An elephant has shown a heartbreaking response after discovering a skull of a fellow mammal.
Cara Pring was out on safari when she and her group stopped to admire the majestic creature.
But the peaceful encounter quickly turned emotional.
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The mammal had across a skull – revealed to be that of another elephant – and began interacting with it.
For several minutes, it gently tossed the cranium with its trunk before eventually walking away, letting out mournful cries.
The rare and poignant moment captured the elephant’s apparent grief, leaving onlookers deeply moved.
Cara also shared an image and video of the moment to Instagram, where it has gathered over 129,000 likes.
“Me and my partner run a safari business back home so have considerable experience in the bush,” Cara told What’s The Jam.
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“So the fact this was something we had never seen before really highlighted how rare and special the sighting was.
“We came across a young female elephant inspecting an old elephant skull which had been there for a few years.
“She was using her trunk and her hind legs to inspect it thoroughly.
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“After about 15-20 minutes she became very emotional and went on a rampage through the bush, scaring a troop of baboons and trumpeting loudly.
“We heard her still going about 20 minutes later from our lodge.
“This was behaviour we had never seen before despite countless hours on safari, my husband is a guide.
“It validates the belief that elephants have a deep connection to their ancestors and also are deeply emotional.
“Though we had seen a buffalo charge lions and a hyena steal a kill from two leopards on this same drive, this was the most special sighting of the day.”
Social media users have shared their thoughts online, too.
Victoria said: “This is why elephants are my favourite animals ever. Their souls are so evolved and pure we should take example of them and not lead them to extinction instead.”
Someone else added: “Showing more emotion and empathy than most people you meet these days.”
Nisha said: “They somehow always know if it’s their family member.”
Godson added: “He likely recognises the skull, given his intense reaction to it.”
Someone else said: “This breaks my heart to see.”
Melisa added: “Poor sweetheart.”
Dakota said: “Elephants are so majestic.”
Another user added: “Oh baby!”
Cara, from Australia, visited the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, South Africa in March but shared the video online just over a week ago, where it has since gone viral.
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