Baby elephants are some of the most social young animals in the wild. From birth, they are surrounded not only by their mother but by aunties, sisters, and older siblings who all help raise them. This shared care is called “allomothering,” and it greatly increases a calf’s chance of survival. A newborn elephant’s trunk has over forty thousand muscles, but it takes time to control. In the early weeks, calves often trip over it, suck on it, or swing it around without aim. Full coordination develop

Wild elephant papa: A group of Asian elephant guardians rescues wild elephants in China’s #Yunnan “Woom!” Yangniu, a 4-year-old #Asianelephant, cheerfully trumpeted and walked toward Chen Jiming when she saw him. Sniffing around and touching Chen with its hip, Yangniu greeted Chen with her wild style. Chen is an Asian elephant breeder. Known as “wild elephant papa,” he works in China’s only Asian elephant breeding and rescue center in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, SW China’s Yunnan Pr