“Maa, ahok!”

His tiny tail stretched back towards his mother, Umika, Thakur– a baby elephant–from Assam, carefully navigated through the humans’ settlements. It was another tough day for Thakur. He’s a bit different from his friends and not quite like Bhunte. While the other elephants play and have fun, Thakur takes on the special task of guiding his mother through areas where people live. Unfortunately, his mother, Umika, has lost her sight, and no one really knows why or how it happened. With a big heart comes a big responsibility for Thakur.

Bhunte saw Thakur guiding his mother, Umika, near a village in Assam, India. Although he wanted to play with Thakur, he did not stop him.

*This story beautifully illustrates the remarkable sentience of elephants, showcasing the extraordinary bond between a mother and her calf. Mothers go above and beyond to nurture their young. And so do the calves, caring for their mothers. This incident, captured in the video below, features a mother elephant who was believed to be blinded accidentally. Her calf was helping her to navigate.