Lately, I feel like I've been writing a lot about medical stuff. So today, I want to take a break and share another story from Africa.
If you missed my first story about the trip, you can read it here.
This one is about a little elephant.
The rangers sometimes fly in a helicopter to make sure all the animals are okay. During our stay, they spotted a baby elephant having a hard time walking. He was trying to keep up with his mom, and he couldn't.
I don't know what it is about baby elephants, but when we saw the video of him limping, it was hard to contain the emotions. They're so little and so vulnerable.
The decision was made quickly. We would dart the mama elephant, then the baby, and examine him. If his leg was broken, it would not be good news.
That night, we barely slept. Tell a camp full of veterinarians about an injured baby animal, and that is exactly what will happen.
Early the next morning, we met at the little airstrip where the "helicopter parking" was. The pilot and the reserve veterinarian, Dr. Mike Toft, flew out to separate the mama from the herd.
This part matters. If you dart a mother elephant while the herd is nearby, the rest of the family may come over for an unwelcome visit. Oh ooooh.
Dr. Mike is a master at darting. The pilot did a beautiful job of herding the mama into an open area instead of deep into the bush, and she went down quickly after being darted.
Then it was the baby's turn.
I'll admit it. I was emotional watching this little guy walk around while his mother lay on the ground, sleeping and snoring. Then the vet walked up, darted him, and that was it.
At that moment, we vets all descended on the baby and examined his leg.
No fracture. Just a soft tissue injury and swelling.
We were relieved to know that he was very likely going to be fine.
Rangers stood guard around us the whole time, watching for the herd, and I walked over to the mama.
When you stand next to the trunk of a sleeping African elephant, her breathing sounds like a tractor going by. I can't quite describe how it felt to be that close to her. It didn't feel real, but it was.
Dr. Laurie McCauley gave the baby laser therapy. Dr. Barbara Royal did acupressure and massage. And I took tons of pictures.
Creating memories is so important.
Then we reversed the anesthesia and stepped back. This was the crucial part: we wanted the baby to reconnect with his mom without people getting in the way.
So we watched from a distance.
After a few minutes, the mama got up. Then the baby got up. And off they went together.
We were all happy and giddy. We got to touch elephants and make sure that the baby was okay.
Next time, I'll tell you about the hyenas and the Ferrari Safari.
Give your dog a hug for me. And maybe read them this story at bedtime.
