Elephant Waits Weeks For Doggy BFF To Return — We Witness Second He Comes Around The Corner
Oct 24, 2020 by apost team
Tarra, an Asian elephant who lived at the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, displayed undeniable excitement when she saw her best friend — a dog named Bella. The Oprah Winfrey Show reported on this unusual interspecies friendship more than a decade ago, but the video still remains as beautiful and heartwarming as ever.
Humans sometimes make the mistake of assuming that they're the only intelligent creatures to inhabit the planet. In reality, there are countless species that are capable of complicated thought processes and even self-recognition.
Be sure to reach the end of this article to see the full video :-)
Elephants represent one such group of animals. National Geographic even reports that the brain of an elephant is in some respects similar to that of a human being. For instance, the elephant is one of the few species who can recognize themselves in a mirror — just like humans can!
Intelligence isn't the only area in which elephants can relate to humans. Elephants are also incredibly social. Although they don't have a complex language, they still communicate with other members of their herd through sounds and gestures.
Through these various forms of communication, elephants can warn others of potential danger and also "speak" to their children.
Similar to humans, these massive land mammals have a playful and emotional side.
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Many elderly female elephants are taken to the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee after becoming sick. In this expansive and safe environment, these elephants receive around-the-clock care from experts to attend to their personal needs.
These older elephants have the luxury of spending their final days in this paradise. Currently, the sanctuary is home to 10 elderly elephants.
Instead of opening this space to the public, the providers decided to preserve the environment for the elephants. They are free to play and frolic all day without any bothersome humans.
Although all 10 elephants get along well, some of the inhabitants have created special friendships with other members of the herd. However, one elephant named Tarra has established the most profound relationship of all. Tarra has become great friends with a young dog named Bella.
These two unlikely friends love to spend all of their time together. Unfortunately, their playdates had to stop after Bella hurt her back. She wasn't able to walk for three weeks and spent the entire time in a treatment center.
Tarra was sad to see her friend go through so much suffering and pain. Instead of roaming around her 1,800 acre home, the loyal elephant waited patiently for her friend to come out of the medical center. Tarra didn't leave her spot for nearly three weeks until her best friend finally returned.
Sadly, The Elephant Sanctuary writes that the elephant's BFF Bella passed back in 2011, though Tarra continues to wander her habitat and enjoy retirement.
"In retirement, Tarra made new fans," the sanctuary writes. "The story and videos of her unlikely friendship with a stray dog named Bella at The Sanctuary warmed hearts the world over. The duo were near-constant companions for eight years, until Bella’s passing in 2011."
Isn't it touching how such an unlikely friendship between two species can come to pass? If you found this story inspiring, make sure to show this heartwarming story and video to a family member or friend who loves animals.