In a very emotional scene, an old elephant reunites her daughter and granddaughter after 12 years of separation. The beautiful moment unfolded at Zoo Halle in Germany and it shows how affectionate beings, elephants really are. The overwhelming reunion put together a 39-year-old elephant named Pori and her 19-year-old daughter, Tana. The two haven’t seen each other for over 12 years. Yet, as the moment proves it, the love they carry to each other remained intact.
For the senior elephant the moment was even more special, because she also met her two granddaughters – Tamika, 4 and Elani, 1 – for the very first time. Shortly after Pori and Tana emotionally touched their trunks, the daughter hurried to introduce her two offsprings to her beloved mum. However, they way they greet each other looks they they’ve been knowing since forever.
Pori who was born in Zimbabwe in 1981, first arrived in Germany in 1983, at the Magdeburg Zoo. She lived here until 1997, when she was moved to the Tierpark Berlin, as part of a breeding program. Tana, born in 2001, was her first calf.
Unlikely the majority of wild animals, elephants are extremely social. A dominant female, called matriarch is the leader of the herd. She plays a critical role in the life of her family. While the bulls usually leave the herd in the first years, the females stay together for a lifetime, and the bond they share is something unseen in the wilderness.
“Pori’s arrival in Halle is an important step in modern elephant husbandry,” the zoo director – Dennis Muller said in a statement. “In the future, all elephant herds in European zoos should be cared for in such natural family structures. Today we have come a great deal closer to this goal.”
h.t: Zoo Halle
Featured image credits Zoo Halle
