Dr. Dobias in Africa: A Baby Elephant, a Helicopter and a Snoring Mama

Lately, I feel like I've been writing a lot about medical stuff. So today, I want to take a break and share another story from Africa. If you missed my first story about the trip, you can read it here. This one is about a little elephant. The rangers sometimes fly in a helicopter to make sure all the animals are okay. During our stay, they spotted a baby elephant having a hard time walking. He was trying to keep up with his mom, and he couldn't. I don't know what it is about baby elephants, but when we saw the video of him limping, it was hard to contain the emotions. They're so little and so vulnerable. The decision was made quickly. We would dart the mama elephant, then the baby, and examine him. If his leg was broken, it would not be good news. That night, we barely slept. Tell a camp full of veterinarians about an injured baby animal, and that is exactly what will happen. Early the next morning, we met at the little airstrip where the "helicopter parking" was. The pilot and the reserve veterinarian, Dr. Mike Toft, flew out to separate the mama from the herd. This part matters. If you dart a mother elephant while the herd is nearby, the rest of the family may come over for an un...