@amivitale

8/24 Photo by @amivitale. Baby orphaned elephants tussle and play at Reteti Elephant Sancutary (@r.e.s.c.u.e). Researchers have found that the close bonds these orphans forge with one another helps to defray the stress of being separated from their mothers and herds. The stress level hormones of young elephants who had been orphaned but lived with peers or other family members, like aunts, cousins or siblings, were comparable to young elephants who still lived with their mothers. #elephants #conservation #kenya #africa #babyanimals