Elephant Whisper in Hartbeespoort, South Africa

Could this elephant sense the pain in a human heart and be moved to offer an incredible touch of compassion? A heart-warming moment from an animal with every reason to be antagonistic toward mankind.

‘Three’ the elephant was rescued almost 25 years ago as a baby orphan. Brought to John Brooker’s country estate, Glen Afric, in a crate simply marked ‘3’ with a number of similar survivors of an elephant cull at Kruger National Park*, this gentle giant holds no resentment toward the species who violently culled her family so many years ago.

Just a few short weeks after the sudden and unexpected death of someone close to me, I was honoured by this incredible gift which filled my broken heart as nothing else could. I was still reeling in shock, vulnerable to any nuance of emotion when I was invited to interact with the freely roaming elephants at Glen Afric. Three, the 25 year old matriarch elephant browsed contentedly with her 8 year old daughter Hannah and adopted daughter Marty.

Three quietly grazed and allowed me to gently touch her sides and the velvety softness behind her ears.

Elephants will smell a person’s head, hands or feet to get an authentic scent of them and will ‘remember’ that individual for up to 8 years. Three gently smelled my feet to get a sense of who I am ….

I  greet her in turn, kissing her on her trunk…

This quiet giant wrapped me in her trunk which felt like the most enduring hug of compassion a person could ever get.

Three knelt on her knees and bowed her head. An action reserved for her handlers, conveying love and respect.

Did she sense my broken hearted pain and offer a hug of pure compassion? I like to think so!

*Birth Control initiatives are now used where possible to manage elephant population growth.