Elephants can dig their own graves
"What is it? Is that a dead elephant?" In front of us, maybe twenty meters an elephant foot sticking out of another hole. Then a huge limb moved: "It lives!"
More than four-hour rescue of a baby elephant stuck in the pit, which has recently been dug by elephants in search of water. Digging in hard sand, swallowing dust and the constant fear of being surprised by returning herd of elephants or lions pride which might hunt the calf.
The calf is devouring liters of water, which cools down its exhausted body in forty degrees red heat and we are trying to lift it up pulling its tusks and pushing elephant's back or we use a strong chain to pull it out of the hole. Finally we have managed and at the moment when the sun went down, the seven-year elephant, weighing about two tons, was saved.
With joy and happiness we headed back to camp in the hope that in the cold night the calf would relax and become strong or its elephant family would come back for him. The following day, however, was marked by tragedy. The calf was found by a pack of hungry hyenas and the poor elephant was torn apart.
Botswana, Chobe, Savuti