Protective Elephant Herd Stands Guard Over 3 Family Members Trapped in a Reservoir. Watch the Incredible Rescue (VIDEO)

Elephants, like lions, wolves, and dolphins, are very family oriented. They stay in tight-knit herds, care deeply for their young, and even grieve for lost family members and friends. Elephants are also extremely protective, and even have a way of alerting each other when humans are nearby. Considering their risk of being poached or kidnapped for the tourism trade, circus, or zoos, their fear is definitely warranted.

In the video above, elephants’ cautious attitude towards humans is evident. After three elephants had gotten stuck in a reservoir, a group of 60 police officers arrived at the location to try to get the animals out to safety. With the remainder of the herd guarding the reservoir, however, getting to the elephants proved to be a challenge for the officers. Thankfully, since the elephants only had a few bananas to snack on, they eventually had to move away from the reservoir to forage for food. As soon as that happened, the officers swooped in and quickly began breaking down the walls to allow the water to drain out.

After some initial hesitation, the elephants eventually climbed out to safety and rejoined the herd. We are glad that this group of patient officers went above and beyond for these elephants. We can all learn from their compassion and empathy.

Image Source: AFP Photo