When Coco came, Lakhi’s world grew even brighter. Timid and fearful little Coco had been deprived a mother for her entire life, but Lakhi stepped into the role with absolute ease. She never hesitated to seek Coco out when the younger elephant cried, or to stay close by her side out on walks, occasionally enveloping the smaller elephant with her trunk in a safe embrace. As if taking a cue from Asha, Lakhi made sure that Coco always felt safe and loved, and stood protectively over her whenever she lay down for a nap.
With time, Lakhi’s age caught up with her, and she showed signs of slowing down, old injuries got inflamed and she seemed to prefer resting against the mud beds in her enclosure. Late Saturday evening on the 3rd of March, she seemed more weary than usual, and even as her knees buckled under her, Asha and Coco rushed to her side to support her. Asha appeared calm and strong, as if she knew in her own way that this was it – Coco panicked initially, rushing about and running circles around her fallen friend. The team rushed in, the crane was called in to lift her back to her feet and support her – the elephants moved aside and watched, Asha touching them gently as they huddled together. They stood back as the team tried to get her back to her feet, even the younger elephants seemed uncharacteristically calm. Maybe they knew, maybe they realised it was time to let go and had their chance to say their goodbyes, and wanted to let her pass in peace. Lakhi resisted being lifted, as if she too knew her time had come. She let out her final breath and slumped down against the mud bed, eyes shut looking like she was completely at peace. As the team moved away, heartbroken, Asha rumbled loudly from where she was standing, but none of the elephants moved – Coco let out a small wail, and from every enclosure elephants responded softly with rumbles, trumpets and huffs all the way from the bulls to the closerby females like Phoolkali like an orchestra of calm, reassuring solidarity for their fallen friend.
Lakhi leaves behind broken hearts around the world. Asha refused to eat the entire day, refused to budge from the spot on which she last lay. She’s been listless and mournful, albeit quiet – running her trunk through the mud and letting out the most heartbreaking guttural rumbling sounds every few minutes. Ever so often, Coco or Peanut or Suzy will respond. Once in a while another elephant will rumble back. Her keeper stands beside her, talking to her and trying in his own way to comfort her. He hand fed her a bucket of greens last night which she ate slowly and sadly. He talks to her awhile about Lakhi, how beautiful and calm she was, about how incredible their friendship was and how much he misses her too. He tried calling her into the shade, but she remained rooted to spot her friend had passed.
A recent study using satellite data has highlighted the critical role that large herbivores play in promoting tree diversity in forest ecosystems. The research showed that areas with abundant large herbivores like elephants had more varied tree cover and more tree diversity. This finding underscores the importance of large herbivores in many ecosystems and that they should have primary importance in conservation strategies, particularly in the context of global efforts to combat climate change and extinction. Help big herbivores every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!
African forest elephants roam the dense rainforests of West and Central Africa where they subsist largely on a diet of fruit. They shape forests by dispersing fruit and seeds, browsing, and creating an extensive trail network.
