Elephants have a reputation for being intelligent. They thrive in their herd because they are also extremely social animals.
Meet Ellie, a young elephant who was rejected by his herd due to a persistent illness. He would not have been able to survive on his own in the wild.
Luckily, the Rhino Orphanage volunteers saved him and transported the orphaned child to a sanctuary in Zululand, where he received special care.
Even though the orphanage primarily cared for rhinos, Ellie was not turned away, and the staff worked hard to develop a new milk formula for him because he was allergic to all milk.
They added proteins and minerals to well-cooked rice. Consequently, Ellie slowly gained powers and weight, and he was cured from his sickness, but there was still one thing missing.
He was alone a lot. When Ellie did not have the chance to interact with his elephant family, he struggled with mental health issues.
The staff had no idea how to meet the poor animal’s social needs. However, there was close support. The sad elephant was saved from his misery by Duma, a former service dog.
A former service pup offered a baby elephant, who had been rejected by his sick herd, comfort and optimism.
They began a new friendship and couldn’t be separated when Duma arrived.
They liked to chase each other while they were playing on the sand pile. Ellie became upbeat and seemed very content. His new friend provided him with solace. Duma assisted him in overcoming his sadness and isolation.
