Plai Thang, a 31-year-old bull elephant in Thailand, shared a heartwarming reunion with the vet who saved his life 12 […]
Plai Thang, a 31-year-old bull elephant in Thailand, shared a heartwarming reunion with the vet who saved his life 12 years ago.
Plai Thang was on the brink of death in 2009 after he contracted trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), a disease transmitted by biting insects and fatal if not treated.
The elephant was suffering from a fever, loss of appetite, and swelling all over his face and neck. He was found struggling to move, as his legs and back were stiff, in Rayong, Thailand.
He was transported to Forest Industry Organization’s territory where Doctor Pattarapol Maneeon with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation treated him.
After months of recovery, the elephant was released back into the wild and the vet thought he would never see him again.
But during a recent patrol of the area, Pattarapol recognized a sound he hadn’t heard in over a decade.
The unique sound was Plai Thang.
Apparently, elephants aren’t the only ones with great memories.
The elephant recognized his rescuer as well and stretched out his trunk to greet him. Elephants greet each other by intertwining their trunks. The sweet gesture by the elephant was his way of saying “hello” to an old friend.
The touching moment was captured in a photo which has gone viral.
