An Baby Elephant’s New Beginning: Greeted with a Hug After Arriving in Sanctuary, Meets Her New Best Friend

Elephants are truly remarkable creatures known for their intelligence and social behavior. They have the ability to form strong bonds with one another, similar to the way humans do. An example of this is the story of two young orphaned elephants who found each other and formed a loving bond when they needed it the most.

Elephant Nature Park, located in Thailand, is a rescue and rehabilitation center that offers a natural environment for elephants in need. The sanctuary is home to elephants like Chaba and her mother, who were rescued from a tourist attraction and arrived at the park last year. The park provides a safe and nurturing environment for these magnificent animals to live and thrive in.

While she was in good hands, Chaba was initially quite hesitant about her new surroundings — until another baby elephant decided to make her her best friend.

Pyi Mai, a young elephant who had also arrived at the shelter with her mom after being saved from tourism, came over and locked Chaba’s trunk in her own — as if giving her a comforting hug.

“It was as if Pyi Mai was saying, ‘Welcome home!’” park projects director Ry Emmerson told The Dodo. “We knew then they were going to be the best of friends!”

After that, Chaba no longer worried, because she had a new best friend to play with at the sanctuary. “Pyi Mai and Chaba do everything together,” Elephant Nature Park wrote on Facebook. “Whether playing in the water, or in the mud, or even eating food, they are happiest together.”

They truly had the most heartwarming friendship: their bond represented how sociable and happy elephants can be when they’re not in captivity being used for entertainment.

“They are constantly communicating through vocalizations and touch,” Emmerson told The Dodo. “If one of the babies wanders away from her friend, the other will immediately call [for her] to come back … The love they show to each other is pure and unconditional. It’s something we can all learn from and so heartwarming to witness.”

“They are both extremely gentle, loving and playful elephants. We lovingly call them ‘double trouble.’ They are inseparable, always playing and getting up to mischief together — just as they should!”