Si vous aimez les animaux et souhaitez entendre une histoire intéressante, lisez le texte ci-dessous…
A Sri Lankan elephant was fighting for its life in the middle of the ocean, 16 km from the shore. It was clear that every minute counted
A patrol vessel of the Sri Lankan Navy was on the verge of returning to port, when experienced sailors noticed something strange that made them exclaim in amazement. This amazing incident happened in the Bay of Bengal during the summer months.
A large creature was swimming near the patrol ship, which they were not able to immediately identify. Could it be a relative of the Loch Ness monster? Or perhaps a giant dinosaur that miraculously survived the centuries?
When a tentacle appeared above the water, the sailors realized that it was a trunk. An adult elephant was swimming nearby, and its body was under water, except for the upper part of its back. The only visible part of the body was the trunk, which periodically rose above the water so that the giant could breathe.
As the ship approached, the sailors saw that the elephant was literally exhausted. There was little time left.
Ceylon elephants are considered small compared to others. If the local elephant reaches 3.5 meters and weighs 2-5 tons, then its African relative weighs a ton more and is a meter higher. But it is difficult to imagine even a relatively small Ceylon elephant swimming.
It can move in the water, holding its body and head under the surface, or hold its back and head above the water, breathing through its trunk, like a diver through a snorkel. But, unlike a diver, it is not adapted for diving.
The giant is able to dive into water to a maximum of three meters, but can stay under water for no longer than five minutes, since it needs a constant supply of air.
Powerful legs allow it to swim for up to six hours, and huge ears help maintain balance. The average swimming speed is about 5 km / h. There is a recorded case of an African elephant covering 47 kilometers in 7 hours. Tired of swimming, the animal can relax and lie down on the water. But it is impossible to stay afloat for a long time – it takes too much energy.
Why do elephants swim? Sometimes they choose a shortcut across a river or lake to get to food or rest in the shade. They love to splash in the water, spraying each other with fountains, getting great pleasure from it.
But our elephant was far from comfortable in the Bay of Bengal. The sailors noticed that he was swimming with his last strength. Helping the giant to get to land was not an easy task, especially considering that he was 16 kilometers from the shore.
First, the command was given to direct the ship to the shore. This was reported to the land, and Navy divers and employees of the Department of Wildlife Protection took part in the rescue operation.
They tried to tie ropes around the elephant to lift him onto the ship. This turned out to be not only difficult, but also dangerous, as the giant could accidentally hit the diver with its tusk. But it was clear that the exhausted animal was grateful for the help. Unfortunately, it was not possible to lift it.
After discussion, it was decided to tow the elephant behind the ship, supporting it with ropes. The procession headed for the shore. The difficulty was that the elephant swam unevenly, sometimes slowing down, sometimes speeding up, which every driver who has ever towed a car can understand.
At some point, the elephant disappeared under the water, and the rescuers were afraid that it had died. The divers submerged again. To their joy, the animal’s eyes were open, but it had almost no strength left. They supported it, which helped it swim a little. But it was still far from the shore, and someone suggested tying large floats around the elephant.
Now many buoys supported it, and the tug slowly pulled forward, preserving the animal’s strength. The operation had already lasted for several hours. Everyone was tired, and the elephant was moving with its last strength. At some point, a helicopter with journalists appeared, and the noise scared the elephant, it began to go under water.
The divers surrounded it, one climbed onto the elephant’s back, and so it swam a few more meters to the shallow water until it felt the bottom. The 12-hour operation was over. Now the question arose: how did the elephant end up so far out at sea?
Experts assume that the elephant got caught in a strong current while crossing the Kokkilai Lagoon, and was carried out to sea.
The veterinarians loaded the giant into a van and took it to the nursery for examination and recovery. People were happy that they saved the animal, and named it Uddhar, which means “Saved”.
