In a brave effort by a group of guides at the Gache Gache Lodge reserve, between the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, a baby elephant was rescued after long days trapped in treacherous mud.
Express on September 9 reported on the emotional rescue when a group of dedicated guides and tourists worked together to save the trapped baby elephant. The elephant lay stuck up to its neck in flooded mud, and the rescue proved a difficult challenge.
Len Taylor, a member of the rescue team, shared about the challenges they faced during the rescue. “Even though the elephant was young, it was still big enough to kill us. It was in pain and extremely scared,” Taylor said. The group’s heartwarming scene took them down into the mud, enduring strong blows from the elephant’s trunk to tie a rope around the elephant’s body.
The biggest problem in the rescue was that the rope tied around the elephant’s belly could not be passed through because the mud was too thick. However, Taylor and the rescue team found a solution by tying a rope around the elephant’s head and tusks to pull it up without damaging its neck.
The rescue lasted 6 hours, during which Taylor and other members constantly faced threats from elephant trunks and strong blows. “When the elephant escaped from the mud, my biggest fear was being killed by it. Elephants are very aggressive when in pain,” Taylor shared.
However, after all efforts, the next day, the elephant still could not stand up and became weaker. The rescue team decided to use guns to alleviate the elephant’s suffering, a decision made by the local Parks and Wildlife department.
Melissa Mackenzie, a tourist present at the reserve, shared photos recording the heroic efforts of the rescue team on her personal Facebook page. “Even though the story didn’t have a happy ending, it was still amazing to watch the team put in the time and energy to give the animal a chance at survival. They tried their best,” Mackenzie wrote. .