A young elephant was saved after getting trapped between two trunks before charging at her rescuers.
Greg Hall was traveling through Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe, on October 2 when he and his group encountered a five-year-old stuck in the mud.
Heartwarming footage – which has been viewed 2.5 million times – shows the rescuers carefully maneuvering a series of ropes around the elephant’s legs and torso.
Using the ropes to winch the animal out of the trunk, she thanked her rescuers by running at them before joining her herd.
Greg said: “It was a very satisfying feeling watching her run off and join her herd. Fortunately, she did not have any injuries.
“I have a feeling she walked between the fork of the tree and was scratching her sides and as she was moving back and forth her feet sunk into the soft mud.
“She then became wedged between the fork as she sunk lower.
“The breeding herd including her mother was about one kilometre away waiting on her.
“I did notice plenty of hyena footprints close by from the night before so her herd must have stayed nearby around her at night to keep the hyenas at bay.
“We had done an elephant calf snare removal in exactly the same area about six months prior.
“I am convinced that it was the same breeding herd and that they remembered us and knew this time we were there to help.”
It’s another reminder that, when wild animals land in a tight spot, there are always a few good humans willing to wade in and lend a hand.