A lot of animals sense and grieve the loss of their family and carers.
And, elephants are no exception-this herd of elephants mourned the loss of their human friend, Lawrence Anthony, the writer of the Elephant Whisperer.
One night, at the Thula Thula, a wonderful thing happened. The entire herd came at the main house after a long period. This showed their high sensitivity and awareness that something had happened.
They are the legacy of Lawrence. Lawrence did an amazing job helping rescue animals at the Baghdad ZOO.
The Legacy of Lawrence Anthony Will Always Be Remembered
Lawrence Anthony was an author and conservationist who helped in the rescuing and rehabilitation of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The reserve where Anthony once lived and the elephants still do is Thula Thula. His son, Dylan Anthony, continued his father’s work through his Earth Organization which his father founded back in 1998.
Dylan is also the head of another wildlife project called Caperdown which is focused on the area outside of Durban in South Africa.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science awarded Laurence posthumously with an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
Dylan spoke at the event which was both emotional and passionate. He addressed his father’s dedication throughout his life and how he understood the importance of education to reverse man’s reckless actions resulting in loss of valuable species.
He also talked about his father’s depth and love for people, adventure, and animals. He talked about his amazing sense of humor and infectious laugh.
Anthony also worked hard to save the elephants. His family believes that in a way, the elephants knew that he was gone and wanted to say one last goodbye.
Did the Elephants Really “Know” Anthony Was no Longer among Them?
To say they sensed his death is hard; however, elephants are known for their grieving rituals. Research notes that elephants are able of grieving the deaths of their relatives.
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