Woman Saves Baby Elephant And Welcomes Him
Many times we question the opportunity to have a pet in the house for reasons of space. Some stories, however, such as that of the baby elephant Moyo, make us discover other points of view. His case went around the world thanks to social networks.
A beautiful story
Moyo was a small elephant who risked his life. He was crossing a river with his pack, but the current swept him away from his family. Luckily the refuge called Wild is Life saved him and its founder, Roxy Danckwerts, welcomed him as a new mother would. Now Moyo accompanies her everywhere and follows her while she does the housework, helping her whenever he can.
Obviously Moyo’s growth complicates the whole situation a bit. When the elephant was small, he followed the owner to every common place of the shelter. A year later, the situation changed. In fact, Moyo continues to want to follow his owner everywhere, but he grows quickly and this limits them more and more.
Coexistence is making the situation chaotic. Many things break and patience is increasingly at the limit. However, the love between the elephant and its mistress seems to be able to overcome any obstacle. A video has also recently been made that talks about this strange case.
Moyo already weighed more than a hundred kilos when he was born. We’ve seen movies where wild animals adapt to domestic life but, if growth continues normally, Moyo will still need more adequate space as time goes on. At the moment both are enjoying a love that goes beyond species differences.
Caring for a little elephant
Elephants need proper care given by personnel trained to solve issues such as their nutrition, skin care and the enormous need to drink water, up to 200 liters per day, with an extra supply of fluids in high temperatures.
African elephants have greater resistance to heat than Asian elephants, mainly because their habitat has accustomed them to better resist high temperatures.
When elephants drink, they have to do it very quietly to avoid any kind of fighting or other aggressive behavior. They also need water for washing. As for the characteristics of drinking water, it must contain adequate levels of metals, without traces of pollution of the pipes. The amount of water they consume must therefore be taken into great consideration.
The elephant’s skin should be cared for daily, including the ear area , the area where the tusks grow, the hind legs, the stomach and the area surrounding the eyes. Dead skin on the back must be removed, as it may take a significant amount of time for the animal to get rid of it on its own.
After the bath, the ideal is that the animal dries up immediately, without getting cold.
Feeding while growing a baby elephant
To feed a baby elephant, it is best to use a large bottle that contains a mix of skim milk and coconut oil. Although initially it is necessary to feed every three hours, the meals will be reduced little by little, up to three times a day. Bear in mind that the elephant needs milk for three years and coconut oil for five.
Baby elephants need a lot of attention, contact and affection. You have to interact with them at all times, giving them plenty of water and making physical games such as thrusts or affectionate fights.
In the evening, the elephant should be covered with a large rough blanket that reminds him of his mother, and maybe even sleep with him until he is two years old.
Socialization is also important, that is, making him stay with other specimens of his species and letting them communicate. Wild herds usually accept orphaned elephants very well, as they are very sociable animals.
