Orphaned Albino Elephant Takes First Stroll With New Family

Sep 26, 2020

Elephants truly are majestic animals. With their long trunks and gargantuan size, they capture the imaginations of many people from all over the world. When you close your eyes and get a mental picture of an elephant, chances are you probably see what most people are seeing.

You see gray skin, big floppy ears, a trunk, and lots of wrinkles and folds. While it is true that is what the most common elephant does look like, there are exceptions to the rule. In the wild, one can sometimes find the elusive white elephant. One of these marvels has taken the internet by storm, simply by taking its first walk with a new family.

A white elephant is a rare sight. When you see one next to its African gray counterparts, it can be quite startling. As the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennesse points out, elephants travel in herds, and with so many of these giant creatures walking close together, it can be quite extraordinary to see a white elephant walking along as part of the group. A white elephant is essentially an albino.

They are born much lighter in color and have a pinkish hue to their complexion. In fact, many of them are born with light eyelashes and toenails. With such unique features, it is easy for them to catch the eye of people watching the herd.

Many YouTube viewers got the chance to meet one of these beautiful white elephants recently. So many people were captivated by the sight of her that the video went viral. The video featured a white elephant calf named Khanyisa. Khanyisa was an orphan elephant calf who was looking for a new herd. Obviously, any cute baby animal is going to elicit the love and support of people from all over the world.

Khanyisa was orphaned or abandoned when she was young. It doesn't take a genius to know that the wild is no place for a lone, baby elephant. This young calf was going to need rescue. It didn't take long for someone to step up.

When an elephant ends up abandoned or orphaned, it can be bad news. With so many predators and dangers in the wild, a baby elephant with no herd can be in a very dangerous position, as the Wildlife Conservation Trust points out. This was the exact position Khanyisa was in before her saviors stepped in. The Herd Elephant Orphanage in South Africa rescued this baby elephant calf from the dangers she faced and brought them into their sanctuary, regularly updating people about her progress on their social media.

This organization has spent many years rescuing elephants in similar positions. There are many elephants that owe their survival to the amazing staff and volunteers who are part of the Herd Elephant Orphanage. Their goal is to provide a safe space for these elephants to once again discover the happiness of being part of a herd and all the love that brings. It is a second chance at happiness for these animals that have been dealt a bad break.

For the first couple of weeks, she was at the orphanage, Khanyisa spent her time getting acclimated to her new living arrangements. Eventually, she was given the opportunity to join her new herd in their evening walk. As the video captures, not only did Khanyisa go on the walk, she was welcomed with great affection by her fellow elephants.

This video and story are great at showing how important love and acceptance is to every living thing, regardless of species. It is a reminder that we all need a group of caring individuals around us.

Did Khanyisa's walk warm your heart? Do you have a group where you feel completely loved and respected? Show this to the people in your herd and tell us all about what you thought of this white elephant's story.