A herd of elephants was captured in stunning drone footage as they took a peaceful nap in the Tamil Nadu forest, India, on May 14.
The aerial video shows the elephants resting closely in a tight circle among the bushes at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, a vast tropical jungle spanning 370 square miles.
In the footage, the five elephants, including three calves—one of which is a newborn—can be seen lying on their sides in the long grass.
Their brown bodies contrast against the lush green surroundings, and they all rest in a remarkably similar position, with trunks tucked under their chins and legs crossed. The herd includes one fully grown adult, three adolescents, and a tiny calf at the center.
One of the mid-sized elephants remains standing, while the others appear to protect the baby elephant, who can be seen fidgeting and twitching its ears in the footage.
Supriya Sahu, a wildlife officer with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, noted the protective behavior of the herd, saying, “Observe how the family gives the baby elephant first-class security. Also, the young elephant checks the presence of other family members for reassurance. It’s so similar to our own families.”
This isn’t the first time such a heartwarming scene has been witnessed. In 2021, a herd of elephants in China became famous after traveling 300 miles across the country. They were also spotted resting in a ring around their young.
This group of 15 elephants had escaped from their nature reserve and wandered toward Kunming, a city in Yunnan province.
Their journey attracted widespread attention, with security cameras and drones capturing their every move, including nighttime strolls through urban streets.
Despite efforts to guide them away from populated areas, the herd caused minor chaos, including sticking their trunks through residential windows.
Still, they became a viral sensation in China when most of the country was in lockdown due to COVID-19. Their journey offered a sense of freedom that resonated with many people.
Asian elephants have been classified as endangered since 1986, with their population in the wild shrinking by about 50 percent since the 1930s and 1940s.
India is home to an estimated 27,000 to 31,000 elephants, but the species faces ongoing threats from habitat loss, environmental degradation, and fragmentation of their living spaces.