He was alone. They took him to the rescue center, where he is currently safe.
In the spring of 2017, while traveling through Botswana, a group of truck drivers came upon a newborn elephant in need. The drivers gave the thirsty elephant water and even drove it to a nearby elephant sanctuary.
According to The Dodo, these South African truck drivers were going about their normal work day when they came across a broken bridge blocking their way. A frightened baby elephant suddenly appeared, forcing drivers to stop and check the situation.
She was completely defenseless and abandoned without her mother or the other elephants in her herd. Fortunately, the drivers noticed that the 3-week-old elephant was thirsty and allowed the baby to drink nearly 30 liters from water bottles caught on camera.
However, these brave truck drivers didn't want to leave the newborn elephant on the side of the road without food, water or a family, so they decided to go one step further.
According to The Dodo, they loaded the baby elephant into their vehicle. They delivered her to the Elephant Sands Sanctuary in Botswana, a clear departure from their intended route. According to one expert, it was definitely the right move.
According to Paul Oxton, director of the Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation, “baby elephants are notoriously sensitive.” "She has been treated very well and seems strong at first, but it may be a long time before she is fully recovered."
According to National Geographic magazine, elephants are at increasing risk of poaching and habitat loss, in addition to the possibility of abandonment due to their dwindling populations.
In fact, habitat destruction and poaching have driven 144,000 elephants to extinction in 15 African countries studied for one report in the past ten years. However, she should be fairly safe because of the truckers' choice to transport the baby elephant to a sanctuary.
Oxton also confirmed the relative success of Botswana's conservation efforts.
In his interview with The Dodo, Oxton stated that "in our judgment, Botswana has one of the most impressive, ethical and caring wildlife conservation policies in the world as a whole." Oxton said he believed
With a population of just over 2 million, Botswana is a relatively sparsely populated country. However, it is also home to magnificent wildlife, including elephants.
According to NPR, the nation actually has more elephants than any other nation on Earth, with more than 130,000 of them.
According to an update from The Dodo, the elephant, now about three years old and not a baby, is doing well after being moved from Elephant Sands to another sanctuary, Elephants Without Borders, all thanks to some nice Samaritans.
Chantel Beilveld, a friend of the drivers who originally posted the video, said in an email to The Dodo to "show people that truckers have a heart too and don't go out of their way to help."
The injured elephant was receiving CPR and the man heard other elephants nearby. "I have the instinct to save lives, but I was worried the whole time because I heard the mother and other elephants wailing for the baby," Shreevat told Reuters.
If the mother elephant sees a man holding an injured child, the situation can become even more dire.
Shreevat had never given CPR to an elephant before, so he needed to make a quick decision.
He said in that interview from December 2020 that he “hypothesized where an elephant heart would be placed based on human thought and a video I saw online.” There was tension as Shrevet gave CPR and kept an eye out for the approach of the older elephants.
Thankfully, Srivate's efforts all paid off. He admitted, “I cried when the baby elephant moved around. It is amazing that this man handled a potentially fatal situation with such quick thinking and precise action.
Luckily the baby elephant made it back to its mother and both man and elephant were safe. Because of the stories shared, we can be sure that decent people are watching these beautiful creatures.