Man and the Animal Kingdom

naomi24 | 09:49 Tue 01st Jan 2008 | Religion & Spirituality

8 Answers

Does man have an indefineable connection with the animal world? I thought it would be good to start the New Year on R&S with a heart-warming story, so here goes. In 1986, after graduating from university, Dan Harrison went on holiday to Kenya. On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Dan approached it very carefully. Dan got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Dan worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Dan stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled, but eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, and turned and walked away. Dan never forgot that elephant or the events of that day, and twenty years later, went to the Chicago Zoo with his teenage son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures walked over to near where Dan and his son were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Dan, lifted its front foot off the ground, and then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man. Remembering the encounter in 1986, Dan couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Dan summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Dan's legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly. Probably wasn't the same elephant. (Sorry, couldn't resist it). :o)