The mother elephant died after witnessing her calf being eaten alive by hyenas in the mud, eventually succumbing to dehydration.
According to a report by The Daily Mail on February 21st, recently, a young elephant was eaten alive by a pack of hyenas in the Zimbabwean bushveld. The helpless elephant mother was trapped in the mud and could not move, and witnessed the whole process, unable to do anything.
German wildlife photographer Jens Karlmann, aged 50, captured a scene of a young elephant and an elephant mother trapped in the muddy terrain of the Mana Pools National Park, being attacked by hyenas and desperately trying to survive.
When Karlmann first discovered the pair trapped elephants, they appeared very desperate, and the hyenas were nearby.
The next day, when he returned to the site, he found that the young elephant had already died, and a pack of hyenas were tearing at its bloody and shredded corpse. The elephant mother watched helplessly, trying to scare away the predators, but she was powerless to save her child. The elephant mother also suffered from dehydration for a long time and lay dying, while vultures circled around her patiently waiting for her to take her last breath.
Karlmann's photos sparked controversy, and many people questioned why he didn’t try to save them.
Karlmann said: 'It would have been a huge undertaking to get them out of the mud. At the time, 10 to 15 people were attempting a rescue, but it was too late. I used this opportunity to capture the whole process, it is a natural phenomenon, survival of the fittest.’
‘I spent a long time considering whether to publish these photos. The close-up shots of the mud-covered elephant are unique because they are so sad. I don’t go back there anymore. I am really very sorry because I can do nothing.’
‘Generally, my viewpoint is never to interfere with nature, but the situation at Mana Pools this year was very different. The elephants were suffering from starvation and frostbite, and the elephant population is declining. If more elephants could be saved, I believe it is worthwhile.’
‘My Instagram account has both cruel and beautiful things, I think that’s reality. I try to portray the true nature, from very cruel and sad stories to cute and touching stories. Most people living in big cities want to know this is the real nature.’
