Baby elephant wades into river to save caretaker from ‘drowning’ — it had no idea he was just having fun

When you think about elephants, you mostly imagine them as scary creatures trampling through the savannah like giants on the island of Lilliput. However, just like humans, they are multifaceted beings who feel compassion and are ultimately kind despite their towering stance. Behind those huge tusks and heavy feet lies a heart that knows love like no other, and this profound truth was perfectly captured when Kham Lha, a young tusker from Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, rushed to save her caretaker, whom she thought was drowning. The incredible video was posted on Elephant News' (@elephantnews) YouTube channel.

While Darrick Thomson, her caretaker, was taking a dip in the nearby river, Kham Lha, the adorable elephant, panicked as she feared he would drown any moment. She ran towards Thomson, trying to protect him against the tides that the young elephant thought would sweep him away. Initially, the caretaker could be seen swimming away, possibly to avoid the chance of being trampled, but he soon understood Kham Lha's intention, and his bright smile beautifully conveyed how overwhelmed he was. At one point, the elephant took her caretaker between her front limbs, as a human shield, guiding him to the shore. Talking more about Kham Lha's beautiful bond with Thomson, the officials of the nature park wrote, "This can show us that, when we treat animals with love, they always pay love back to us." The now-viral clip received an outpouring of love, with people praising the young elephant for her kindness. 

For instance, @morelosazucena commented, "Elephants are extremely emotional beings; they grieve when members of their herd, even different species, get hurt or die. Their high intelligence and social interaction with the world are amazing." Similarly, @wordswordswords8203 wrote, "Elephants get really worried and freaked out when their family is in danger. It's kind of heartbreaking to see how sensitive they are. Please, we need to do everything we can to help them." @simban00 pointed out, "You can see the young elephant smile, knowing her friend was safe under her. Elephants could teach us to be better humans."

Meanwhile, @tequilansunrise said, "Amazing to see how fast that medium-sized elephant can make his way through 5 feet of water; he isn't swimming; he's just walking with force through all that moving water. Very fast too! So powerful." @mrs.palafox7370 commented, "I have no words to express my feelings for these marvelous and generous Giants. They are so brilliant, intelligent, and kind! God bless them wherever they are!" On the other hand, @katherineuribe-1 asked, "How can anyone think that animals, especially elephants, don't have feelings? That young elephant went to help the man it felt bonded to, just as elephant family groups help individuals in distress. Lovely footage!"

@kingpr77 commented, "This is a great example of how the Animal Kingdom and the human kingdom should help one another. And humanity should learn from this. That we should stretch out a helping hand. Do not walk by the person who really needs your help." @elcee7800 confessed, "Most impressive and beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. You are a very special and lucky man. I hope you are smart and live there. They absolutely love you. Thank you for sharing this." @creamofthecrop8286 wrote, "This is one proof that in the animal kingdom there are caring & compassionate creatures who truly care about NOT only their own kind, but human beings as well. Thank you, most sincerely, for posting this. God bless!"

You can follow Elephant News (@elephantnews on YouTube) for more animal-related content.