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*Mother elephant protects baby from Hyena

The phtographer first saw this little guy the previous day, at just 3 days old, trying to find a little escape from the midday sun and heat. It was actually quite stressful as this new Mom was on her own, separated from her herd. She did not seem aware of how to care for the little one, not stopping for rests and leaving the calf out in the noon sun. Without her Mother, aunts, or sisters to guide her, she continued to graze in the blazing heat while the little one would continually flop over and lie down in the grass. On this day, we feared for its survival.

And The Rains Came Down!

The following afternoon the sky darkened and the rains came down in sheets! After a couple of hours of bashing around in the mud, we spotted our young mother with her calf out on the open grassland. The cooling rain must certainly have been a relief, but it still seemed like Mom was not completely tuned-in to what was required of her. In the 2-3 hours we had followed them over two days, we had yet to see the little one eat, and this was becoming quite disconcerting. An elephant calf nurses in the front of the Mother, between the forelegs, and because the mammary gland is so high up, Mom has to stop and let the little guy stretch up to suckle. The Mom didn't seem to realize this and the calf had several failed attempts while we watched, always getting knocked aside by a moving leg.

However, just as we were questioning her parenting instincts, a pair of hyena approached her baby–and there was no question she knew what she had to do! Fierce Mom.

#WooGlobe #Elephant #ProtectsBaby