Mama Elephant Gives Birth As Safarigoers Watch Before Her Herd Rushes In

Jun 18, 2020

Elephants are majestic creatures. They’re also amazing moms—and aunts, uncles, and cousins.

In this video from 2017, a group of tourists was able to witness an elephant giving birth at a nature reserve in South Africa. Their incredible timing paid off, as they were able to snap this amazing video showing the miracle of life.

The group of tourists was close enough to the mama elephant to watch her give birth. It was a magical moment as they saw the new baby enter the world. They never expected things to get even more magical.

After the birth, the mama’s herd joined in. They rushed around her, trumpeting and greeting the new baby.

Then they made it clear they wanted the humans to leave while they bonded with the new bundle of joy. The lucky tourists snapped plenty of pictures. They won’t need to look at them to remember this magical moment forever, but now you can benefit from their quick photo skills.

Elephants gestate their babies for almost two years. The giant tots are born with the ability to walk and eat straight from the womb. Still, they need plenty of protection from predators. That’s part of why elephants are so social.

They typically travel in large herds of grandmothers, mothers, and babies. Adult males head out on their own or sometimes form bachelor herds.

South Africa is home to dozens of state-run game preserves. You can see the African Big 5 here: Elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, leopards, and buffalo. And if you are lucky, you might witness something like this! 

Amazing right? Let us know what you think of this incredible video and pass this miracle of life on to your friends and loved ones!