Man Saves Drowning Antelope After Elephant Alerts Zoo Staff in Guatemala Zoo

A drowning antelope was saved by zoo staff after an elephant roared to alert the danger in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on April 29.

Maria Diaz filmed this video showing an elephant standing next to a pool, trumpeting repeatedly and pointing its trunk at an antelope struggling in a pool at Zoológico La Aurora.

A zoo worker then jumps into the pool before pulling the mammal from the water. “Bravo,” a woman says in the video as the antelope hops away among the onlookers’ clapping.

Diaz told Storyful that she heard the sound of an elephant at the zoo so she went to see what happened. “I saw that an antelope in the water was really scared, fighting for its life and an elephant trying to help him,” Diaz said. “I was really impressed but happy because the antelope has been saved.”

Local media guatemala.com reported that the zoo awarded the elephant and its caretaker for the successful rescue on May 11. Credit: Maria Diaz via Storyful

Video transcript

[CHATTER]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

- [SPEAKING SPANISH]

[CHATTER]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[CHATTER]

[GASPS]

Wow.

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

[GASPS]

Wow.

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

I don't know.

[CHATTER]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[CHATTER]

Bravo. [LAUGHS]

[APPLAUSE]

Bravo.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[CHATTER]