This is the heartwarming moment a young elephant plunges into a fast-flowing river to RESCUE her ”drowning” human best friend.
Darrick Thomson, 42, jumped into the swollen 50ft wide river while five-year-old Asian elephant Kham Lha walked on the bank in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The pair had formed an ”inseparable bond” after Kham Lha was rescued from an abusive owner last year and Darrick nursed her back to health. So when the young cow saw her ”best friend” apparently in trouble shouting for help, she raced through the water to save him.
She rushes through the water as Darrick splashes and cries for help, then gently ushers him to the shore. The incredible moment was captured on camera to show how strong the bond can be between animals and humans.
Darrick, who is originally from Toronto, Ontario, but moved to northern Thailand to work with elephants, said: ”Kham Lha was in a really bad way when she came to us.
”She had been tied up and forced to undergo cruel training known as crushing to prepare her to work in the tourist industry.
”We freed her and helped her to recover. She became really close to me and we formed a strong bond.
”I went in the river to show just how remarkable the relationship with humans is. And that if you show warmth and kindness to them, they will treat you well, too.”
