In what are beautiful and astounding images, a wild Asian elephant appears to recognise a man that saved its life over a decade ago, showing exactly where the old adage 'an elephant never forgets' comes from.
Dr. Pattarapol Maneeon was working in Thailand 12 years ago when he came across the elephant, known as 'Plai Thang', who is now believed to be 31-year-old. In 2009, the veterinarian found Plai Thang extremely ill in the eastern Thai region of Rayong. Plai Thang was found to be suffering from severe anemia, trypanosomiasis and was struggling to eat and drink.
The elephant was taken by a team of expert volunteers to the Forest Industry Organisation, where Dr. Maneeon cared for him and nursed him back to full health. He remained at the sanctuary for a number of months and was eventually returned to the wild.
When Dr. Maneeon was travelling through the Rayong region this year, he happened to see the elephant he helped save walking through the jungle. The elephant appeared to immediately recognise his saviour and ran over to him full of joy and welcoming.
The elephant then raised out his trunk to greet the doctor. The vet told local reporters:
"I remember the sound very clearly. Plai Thang's noise is very unique. Plai Thang was very aggressive when we first met. His body was weak and he could not fight other elephants. It took a long time for him to heal, but we learned that he was very smart and took care of himself. Recently, we met again. We could remember each other and we greeted. It was a very special moment. I hope it encourages everybody to appreciate the work that people do with elephants."
Elephants are known to have an excellent memory. This helps them survive in the wild by reminding them where food may exist, which other animals and other elephants, are friends and foes, and how to avoid potential dangers. The website, Elephant Facts, states:
"An elephant's brain is much denser compared to the human brain. Temporal lobes that are associated with the memory are much more developed than that which is in humans. Elephant lobes also have more folding, which means that they are able to store more information, therefore giving them an excellent memory."
[Based on reporting by: Nature Knows]
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