They say elephants never forget.
Whether or not that’s an exaggeration, it is true that elephants are highly intelligent and social animals. They’ve been known to protect the injured in their herds and mourn the loss of family members. Every so often, we see evidence of this kind of empathy in elephants, and it can be heartbreaking to watch. Heidi Haas was out scouting a location for a safari when she came across a tragedy she’ll never forget.
Haas began filming a herd of elephants who were surrounding a baby that had been hit by a speeding car. They tried to help it get up and to the side of the road. The baby’s back and leg were broken.
Rangers were called to help, but Haas said that there was nothing they could do. “The elephant family didn’t want them being anywhere near the herd,” Ms. Haas said. “There was little other they could do than put this young elephant out of its misery.”
