The wounded elephant who was saved after pleading humans for help: Animal approached safari lodge after it was shot by poachers

The bull elephant, named Ben, surprised guests when he approached the Bumi Hills Safari Lodge (pictured, middle) in Zimbabwe. 


But manager Nick Milne soon realised that the animal was suffering with a limp and appeared to be severely injured. The in-house vet was gone for the weekend so another was called and volunteered to fly 200 miles to help the elephant. In the six hours it took for him to arrive, Ben is said to have waited patiently nearby, drinking water and grazing. Experts tranquillised him (top and bottom left) and, after further examinations, found a deep wound in his shoulder (top right) suspected to be the result of a poacher's bullet. To their horror, they then also found two bullet holes in one of his ears making it likely that the animal had survived two attempts on his life. Ben is now healing on the property after his wounds (bottom left) were disinfected and treated by the vet.