In a charming moment captured at a Thai elephant sanctuary, a young elephant enthusiastically approached a visitor for a cuddle, offering a playful interaction that delighted everyone watching The video shows a woman seated on the muddy ground when, unexpectedly, a baby elephant bounds over, eager to make her acquaintance. The audience can’t help but laugh as the calf cozily settles on her lap. A bystander comments that the woman seems to be enjoying the unusual encounter. However, the calf’s boundless energy keeps it moving around, occasionally shifting in ways that look a little uncomfortable for the woman. She smiles and strokes the baby elephant as it readjusts onto her thighs, embracing the affectionate moment. But when the calf rolls backward onto her shins, she lets out a soft “ow,” prompting a nearby person to step in and lend a hand. Unperturbed, the little elephant soon rolls f...
Even though Aayu the elephant already weighs nearly three-quarters of a ton, he’s just like any other playful toddler. And when it’s time for fun, his big sister Nandita becomes his climbing frame.
At just one year old, Aayu loves to clamber on Nandita’s back. She doesn’t seem to mind too much, but their other sister, Indali, who is only a month older than Aayu, also sometimes joins the playful chaos.
Nandita, turning three in August, embraces her role as the older sibling. She often takes charge, keeping her energetic younger brother in line.
According to Andy McKenzie, the zoo’s elephant team manager, Aayu is energetic and loves to play fight—though his sisters aren’t always in the mood.
“Aayu always wants to play, but the girls don’t necessarily want to,” McKenzie said. “It can get pretty lively. He’s constantly pushing everyone around.
At 700 kilograms (about 1,540 pounds), he’s not exactly small, even though he’s only a year old. But they’re all quite sturdy, so no one gets hurt.”
The bond between Nandita and Aayu is especially strong. The siblings love spending time together, and Nandita often leads Aayu around the enclosure.
If they ever feel unsettled, Nandita takes them back to their mothers, showing how she’s starting to understand her role in the herd.
The elephant family at Chester Zoo spans four generations, with three young elephants sharing the same father—16-year-old Aung Bo, who weighs a hefty 4.5 tons.
However, each of the little ones has a different mother, which means there are plenty of older female elephants to keep an eye on.
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The herd plays a key role in a European breeding program for Asian elephants, a species threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and other human impacts.
With only around 40,000 of these elephants remaining in the wild, programs like this are vital for their survival.
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