Elephants are the largest and most intelligent land mammals in the world, but despite their impressive size, they are gentle old souls.
Elephants are very sociable animals. They travel together in tight-knit groups that are normally led by a female, which allows them to feel safe whilst caring for and teaching their young.
Another fun fact is that elephants can actually feel empathy!
Experiments show that when one elephant is unhappy, others share these feelings, and they will try to reassure their friend by putting their trunk into the other’s mouth, something that elephants find comforting.
One of the sweetest things about elephants is that they are very friendly to other elephants and will occasionally allow ‘strangers’ to join their group.
In a touching YouTube video posted by Elephant News, we are able to see for ourselves how truly welcoming these beautiful creatures are.
The video is filmed at Elephant Nature Park, a rescue and rehabilitation center in northern Thailand. The park provides a natural environment with plenty of open space, and it is a safe home for rescued elephants to roam freely.
It really is amazing that parks like this exist, and we really appreciate all the hard work that Elephant Nature Park put into caring for their animals.
At the beginning of the video, we are told that a baby elephant has just arrived at the rescue sanctuary. This is a big moment for the elephants. Their herd has probably been together for a long time and the prospect of having a new member is very exciting.
As the calf arrives, we can see the group approaching from a distance. They are so excited that they are running towards the pen!
They simply can’t wait to welcome their new member.
As the elephants get closer, excitement mounts.
Who is their new visitor going to be?
Is he someone that they can welcome into their herd?
Is he as excited as they are to meet others like him?
The elephants reach the pen and crowd around it excitedly. They stick their trunks through the gaps in the wood to really get a feel for this new visitor.
Now isn’t the time for being shy. It’s not often that the elephants have a new member joining them so this is a very exciting moment!
In a moment that will bring tears to your eyes, we are shown footage from inside the pen of the new elephant’s reaction to being greeted by the herd.
He is curiously sticking his trunk out of the pen to the herd and is trumpeting happily. We’re not sure if elephants can smile or not — but if they could, then this little guy definitely would be right now!
This really is a moment that these elephants will never forget. (Pun very much intended.)
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