Heartfelt Farewell: Elephants mourn the loss of their own in Chikkamagaluru forest

Team Udayavani, Oct 28, 2024, 8:11 PM IST

Chikkamagaluru: Just like humans, animals too feel emotions, sharing in joy, sorrow, and hardship. We’ve heard of these instances and sometimes even witnessed them. Loyal pets often show signs of grief at the passing of their human companions, and here’s a moving story from the animal kingdom.

In a poignant scene captured on camera, a herd of elephants gathered to pay homage to a deceased companion in the Hebbe range of the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. The incident occurred when the body of a wild elephant was discovered, and soon after, a group of elephants approached the site, circling the remains for some time before departing. These images, captured by a forest department-installed trap camera, highlight the emotional bonds these gentle giants share.

While humans may grow distant in their fast-paced lives, it appears that animals still hold onto these deep emotional connections. This touching moment, in which the elephants made their way from afar to bid farewell to their companion, offers a powerful reminder of empathy among wild animals.

The incident took palce in February, when the forest department found a deceased elephant in the Muthodi-Hebbe range of the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. After conducting a postmortem, the department left the carcass in the forest, as per forest regulations, which prohibit burial or burning of dead elephants. They set up a trap camera nearby to observe decomposition and identify any animals that might come to feed on the remains.

Days later, when checking the footage, forest officers were moved to see a herd of 17 elephants surrounding the carcass, solemnly walking around it before moving on. According to local beliefs, elephants are thought to remember and search for lost members of their group, a behavior that this incident seems to confirm. The heartwarming images serve as evidence that animals, like humans, value relationships and connections, honoring them in their own silent way.