The incredible sighting showcasing the little elephant’s determination was filmed in the Madikwe Game Reserve.
Baby elephants are playful by nature and it seems this one had gleefully entered the muddy water to play.
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However, he hadn’t considered how he was going to get out afrerwards.
Elephant uses trunk and limbs to try get out of mud
Using all the might he could, he tried to heave himself up and out of the mud. He used everything… his trunk, his limbs. At one stage, he used his little back legs as levers to try and lift himself up and out of the mud.
Baby elephants are curious and playful, as this one was. They engage in mock charges, trunk wrestling, splashing in water, and mud baths. Through these interactions, they develop coordination, social skills, and strength.
However, mud is not just great to play in. It is also slippery, and this small elephant couldn’t get out of the mud after he had played in it.
At one stage, he lifted his tail up as he exerted every ounce of his effort to get onto the banks, as though the movement of his tail might give him just that extra ‘push’ to get out.
Elephants often engage in mud bathing to regulate their body temperature. Since they don’t have sweat glands, the mud helps them to stay cool during hot days by retaining moisture.
However, this mud bathing isn’t just functional. It’s also fun and social. Elephants of all ages enjoy rolling, spraying, and playing in muddy water. Calves in particular love splashing and sliding in mud, often using their mothers as support.
The struggle continues
In his continued efforts to get out of the mud, the elephant calf now pressed down on his trunk and it appeared he was making progress.
However, it was only in witnessing how the other elephants, including his big brother, got out that he finally had breakthrough, and managed to get past the slippery bank area and onto more stable ground.
He had performed a first-class act in getting out of a slippery situation and no doubt had earned much respect from spectators through showing such determination and persistence.
Free at last, little elephant runs after big brother
Free at last, he stood triumphantly on level ground. However, he didn’t stop there. He continued to move his little legs, this time to keep up with his big brother in the distance. As he ran towards his big brother, he lifted his trunk up as though to say, “Hey! Wait up for me!”
Elephants are highly social animals and the clipping ends with the two brothers walking away together.
For elephants, it’s all about the herd. Elephant calves are raised not only by their mothers but by “allomothers”. These are other females in the herd who help babysit, guide, and protect them. This communal care strengthens the herd’s social bonds and ensures the calf’s safety.
Here, the big brother’s example in getting out of the mud, helped the small elephant to get out.
