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PLEA FOR HELP

Wounded elephant goes to humans at safari lodge for help after being shot by poachers

The animal sat patiently for around six hours waiting for a vet to arrive from 300km away

Elephant

THIS is the heartbreaking moment an elephant approached humans for help after it was shot by poachers.

The bull elephant surprised guests at the Bumi Hills Safari Lodge in Zimbabwe when he approached the venue.

Ben the bull elephant came to the humans for help after he seemed to have been shot by poachers
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Ben the bull elephant came to the humans for help after he seemed to have been shot by poachersCredit: Bumi Hills Foundation
He appeared at the lodge in Zimbabwe limping and appeared to be seriously injured
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He appeared at the lodge in Zimbabwe limping and appeared to be seriously injuredCredit: Bumi Hills Foundation
After patiently waiting for six hours for a vet to arrive, a wound was discovered in his shoulder
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After patiently waiting for six hours for a vet to arrive, a wound was discovered in his shoulderCredit: Bumi Hills Foundation
After being knocked out with a tranquiliser vets were able to treat him in about an hour
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After being knocked out with a tranquiliser vets were able to treat him in about an hourCredit: Bumi Hills Foundation

Manager Nick Milne soon realised that the animal, named Ben after the first member of staff to find him, was limping and appeared to be badZimly injured.

As it was a weekend, the lodge's in-house vet was away and so staff called for another who volunteered to fly 200 miles to help the elephant.

In the six hours it took for the vet to arrive Ben is said to have waited patiently nearby just drinking water and grazing.

After tranquilising the animal carrying out further examination, experts discovered a deep wound in Ben's shoulder - suspected to be the result of a poacher's bullet.

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Nick Milne, the trust manager at not-for-profit organisation the Bumi Hills Foundation, told that the bull elephant, estimated to be at least 30 years old, made his way up a steep ridge to the lodge's staff houses on Saturday morning.

He said: "Logic would suggest that if an animal has an injury that considerably hampers its mobility, it would not attempt the climb and would rather stay on the level ground near water.

"The dart went into his rump perfectly and he only moved off a short distance in the seven minutes before he went down. He also landed perfectly on his haunches with his right side up a slope, the perfect position considering we needed to work on his left side."

Ben, who was named after the member of staff who first saw he was injured, is now doing well
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Ben, who was named after the member of staff who first saw he was injured, is now doing wellCredit: Bumi Hills Foundation
But shockingly staff found bullet holes in one of his ears - showing he had been shot at before
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But shockingly staff found bullet holes in one of his ears - showing he had been shot at beforeCredit: Bumi Hills Foundation
Staff say Ben seems to be recovering well but bills for his treatment have run into the thousands
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Staff say Ben seems to be recovering well but bills for his treatment have run into the thousandsCredit: Bumi Hills Foundation

Shockingly, staff also found two bullet holes in one of his ears which were not new wounds - meaning it's likely that the animal had been targeted before.

Thankfully Ben is now healing after his wounds were disinfected and treated by the vet.

He also now wears a tracking device so experts can keep track on how he's doing.

Following the incident the Bumi Hills Foundation is appealing to the public to help pay Ben's medical bills which have already run into the thousands and could rise more as his treatment continues.

The organisation continues to post updates on Ben via its .

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