When Wild Animals Rescue Humans
Bottle Nose Dolphin Saves the Day
Dolphins are intuitive animals that can sense danger in the vast ocean. On many occasions, dolphins have been credited with saving humans from the dangers lurking below. In 2004, a group of four swimmers, including Rob Howe and his daughter, enjoyed a nice dip near the Whangarei beach in Newzealand. In the midst of their swim, the foursome came upon a pod of friendly dolphins. However, for Howe, this encounter was out of the ordinary.
Unlike his normal dolphin encounters, this particular pod of dolphins seemed to be more interested in keeping the foursome close together. With the foursome in the middle, the dolphins began to form circles and splashed with their flippers. At one point, Howe swam a short distance away from the group. However, one of the dolphins quickly swam to him and nudged him back to the group.
Clueless of the danger he was in, Howe complied and made his way back to the group. On his way back, he soon came to the realization that the dolphin’s strange behavior was actually a rescue attempt. In actual fact, the dolphins were trying to fend off a 3-meter great white shark close by. They worked tirelessly in a circle to protect the foursome, and eventually, the shark lost interest and swam away. Thanks to these clever animals, the foursome lived to tell the story.
Ning Nong, the Elephant to the Rescue
In 2004, the boxing day tsunami in Phuket claimed the lives of 230,000 people. However, 8-year-old Amber Owen survived this unthinkable tragedy thanks to Ning Nong, the four-year-old baby elephant.
The special bond between the duo formed on one of Amber’s annual family trips to Phuket. On boxing day of 2004, Amber was enjoying a stroll at the beach with Ning Nong when the water at the beach suddenly receded. Locals were captivated by the unusual sight and many gathered around the shoreline to see what’s going. By this time, Ning Nong knew something was wrong. He became agitated and attempted to move away from the beach. Unfortunately, the elephant keeper stopped him.
Soon, the first wave hit the beach. The water level began to rise and swallow the duo. Ning Nong stayed calm throughout the ordeal and treaded through the water with Amber still on his back. Eventually, Ning Nong stopped near a wall and placed himself on a stone shelf. He made sure he got close enough for Amber to climb to safety before he left. Because of Ning Nong’s bravery, Amber survived and was able to reunite with her family. You can watch the incredible story here.
The Humpback Whale Rescues a Marine Biologist
Nan Hauser will tell you, “when you need a friend in the ocean, the humpback whale is your best bet”. In 2017, Nan went on a diving expedition at Cook Island to study the behaviors of these gentle giants. As a renowned marine biologist, Nan knew not to interfere with the animals in their natural habitat. However, in this particular instance, a playful humpback whale approached Nan and began to engage her.
The curious whale used its snout to gently pushed the biologist closer to her boat. At the same time, the whale also used its giant fin to surround her as they drifted closer to the boat. Although Nan knew that she was taking a risk by getting so close to the 25-ton creature, the pair spent the next 10 dancing in the ocean.
After this once-in-a-lifetime encounter came to an end, Nan got back on to the boat. When she returned to the boat, she soon understood why the whale shared this intimate moment with her. In reality, the whale was actually trying to shield her from a nearby 15-ft bull shark.
Although we don’t know the real intent behind the whale’s actions, we do know that if it wasn’t for this magical creature, Nan would have been in a bad situation with the bull shark.
Lucky the Pig Hero
Lucky the hero pig is a blessing to Ina Farler and her two grandchildren. In 2014, Ina and her grandkids were fast asleep when Lucky broke the peaceful night. At 4:40 am, Lucky began to squeal as he frantically paced back and forth in the mobile home. With Ina still in deep sleep, Lucky jumped on the bed and threw himself on her to wake her up. When Ina woke up to see what’s going on with Lucky, she noticed her home was filled with smoke. Ina quickly took action to wake the grandkids up and escaped what could have been a tragic night. Although she lost everything in the fire, she was thankful for Lucky’s actions. Who knew adopting a pig could actually save your life?
The Lion and Lioness Saved the 12-year-old Child Bride
It all began in Ethiopia when three lions came to the rescue of a 12-year-old child bride victim. The 12-year-old had been missing for a week after she was abducted by a group of men who were forcing her into marriage. At the hands of her captors, the girl was battered and badly beaten.
A couple of days into her captivity, three lions miraculously appeared in front of the girl. The lions formed a protective front and chased the men away. After the men left in defeat, the lions stood on guard until the girl was found by the Ethiopian police.
This amazing story had left the locals baffled because the odds of the girl surviving without being attacked were slim to none. However, many speculated that this miracle was a result of the girl’s whimpering cry because the cry most likely mimicked the cries of a lion cub. Regardless of the reasons why the lions chose to protect the girl, the girl was lucky to have the pack on her side.
Binti Jua the Motherly Gorilla
Binti Jua, a resident at the Illinois Zoo, became a hero in 1996 when she saved a 3-year-old boy. The 3-year-old climbed the gates at the zoo and fell 24 feet down to the gorilla enclosure. Luckily for him, the motherly gorilla has a soft spot for young children.
Binti Jua was raised by humans, and as a result, she was comfortable around the little boy. With Binti Jua’s own baby on her back, she cuddled the young boy and brought him to the safety of the zookeeper. Since the event, Binti’s story made headlines around the world, and the beautiful video can be seen here.