An adorable baby elephant narrowly escaped death when it was rescued from the bottom of a well in Africa.
The heartwarming survival tale began when a heroic herder discovered the poor exhausted creature — malnourished and covered in bruises — in Kenya, Caters News reported.
The quick-thinking local called Kenya Wildlife Service staffers, who rushed to the stranded creature’s aid before flying it in a small plane to a wildlife rescue center in Nairobi.
“The little elephant was exhausted and after feeding, promptly collapsed and slept,” said Rob Brandford, director of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
“The blood results revealed he had a very serious bacterial infection, which came as little surprise given his ordeal. He had obviously ingested huge amounts of the putrid water while submerged in the well,” he said.
It took six weeks to nurse the elephant — which has since been named Murit — back to health at the center. During the recovery, staffers never left the struggling youngster alone.
The tough critter is now on the road to recovery and has even started to play with other animals, Brandford said.