As humans, we undoubtedly do our fair share of damage to animals and animal populations around the world. Even so, it would be disingenuous to say that humans are not helping animals at the same time. So much time and money is spent each year researching and learning more about animals, all to help them. At its core, animals sometimes need a little help from humans, even if we are the ones who caused them to need help in the first place.
Even the biggest animals on Earth sometimes need a little help, a recent video shows. Speaking of big, are there any animals that walk on the earth as big as big elephants? No! In the video, we see that even the biggest creatures need help (or claws) sometimes.
The short video shows an elephant apparently in need of help. Apparently, a baby elephant fell into the pit and couldn’t get out. As can be seen from the concrete structure on the left, the pit appears to be man-made. It is also clear that the sides of the pit are very steep, too steep for large animals to climb out.
We don’t know how the elephant got stuck in the pit, but it’s clear it couldn’t get out without help. Elephants are huge, and climbing is not their forte! An adult elephant weighs between 8,800 and 13,000 pounds (depending on the species). While the elephant isn’t fully grown, it’s still huge. Elephants, even at birth, are still very large. When an elephant is born, it usually weighs about 265 pounds!

©iStock.com/AndreAnita
With all that weight, it’s no wonder the little guy couldn’t get out of the pit. Thankfully, he’ll have some help. As the elephant climbed out, he hit a hard spot and looked like he was going to fall all the way…until a yellow arm swung in. An excavator was apparently working nearby and was enlisted to help dig the baby elephant out of the pit and onto flat ground.
Like a mother pushing a baby, the excavator pushes the elephant’s tiny butt, pushing it over the hole. Although the elephant is strong, the mechanical equipment is still very helpful! Finally, with one last push, the excavator was able to push the exhausted elephant over the edge and clear it from the hole. We don’t know how long the elephant was in the hole, but it was clearly tired.
Despite digging the hole the elephant fell into first, humans (and machines) were eventually able to help the elephant out of the hole. Now, this story shows the responsibility of human beings in solving the problems we caused!
Be sure to check out the short video below!
Next:
- Elephant Lifespan: How Long Do Elephants Live?
- 8 Animals That Could Kill an Elephant
- Real-life Wonder Woman saves trapped bobcat from trap

I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.