First Time Mother Elephant Panics When Newborn Baby Struggles To Stand

September 27, 2023

In the heart of the wild, a touching scene unfolded that left us all in awe of the remarkable bonds between mothers and their young.

A first time mother elephant experienced moments of both worry and love as she watched her seconds-old newborn struggle to stand up on its own.

The once-in-a-lifetime sighting was captured on video by 31-year-old Brett Marneweck. He told Latest Sightings:

"In the distance, something caught my eye—an elephant seemingly in distress. Curiosity piqued, I reached for my binoculars to get a closer look. Shocked and in awe, I realized it was an elephant giving birth!

Understanding the sensitivity of the situation but also the rarity of such, we decided to reposition ourselves, ensuring we didn't cause any additional stress to the mother elephant but also getting in close enough to watch without our binoculars.

In our process of moving, we lost sight for a minute, and when we eventually regained visual, the calf was already out. Laying on the ground a newly born elephant calf!

The mother elephant then did something so strange; she turned and left. But she returned a few moments later, and that’s when I thought she might be a first-time mother. Her behavior was a mix of nervousness, excitement, and curiosity.

The mother elephant tried helping the calf to stand, nudging rather roughly. Her inexperience showed, but eventually it was a heartwarming sight. The baby elephant finally stood, leaning against its mother for support."