Elephants reunite with their caregiver after 14 months apart – Heartwarming Reunion

by Top Retriever · Published 9 January · Updated 12 February

Elephants charge toward caretaker for heartwarming reunion

Animals, wild and domestic, embracing their caregivers after being away from them for a long time is one of the most beautiful things in life. It’s a pure moment of joy that can only be explained by caregivers or pet owners who felt the pain of separation. A reunion after a 14-month-long separation of a herd of elephants and their caregiver in Thailand has produced a heartwarming moment that you can watch again and again.

A clip shared on social media shows elephants walking in shallow water before arriving at the sanctuary to greet their caretaker. The man standing on the other side of the shallow water body was identified as Derek Thompson, co-founder of Save The Elephant Foundation. The herd welcomed him back into their home after 14 months of being away. At that time, he spent 10 months in Cambodia where he helped build an enclosure for an elephant rescued from a Pakistan zoo. As the jumbos made their march, Derek was heard calling out to them in a unique voice that the animals recognised. He was greeted by the herd of elephants, and it’s pretty apparent from the video that the animals not only remembered their keeper, but showed genuine excitement and affection as they charged through the Mae Taeng river to meet Thomson.

They love their caretaker so much

The clip has now been viewed over 5 million times. The elephants trumpeted and their feet thundered. The man didn’t move. Instead, he cupped his hands around his lips and called out to them. As the herd comes closer, the anticipation grew stronger. When they finally reached Derek, they embraced him in their trunks. The elephant raised its trunk, as if in greeting. Watch the video and see how this herd of elephants greet a caretaker they’ve been missing for 14 months.