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Elephants are highly social creatures, flourishing in tight-knit families and herds that are guided by the oldest and most experienced female member. In this matriarchal society, the family unit, consisting of aunts, grandmothers, mothers, daughters, and sisters, looks out for each other and collaborates to ensure their survival. However, their most significant joy and duty lie in caring for the young elephant calves of the herd.
Baby elephants display remarkable skills from birth, being able to walk within hours. Yet, despite this early development, they remain quite helpless and rely entirely on their mothers for support. The bond between an elephant mother and her calf is among the most formidable relationships observed in the animal kingdom. Every member of the herd takes pride in the calves, participating in their upbringing, providing protection, and imparting crucial life lessons as they mature.
Protecting Young Elephants
The entire family of a baby elephant is involved in their care and supervision. Young elephants are positioned at the core of the herd, particularly when danger looms nearby. In the face of a threat, the larger, elder elephants swiftly gather around the juveniles, forming a tight circle to create a shield of protection. Similar to the elephants depicted in the video above, they might trumpet, stomp, or even charge in defense.
While elephants are not inherently aggressive, their protective instincts are formidable. A mother elephant will stop at nothing to safeguard her offspring. Given their massive size and strength, elephants are capable of causing significant harm if provoked. The tiger in the video mentioned was fortunate to escape; had it persisted, it might have encountered grave danger from the protective elephants. A lone adult elephant poses a serious threat to a tiger, while an entire herd is almost impenetrable.
Although tigers typically steer clear of elephants, they sometimes target vulnerable young calves. Tigers possess speed and agility, strong bites, and the ability to pinpoint weak spots if they manage to breach the elephants’ defenses. Nevertheless, such attempts are seldom fruitful as the herd forms an impenetrable barrier of robust, thick-skinned bodies. An elephant, or a herd of elephants, has the potential to inflict severe injuries or even kill even the most skilled tiger.
Video Link: Click here to watch the video.
The article titled “This Baby Elephant Has a Whole Herd of Bodyguards” first appeared on A-Z Animals.
