e5WKau
The crocodile was biting the calf's trunk tightly, the mother elephant, who was walking ahead, returned to rescue her child and stomped on the scaly predator in the swamp until it lets go of the baby elephant, India Today reported. The mother elephant went in for the kill and crushed the crocodile further.
As of writing, the video clip has garnered more than 37,4000 views, 1,149 likes, and 118 retweets. Many have applauded the courage of the mother elephant to save her young. Several commenters also sympathize with the baby elephant as it could have been a traumatic experience, while another commented that it is not good to mess with a mother elephant.
Why Elephants are the Best Mothers in the Wild?
According to Conservation International, elephants make the best mothers in the wild for many reasons. These large mammals carry their babies for almost two years before giving birth and teach their young the ways of the world. Baby elephants easily recognize that their mothers know best that is also why an elephant herd is matriarchal to ensure the survival of the family.
The organization has identified three main reasons that make elephants the best mothers. First, mother elephants produce the best meals as their milk changes four times during the weaning process to meet their baby's needs. Second, they learn how to pick the best plants for eating, defend against predators, and navigate steep embankments. Third, mother elephants are the best leaders and can lead their herd hundreds of miles even after not visiting them for years.
Sadly, not all baby elephants were fortunate, as some have lost their mothers from poaching or human-wildlife conflict, leaving them orphaned with little chance of survival in the wild. That is why many organizations are filling the gap and raising these orphaned elephants to be released back into the wild in hopes of saving the threatened species and for them to continue to thrive.
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