A poor elephant was saved by expert vets after it was speared deadly by people in Kenya.
According to reports, the incident was a result of the animal crossing human land.
The elephant, who is in his 50s, was found by visitors at the Mara Conservancy.
Conservationists said that he appeared to have been attacked when he crossed over into an area that used to be elephant territory.
The SWT (Sheldrick Wildlife Trust), a conservation charity in Kenya, said that they got a call on August 11, 2020, about an elephant that had developed an infection in his tail.
They arrived at the scene in a helicopter.
Upon arriving, they saw that there was a huge wound that had maggots all in it.
The veterinary unit of the SWT and the Kenya Wildlife Service treated the elephant together.
They cleaned his infected tail and administered antibiotics and anti-inflammatories to make sure that the wounds do not get damaged more.
One ranger also had to place a stick inside his trunk to keep his airways open so that he could breathe properly.
Rob Brandford, an executive director at the SWT, said:
We suspect he was speared when he travelled across land that was once elephant territory, but has since been appropriated by man, built on for development and agriculture, blocking traditional routes of elephant migration. One ranger wedged a stick in his trunk to keep his airways open, while another gently flopped an ear over his eye to shield him from the glaring sun. They then manoeuvred the bull’s giant tail to inspect the damage. His injury was heavily infected and full of maggots.
After the treatment, the animal got back on his feet.
The doctors said that he would recover from the wounds that he has.
KWS Vet Dr. Limo gave the elephant a good prognosis for recovery.
The vets believe that the elephant is in his 50s or in his 60s.