“It may be rare that this differently-abled elephant calf is surviving in the wild, but it’s proof that it’s possible. She’s already proving how strong she is every day – I hope she continues to cope and learn how to live with her disability in the wild, with the protection of her mom and her herd.”
South Africa (07 August 2022) – This BBC video of a differently-abled elephant calf is melting hearts on the internet, for all the right reasons.
Every day, Andrea Turkalo walks 45 minutes to the Dzanga Clearing to watch elephants up close. She has managed to piece together the lives of these forest elephants and is shocked to see a particular calf not only surviving but thriving.
The name African elephant conjures up images of a vast savannah, where the elephants mingle with lions, giraffes and gazelle. However, roughly one-third of the continent’s elephants live in dark, dense rainforests. The forest elephant is a lesser known and critically endangered cousin of the African elephant and inhabits the dark rainforests of Africa.
BBC’s – A Natural World looks deep inside the hidden world of the forest elephant. Could the new research tell us what this critically endangered species needs in order to survive?
We hope so.
But a specific story captured in the documentary about a differently-abled elephant calf is melting hearts on the internet.
“It may be rare that this differently-abled calf is surviving in the wild, but it’s proof that it’s possible. She’s already proving how strong she is every day – I hope she continues to cope and learn how to live with her disability in the wild, with the protection of her mom and her herd.” ChiChi
“The baby elephant is so agile and lively; she doesn’t appear disabled at all. Thanks BBC Earth; this woman is amazing, and she is doing a great job!” – Fioretta
“So beautiful to see the elephants living life in the forest, the wild, or the wild humans have allowed them to occupy. I hope the disabled calf has a long and happy life but I do worry how she will support herself physically when and if she is as large as her mother.” – Kerry
Watch the emotional video below:
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