Orphan albino elephant Khanyisa and elephant bull Jabulani – Day Five spending time together.

This may just be the greatest combination of nerve-wracking and heart-warming series of moments that we’ve shared with you yet!. It certainly was one of the most astounding moments on our journey thus far, as we slowly introduce Khanyisa and Jabulani to each other more and more.

The two elephants meet up for the fifth time, at their favourite bana grass and dung restaurant and then something unexpected happens! Little precious Khanyisa, showing her natural elephant instincts, reaches to big boy Jabulani to suckle on a teat, as she would with her mother. Of course, Jabu not being her mother and instead a very large male bull, isn’t able to assist. But he lets Khanyisa explore his underside. This is where we get a little anxious, since so much can happen in these moments when Khanyisa gets so intimately close to Jabu. But Jabu continues on with his bana grass, munching on even as Khanyisa lets out a snore-like rumble.

Our hearts calm back down as the moment ends and the two of them walk off with Adine, Tigere and Blessmore. This is where it gets even more heartwarming as Khanyisa toddles after her new big father figure, copying his movements out in the bush on their way to the dam. Mimicking his actions and behaviours is another elephant instinct and it’s exactly how a calf learns to survive in the wild.

These moments between Khanyisa and Jabulani are about so much more than getting to know each other. They’re about sharing and learning; they’re parenthood in motion.

www.herd.org.za