When a baby elephant arrived at the Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage in South Africa, he was critically ill with an umbilical hernia and his chances of survival were slim. That’s when super dog swooped in.
The Thula Thula game reserve is home to a variety of African wildlife, including rhinos and elephants along with buffalo, leopards, giraffes, zebras, hyenas, crocodiles and a very special German shepherd named Duma. When Ellie the elephant arrived at the reserve, his rescuers didn’t think it would make it, but they nursed him day and night.
Eventually Ellie’s physical health improved, but his mental health did not because elephants are social animals and notoriously hard to raise away from a herd. He was depressed and lethargic until he met the German shepherd, Duma. In an unexpected move, the dog and the elephant became friends, bonding despite their many, many differences. Check out the video above.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com