AN adorable moment was captured recently showing a baby elephant clinging to her sedated mother after being rescued from a pit in Zambia

Vets had been forced to knock the mother out as they rescued her calf from a man-made pit in South Luangwa National Park because she was so agitated.

Once the calf had been lifted to safety she ran over to her mother and clung on to her ear with her trunk until she could be revived.

Villagers were alerted to the baby’s plight after hearing the mother’s cries, and called rescue workers to the scene.

Vets arrived the following day to find both animals very distressed, having been struggling in the pit all night.

They were forced to immobilize the anxious mom in order to safely help the baby.

Rachel McRobb, CEO and co-founder of CSL, said, “Once the mom was down, the baby was small enough for us to just lift her out of the pit and carry her about 30 meters back to mom.”

As vets were administering drugs to bring the mother around, the calf walked up alongside them and placed a tender trunk on her mother’s ear.

Rachel added, “She got a bit defensive for a minute when we put her down and then decided our vet was helping and wouldn’t leave her alone.

“The baby did not mind Dr. Sichande administering the antidote in her presence and ended up getting in the way trying to help.

“We reversed the mom with the antidote and as soon as she started to get up the baby suckled immediately.

“She must have been really hungry from all night in the pit. Everyone then happily wondered off.”

(SD-Agencies)