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I want to tell you two stories about how compassionate elephants can be to each other in their herd.  One of the elephants is a sweet and devoted member of the herd.  Cynthia Moss, an expert on these animals, tells this story of a mother's devotion.

 

Echo, the "beautiful matriarch" of her elephant family, gave birth to a male calf, Ely, who could not stand up because his front legs were bent.  He was born with rigid carpal joints.  Echo continually tried to lift him up by reaching her trunk under him and lifting him up.  She would not give up.  Ely stood and was able to shuffle around before collapsing to the ground.  Eventually, the other elephants gave up and left.  Even though Echo and her other daughter Enid were very hungry and thirsty, they wouldn't leave an exhausted Ely to go to the watering hole.  After a great deal of effort, all three elephants were able to reach the watering hole, where Echo and Enid splashed themselves as well as Ely.  Echo and Enid then made low rumbling calls to the rest of their family.  After three days, Ely's joints loosened and he was finally able to stand. 

 

But there is more to this story.  When Ely was seven years old, he suffered a serious wound from a spear that had become embedded about one foot into his back. Echo had another calf at this time but she remained bonded with Ely and would not allow veterinarians to come near him.  When Ely fell down after being tranquilized, Echo and the other clan members tried to lift him.  Echo, Enid, and another of Echo's daughters, Eliot, remained near Ely despite attempts by the veterinarians to disperse the elephants so they could help Ely.  The elephants refused to leave despite the gunshots being fired over their heads.  Finally, Ely was treated and survived the injury.  Echo's lifelong devotion to Ely has been rewarded and Ely made it into adulthood. 

 

Elephants have strong feelings toward each other.  They experience joy, grief, and depression, and they do mourn the loss of their friends and family.  Here is a story about two Asian Elephants who show such devotion for each other.

 

Shirley and Jenny, two female elephants who were unintentionally reunited after living apart for 22 years, showed that they truly had missed each other when they were separated.  At different times, each was brought to the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, founded and run by Carol Buckley, so that elephants live out their lives in peace like an elephant should.  Upon these two elephants' initial meeting, when Shirley was introduced to Jenny, there was an urgency in Jenny's behavior.  Jenny really wanted to get near Shirley and get into her stall.  They roared loudly, emanating from deep in each elephant's heart as if they were old friends.  A search of their records did prove that they did have a relationship where they were in a circus together.  Shirley was a 20-year-old elephant and Jenny was just a calf.  Even today they remembered each other. 

 

These two stories just prove that elephants have emotions similar to ours.  If you have any elephant stories you would like to share, we can blog about it.