The remarkable bond between an elephant and its caretaker was captured on camera as the gentle giant remained unperturbed by a necessary medical procedure.
This incredible scene unfolded at the Elephant Rescue Centre in Botswana. Jabu, the elephant, obediently followed instructions, lying down upon command to allow the conservation worker to administer eye ointment.
In the footage, Jabu calmly walks towards the male keeper across the sandy terrain. Upon reaching him, the keeper gently places his hand on Jabu’s leg and instructs, “Jabu, lie down.”
After a brief pause, the elephant complies without hesitation, bending his back legs to gracefully lower himself to the ground. With his front legs stretched out and his body relaxed, Jabu comfortably rests on his side.
This heartwarming display of trust and cooperation exemplifies the strong bond between the elephant and his keeper at the Elephant Rescue Centre in Botswana.
After a brief pause, the elephant obediently bends his back legs and folds down onto the ground as requested.
The conservation worker praises him with a “good boy” and rewards him with a handful of food.
Approaching the elephant, the worker examines his eye, remarking, “I think that’s starting to look a little bit better.”
Taking out a small white bottle of antibiotic drops, the worker leans in closer.
Jabu lets out a heavy sigh and blinks, swatting away flies buzzing around his face.
Instructing the elephant to stay, the keeper grabs his eyelashes with his left hand and gently pulls his eye open.
The conservation worker praises Jabu as a “good boy” and tosses a handful of food into his mouth as a reward.
The keeper retrieves a small white bottle containing antibiotic drops and moves in closer. Jabu releases a heavy sigh, blinking as flies persistently buzz around his face.
It becomes evident that Jabu’s eye is inflamed and irritated as the keeper administers the liquid beneath the elephant’s eyelids repeatedly.
Once the ordeal concludes, both the keeper and the woman behind the camera offer words of encouragement to the patient.
The gentle giant then playfully sits with his mouth agape, anticipating an extra treat, which the keeper gladly provides with several handfuls of nuts.
After patting Jabu’s trunk, the keeper starts to walk away, informing him that he can now rise.
With effort, the elephant lifts himself to his feet, and shortly afterward, the video concludes.
The red and irritated state of Jabu’s eye becomes evident as the keeper continues to apply liquid under the elephant’s eyelids.
The keeper affectionately pats Jabu’s trunk before signaling for him to rise. With a gentle nudge, Jabu hoists himself up, and the scene concludes shortly after.
Originally filmed in December, the video recently resurfaced online. Staff at the rescue center, operated by the Living with Elephants Foundation, noticed Jabu’s watery eye and diligently treated it with three doses of antibiotics daily.
Jabu, the dominant male in his herd, was orphaned during a culling operation in Kruger National Park, South Africa. At 31 years old, he stands tall at over 11.4 feet (3.5 meters) and weighs a massive 5.5 tons.
Despite his impressive stature, Jabu grapples with health issues including an eye infection, a wrist injury, and osteoarthritis stemming from a confrontation with a wild bull in 2016 over dominance.
Jabu and his herd mates are set to star in an upcoming Animal Planet series called Dodo Heroes, slated for release in June.
