Baby elephant is put on its feet by its mother after taking a tumble 

A little help please, Mum! Baby elephant is put on its feet by its mother after taking a tumble

  • A newborn elephant took a nasty tumble during a trip to the water’s edge  
  • Luckily mum was on hand to help get the calf back on its feet using her trunk 
  • Heartwarming snaps captured by South African photographer Charl Stols

A doting mum has been pictured helping her newborn baby elephant back on its feet, after it took a nasty tumble during its first few shaky steps.

The new family – a mum and two youngsters – were seen making their way to the river for a drink at the Chobe River in Botswana when the smallest calf fell down several times at the water’s edge.

Luckily mum was on hand to help, and can be seen carefully lifting her precious offspring back up using her trunk and her feet.

The heartwarming snaps were captured by South African wildlife photographer, Charl Stols

Luckily mum was on hand to help, and can be seen carefully lifting her precious offspring back up using her trunk and her feet

Luckily mum was on hand to help, and can be seen carefully lifting her precious offspring back up using her trunk and her feet

The newborn was set on its feet again after its tumble, with a helping hand from mum

The newborn was set on its feet again after its tumble, with a helping hand from mum 

The heartwarming snaps were captured by South African wildlife photographer, Charl Stols.

The 39-year-old, who works as a photo host for Pangolin Photo Safaris, witnessed the cute encounter during a boat ride.

Charl, who watched the elephants interact for around 40 minutes, said: ‘The elephant cow and two youngsters were coming to the river for a drink.

Whoops! The young elephant calf fell flat on the ground at the water's edge in Botswana

Whoops! The young elephant calf fell flat on the ground at the water’s edge in Botswana 

The new family - a mum and two youngsters - were seen making their way to the river for a drink at the Chobe River in Botswana when the smallest calf fell down several times

The new family – a mum and two youngsters – were seen making their way to the river for a drink at the Chobe River in Botswana when the smallest calf fell down several times

The mother elephant used her trunk and her feet to help get the baby elephant back on its feet

The mother elephant used her trunk and her feet to help get the baby elephant back on its feet 

‘The smaller calf seemed to be only a few hours old, still in pink colour and wobbly on its feet.

‘At the water’s edge, the newborn plunged down several times and the mother gently helped it back up using her trunk and feet.

‘Surprisingly they even crossed the river to one of the islands and the little one did manage to swim all the way, only its trunk sticking out of the water.

'The smaller calf seemed to be only a few hours old, still in pink colour and wobbly on its feet,' the photographer said

‘The smaller calf seemed to be only a few hours old, still in pink colour and wobbly on its feet,’ the photographer said 

At the water's edge, the newborn 'plunged down several times' and the mother gently helped it back up

At the water’s edge, the newborn ‘plunged down several times’ and the mother gently helped it back up

'It was very special moment. We have lots of elephants in Chobe but that must have been the youngest elephant I'd ever seen,' Stols said

‘It was very special moment. We have lots of elephants in Chobe but that must have been the youngest elephant I’d ever seen,’ Stols said 

‘It was very special moment. We have lots of elephants in Chobe but that must have been the youngest elephant I’d ever seen.

‘To watch the mother gently guiding him and then even seeing the little calf swim was a touching experience.

‘I still dream about seeing a mother giving birth someday but that was already pretty close.’

The newborn calf pictured under the protection of its mother at the edge of the Chobe River

The newborn calf pictured under the protection of its mother at the edge of the Chobe River 

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