Caught on Camera: Elephants Comfort Each Other Before Rescue
Transcript
IN SOUTHWEST CHINA'S YUNNAN PROVINCE, THREE WILD ASIAN ELEPHANTS WERE FOUND TRAPPED IN A MAN-MADE POND.
VILLAGERS WHO REPORTED THE INCIDENT SAID THE ANIMALS WERE TRAPPED FOR TWO DAYS.
OTHER ELEPHANTS ARE SEEN HERE REACHING OUT TO THEIR TRAPPED COMPANIONS.
ASIAN ELEPHANTS ARE KNOWN TO EXHIBIT COMFORTING BEHAVIOR TOWARD OTHERS IN DISTRESS.
THESE BYSTANDERS GATHERED AROUND TO OFFER REASSURING CARESSES WITH THEIR TRUNKS.
FORESTRY POLICE ARRIVED WITH A BULLDOZER TO BREAK THROUGH ONE SIDE OF THE POND.
A FEW HOURS LATER, THE ELEPHANTS WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE POND AND FLED INTO A NEARBY FOREST.
WILD ASIAN ELEPHANTS ARE LISTED AS ENDANGERED.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE ONLY BETWEEN 200 AND 250 ELEPHANTS LEFT IN CHINA, ALL FOUND IN YUNNAN PROVINCE
