Elephant Memories
By FREYA O’SULLIVAN There they were… gently plodding along on the river bank.
I was particularly interested in a little female calf playing with a male between the elder's wrinkly legs.
They rolled over each other just like kittens. Splash!
Danger!
The two elephants clambered up the muddy banks of the fast flowing river.
Well, they tried but it was too slippery!
I looked around. All the adult elephants were too far away to hear their desperate calls!
I forgot what I was doing.
These are the wild elephants of Malaysia.
The male calf was starting to drift away with the strong current.
Rescue I can't remember the struggle, the pulling and the pushing.
I do however remember the little calves slip onto the muddy bank in a crumpled heap.
I was getting sick of calling them the two calves, so I named them.
The male Shanasa and the female Neisha.
Neisha nudged me and Shanasa gave me a leaf that I kept forever.
None of the adult elephants ever noticed I had saved their calves.
But my parents did. Dad was filming - totally dumbstruck. Mum took a picture and the flash scared them away.
Return visit
I went back to Malaysia's muddy banks 10 years later.
The herd was back again and Neisha and Shansa were there with a little calf of their own.
They noticed me and walked over as if they knew me well.
Elephants really never forget.
Malaysia is so lucky to have such amazing and intelligent animals.