Wayanad Landslide Survivor Encounters Wild Elephant in Forest: Here’s What Happened Next

Image by Arun CV from Pixabay

The Wayanad landslide in Kerala, a southern state of India, on July 30 has claimed more than 300 lives so far, with over 200 people reportedly missing and 80 people receiving treatment in hospitals while rescue operations progress intensely. The harrowing stories of the survivors recounted on camera have been heart-wrenching, prompting many Samaritans to extend help in the form of funds and voluntary services at the site. Among these stories, the account of Sujatha, a victim who survived along with her grandchild, has gone viral on social media.

Sujatha, from the area, is still reeling from the night of the landslide when everything collapsed, expressing her bewilderment at the divine intervention that saved her.

“The water was like the sea. Trees were floating by. When I looked outside, my neighbour’s two-story house was collapsing. It fell and destroyed our house. I heard my granddaughter, Mridula, crying as I managed to get out. I grabbed hold of her little finger, pulled her out of the rubble eventually, covered her with a cloth, and began swimming through the flooding water,” Sujatha, now at the Meppadi Government Higher Secondary School relief camp, told mediapersons.

Her son Gigeesh, daughter-in-law Sujitha, and grandson Suraj were in a house nearby. Gigeesh dragged them one by one through the water. It was when they finally reached the shore and moved through a coffee plantation that the tusker appeared in their path.

“We are coming from a great tragedy. We are afraid. There is no light, and water is all around. We somehow came swimming. Please don’t do anything to us,” Sujatha pleaded with the elephant, reported mathrubhumi.com. It also said that there were two other elephants nearby.

Sujatha said the elephant had tears rolling down its eyes. “He stood there, motionless, until dawn, and all of us by its feet,” she said in a video posted by Asianet News.
The next morning, someone managed to track Sujatha and her family down, took them to a safe house, and offered them dry clothes, food, and water. Sujatha and Mridula, her granddaughter, arrived at the Meppadi camp wearing those clothes, while the rest of the family is receiving treatment at a hospital, according to mathrubhumi.com.

Elephants are renowned for their emotional intelligence and complex social structures. Their ability to understand and respond to human emotions is a fascinating area of study. While there isn’t a specific study that directly correlates wild elephants’ comprehension of human emotions with scientific data, the overwhelming evidence from researchers and field observers suggests a strong capacity for empathy and emotional intelligence.

Elephants are known to exhibit deep empathy for their herd members. They mourn their dead, comfort distressed individuals, and even assist injured or weak members, suggesting an understanding of others’ emotional states. Many accounts describe elephants responding to human emotions, such as becoming gentle and protective around children or displaying distress when witnessing human suffering. Elephants live in matriarchal societies with intricate relationships, often requiring a deep understanding of emotional cues.

Although more scientific research is needed to definitively prove the extent of elephants’ understanding of human emotions, the available data strongly suggests that these magnificent creatures possess a remarkable ability to connect with humans on an emotional level. One of the most striking examples of elephants responding to human emotions is their display of empathy and compassion. Numerous accounts detail elephants comforting distressed humans and responding to human grief, such as touching caskets or remains with their trunks. While it’s challenging to definitively prove an elephant’s understanding of complex human emotions, their ability to discern human intentions is evident.

The story of Sujatha and her family’s encounter with the elephant underscores the profound and often mysterious connections between humans and these intelligent animals.