A little elephant named Tembo lost his mother. It was a great grief for him, as such young animals are greatly distressed to find themselves suddenly without their mother’s care. They may even refuse food and water, which can lead to their death. So people decided to take unusual measures to replace the little elephant with his mother.
However, Tembo showed no interest in other elephants and did not try to find friends among his relatives. Realizing that unconventional approaches were needed to save this little life, experts decided to remove the baby from its natural habitat and transfer it to the Shamwari Nature Reserve. People here were to take care of him and replace the loss of his mother as much as possible.
People surrounded him with care and love. However, all these efforts did not yield the expected result. The baby elephant remained withdrawn and showed no interest in those around him. Moreover, he became aggressive in relation to all living things. It seemed that his soul was full of resentment. But the saddest thing was that he continued to refuse food. Even when he was offered a bottle of milk, he showed anger and irritation.
The situation required an urgent intervention to distract Tembo from his sad thoughts and prevent him from harm. He needed someone to get his attention. And that someone appeared.
A local farmer decided to conduct a rather interesting experiment. He decided to place a merino sheep next to a baby elephant. Tembo immediately rushed after the poor sheep, expressing his aggression.
A sheep called Albert was intrigued despite his fear. The animals began to observe each other, looking out for each other and, over time, finding common interests. They soon realised that they had much more fun playing and sleeping together. So the trick of settling a sheep worked! Gradually, Tembo began to show changes in his behaviour that delighted everyone who cared about his welfare.
Every day the baby became more curious and playful. He began to show concern and affection for Albert. People who watched their interaction couldn’t help but smile and celebrate the little victory.
Tembo finally had his appetite and began to enjoy his food. Communicating with Albert gave him joy and satisfaction. People happily watched their progress and realized that, thanks to their unusual decision, they had helped the little elephant find a new family and a chance at a happy life.
