For Three Weeks Elderly Elephant Stood In The Same Spot As She Waited For Her Friend

Sep 12, 2020

Tarra, an elderly elephant made an unlikely friend when she was taken to the elephant sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenessee: a dog named Bella. When the best buds were separated for a couple of weeks, Tarra was devastated, and waited desperately for her friend to finally come back.

The two spent their days playing together until Bella's passing in 2011. Tarra is currently 46 years old.

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 a human!

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 about potential dangers and also "speak" to their children.

Similar to humans, these massive land mammals have a playful and emotional side.

Many elderly female elephants are taken to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee after becoming sick. In this expansive and safe environment, these elephants receive round-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 11 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 11 elephants get along well, some of the inhabitants have created special friendships with other members of the herd. However, one elephant named Tarra had established the most profound relationship of all. Tarra became great friends with a young dog named Bella.

These two unlikely friends loved to spend all of their time together, as seen on a YouTube video posted by the sanctuary in 2009. Unfortunately, their playdates had to stop after Bella hurt her back, as reported by CBS News. 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. The then 35-year-old elephant couldn't be happier.

Sadly, Bella passed away in 2011. According to HuffPost, the dog was believed to have been attacked and killed by coyotes, leaving Tarra to mourn the loss of her best friend. HuffPost added that sanctuary caretakers believe Tarra found Bella’s body after the attack and carried her to the spot they often spent time together.

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.