A mother's love: Elephant refuses to leave injured calf's side

Focus Malaysia

14-06-2025

A BABY elephant, caught in a cruel snare near Felda Neram Satu, Terengganu, lay injured and helpless—its tiny frame twisted in pain.
Yet beside it was the mother, unmoving and loyal, refusing to leave as though pleading for mercy.
In a viral 44-second TikTok video, the mother's silent vigil moved thousands. Thanks to a quick call by local resident Mohamad Affendi Alwi, wildlife rangers rescued the calf.
It survived, but the emotional weight of the moment lingered, particularly with another recent viral video of a mother standing still with her infant's dead body.
'After seeing the elephants, I immediately contacted the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan). Alhamdulillah, they did not take long to arrive and carry out the rescue operation,' Mohamad Affendi Alwi said.
According to him, the rescue efforts by Perhilitan officers successfully freed the baby elephant from the snare, and it was released back into its natural habitat.
Just days earlier, on May 11, a similar scene unfolded on Malaysia's East-West Highway, but this one ended in heartbreak.
A juvenile elephant, only five years old, was fatally struck by a lorry in the early hours of the morning. A passing driver filmed the aftermath.
The mother elephant, grief-stricken, pressed her head against the lorry that crushed her child, as if trying to nudge it away.
She stayed there for hours, unwilling to accept the loss until wildlife officers sedated her and guided her back into the forest.
Netizens expressed sorrow at the footage, especially given the timing since the tragedy occurred on Mother's Day. —June 14, 2025
Main image: Sinar Harian