Baby African elephant Eliot had a heartbreaking start to life after a lightning strike killed his entire family.
Orphaned at just three days old, he was rescued on Christmas Day and taken to a sanctuary, where he found solace in the companionship of two other orphaned elephants.
Eliot’s new companions, Kadiki, aged three, and Beatrix, aged one, both narrowly survived their brushes with death.
Kadiki endured serious injuries from a lion attack when she was just a day old, while Beatrix was saved after becoming trapped in a gully.
Kadiki, having taken on a nurturing role with Beatrix upon her arrival, now shares that same affection with Eliot.
The three elephants live together at the Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery near Harare, run by the charity Wild is Life.
Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of the charity, shared that Kadiki and Beatrix quickly comforted Eliot, understanding the trauma he experienced. “The intensity of the emotion and care is extraordinary,” she said.
Research shows that elephants form deep social bonds within their family groups. In line with this, once Eliot, Kadiki, and Beatrix grow strong enough, they will be moved to a reserve near Victoria Falls, where they can safely integrate with wild elephant herds, away from the threat of poachers.
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