This Loving Buffalo Herd Raised A Baby Elephant And Watched Her Grow Up
When she was just a calf, an elephant named Nzhou's parents were killed by poachers, leaving her an orphan at a wildlife reserve in Zimbabwe. Now, over 40 years later, Nzhou's got a new family -- though they don't look much like her.
A herd of buffalo took her in as if she were their own -- and continued to welcome her, even when she grew much larger than them -- in fact, the average adult buffalo weighs about 2,000 pounds, while an adult elephant weighs some 8,800 to 15,400 pounds.
"Nhzou is the matriarch of the entire farm but she chooses to spend her time with the buffalo," said Judy Travers, owner of the Imire Black Rhino and Wildlife Conservation area. "We have tried to reintroduce her to the elephant herd on the farm but she's really happy where she is."
Nhzou even participates in the bonding that happens after a new buffalo calf is born, joining the other buffalos that approach the mother and calf after birth.
Express has some more great photos of Nhzou and her buffalo clan.
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