A baby elephant has been saved by the courageous efforts of an anti-poaching group, the Bumi Hills Foundation, after being trapped in a mud pit for two days in the sweltering heat.
The team embarked on a rescue mission across Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe, after local fishermen reported the plight of the trapped elephant.
Video footage shows the young elephant submerged in the pit while its frantic mother tries to dig it out using her foot.
Despite the mother’s desperate attempts, the baby elephant struggles to keep its head above the thick mud.
When the rescuers approach in a boat, the agitated mother charges at them and splashes her trunk in the lake, signaling her distress.
The remote location of the incident made it challenging for the word to reach the rescuers, who were only alerted two days after the locals first spotted the trapped baby elephant.
To safely reach the baby, the rescuers had to sedate the protective mother using a dart gun. Once immobilized, the team cooled her down by spraying her with cold water and placing wet towels on her trunk.
Working diligently with spades, the rescuers dug the baby elephant out of the mud, all while it trumpeted in distress.
After half an hour, the team freed the baby using ropes tied around its stomach to haul it from the pit.
The heartwarming conclusion saw the mother and baby reunited as the mother got to her feet and walked off into the bushes with her child, both safe and sound, thanks to the heroic efforts of the Bumi Hills Foundation team.
Read more Elephant News.