This is the heartbreaking moment when a baby elephant stands beside its deceased mother, desperately trying to wake her up. The baby elephant uses its trunk to nudge its mother, hoping to trigger a response.
Eventually, it accepts that its mother is gone, but refuses to leave her side, staying by her body for hours in the tall grass of Masai Mara in Kenya. In despair, the baby elephant mourns the tragic loss of its mother.
Other members of the herd gather around to pay their respects in an emotional display. It is believed that the mother elephant had fallen behind the herd and collapsed—though the cause of her death remains unclear.
Marks on her body suggest that a pride of lions may have tried to tear her apart before the rest of the herd returned to search for the missing elephant, with lions seen lingering in the grass.
Wildlife photographer Sarah Skinner captured the moment the elephants said their final goodbyes late last year.
Sarah, 38, said, “It was so sad to hear that another beloved giant had passed away. I was choked up witnessing it. We were all completely shocked by the incredible behavior we were witnessing.”
The elephants formed a circle of mourning as they lost one of their elders. The baby elephant raised its trunk for one last farewell, reluctantly leaving its mother after the herd began to move away.
“It was an incredibly emotional and touching moment. The baby elephant refused to leave its mother, occasionally reaching out with its trunk to touch her body,” Sarah explained. “It was clear that this baby elephant was deeply affected by its mother’s death.”
As the elephants gathered closer, some reached their trunks out to touch the mother’s body, while others stood silently, grieving their loss. The baby elephant, visibly sad and curious, gently nudged and surrounded their fallen leader.
After the solemn procession, the herd moved on, leaving the baby elephant alone beside its mother. The calf stayed with its mother as the day ended, continuing to gently nudge her trunk.
Even with the unwanted presence of some lions and hyenas, the baby elephant stood guard over its mother’s body until late into the night.
Sarah, from Berkshire, added, “It was an incredibly moving sight, and honestly, I will never forget it.”
