MOSES the baby elephant knew precisely where to go for help when he lost his mother: a wildlife orphanage.
In a near miracle, the eight-month-old calf trekked through lion and hyena territory to enter the International Fund for Animal Welfare sanctuary near Victoria Falls.
He hid nervously in the bushes outside a boma before an elephant he being prepared for release into the wild nuzzled him, accepted him into their group, and welcomed him with affection.
Rangers at the Wild is Life-IFAW release site at Panda Masuie, just south of the Zambezi River, named the youngster after the biblical prophet, following his 2.5-mile exodus to safety.
Conservation director Jos Danckwerts said: “It was amazing to see how the older elephants touch and caress him before they take him back to the safety of their protected area.”
“We don’t know what happened to his herd, but it was a miracle that he stayed safe from the many lions on the reserve.”
