Elephants belong to an ancient lineage that extends back around 60 million years, encompassing a much broader and more diverse history than just the woolly mammoths of the Last Ice Age. These majestic creatures, part of the mammal order Proboscidea, include three living species—the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant. But there’s far more to elephants than just their enormous size. They are renowned for their intelligence, deep emotional connections and strong social bonds, typically within their own families.
However, what many people might not realize is that elephants are also capable of forming profound and lasting bonds with humans. These friendships are well-documented and reveal the extraordinary capacity of elephants to engage with us on a deeply emotional level.
Much like us, elephants have distinct personality types—some are more likely to bond with humans than others, as a 2017 study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found. And, like us, they tend to be selective about whom they bond with. In fact, there might even be some truth to the idea that elephants see us just as we see puppies or kittens.
As we celebrate World Elephant Day, here are three remarkable stories of human-elephant friendships from our shared history on this planet that perfectly summarize just how visceral these connections can be.
1. Daphne Sheldrick’s Motherly (And Tragic) Bond With Aisha The Orphan
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) in Nairobi has been a lifeline for orphaned elephants for nearly 50 years. Among the many elephants who have passed through its doors, Aisha’s story stands out.
In the mid-1970s, Aisha, just a few days old, was rescued after falling into a well in northern Kenya. At the time, SWT was still figuring out the right formula to feed orphaned elephants. Daphne Sheldrick, who was determined to save Aisha, eventually discovered a formula that worked—thanks in large part to Aisha herself.
Daphne and Aisha formed a bond that was as close as any mother and child. But when Daphne had to leave for her daughter’s wedding, Aisha was left in the care of another. Sadly, Aisha became depressed during Daphne’s absence and fell seriously ill. Despite Daphne’s return, Aisha couldn’t recover and passed away shortly after.
Aisha’s death taught Daphne just how deep and complex elephants’ emotions are. It also showed her the importance of creating a family-like environment for these vulnerable orphans—a lesson that has shaped the Trust’s work ever since.
While Aisha’s story is tragic, most SWT stories have beautiful endings. Many orphans saved by the Trust have grown up to introduce their own wild-born babies to the caretakers they share a lifelong bond with.
2. Dharma And How He Trained Paul Rosolie To Give Him Bananas
Wildlife conservationist, Paul Rosolie, formed an unlikely and heartwarming friendship with an elephant named Dharma. Dharma was a tuskless male, which made it difficult for him to fit in with either the female elephants or the bulls. Because of this, Dharma often found himself wandering the forest of India alone, seeking companionship.
One night, Paul and his team heard a tiger’s call echoing through the hills at 2 a.m. Not long after, Dharma appeared at their camp, visibly distressed. In a tantrum, he began pulling things over, including a chair, clearly seeking comfort. Dharma then approached Rosolie’s truck, where he could smell the bananas inside. He looked straight at Rosolie, as if to say, “Are you going to get out of bed?”
When Paul hesitated—after all, it was 2 in the morning—Dharma pushed the truck up on two wheels, demanding his attention. Despite Paul’s efforts to cajole him to put the truck down, Dharma wasn’t satisfied until Paul gave in and fed him some bananas.
Comfort-eating antics aside, Dharma was also incredibly affectionate toward Rosolie, prompting him to view elephants as mystical creatures with intelligence so far-removed from how we define it that we fail in considering them “animals.”
Rosolie recounts, “One time I set up the tripod, and I was just journaling, and Dharma would come over and play with my hair, like, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ He just wanted someone to interact with on an emotional level.”
3. KhamLa And How She Adopted Darrick As Kin
Darrick, a devoted caretaker at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, shares an extraordinary bond with an elephant named KhamLa.
“There’s no reason for it. I never brought her special foods or treats. It’s not a bond that was based on reward—it’s just a bond that is,” Darrick attempts to explain.
One of KhamLa’s favorite things to do is to hold Darrick gently between her forelegs, almost like a hug from a four-legged giant. This gesture, both protective and affectionate, is a clear sign of the deep trust and love she feels for him.
The strength of their connection was particularly evident after Darrick had been away from the park for 14 months. When he returned, he called out to KhamLa and her herd from across the sanctuary.
In a remarkable display of joy, the entire herd came rushing toward him, their ears flapping with delight. KhamLa led the charge, and when she reached Darrick, she used her trunk to hold his hand and gently pulled him to the shore, as if guiding her long-lost friend back home.
“It was quite a big celebration for them and certainly overwhelming for me. It’s like finding a soulmate, really. I love her with all my heart. She reciprocates. I can’t really put so many words to it, other than to value and appreciate it for what it is,” Darrick goes on to say.
These incredible stories are three among many such elephant-human relationships, but KhamLa’s story stands out as a reminder of both the trauma elephants can endure and their incredible capacity for love. Born in 2011, KhamLa was separated from her mother and subjected to harsh training (for performing before humans) before being rescued and brought to Elephant Nature Park, where she met her favorite human, Darrick.
August 12, World Elephant Day, is a great day to start reflecting on what these stories teach us about elephants. They are not just “animals”—they are sentient beings with emotions as rich and varied as our own. Like us, they can be petty sometimes, but they can also be fiercely loyal, compassionate and loving. They deserve to be respected as the intelligent, emotionally complex beings they are. If elephants could speak our language, we’d probably have a lot to learn from them about what it means to love with everything we’ve got.
