Elephants Rush Into Zoo Pool To Save Their Drowning Baby

These creatures have been denied their freedom — but they clearly haven't lost their heart.

Remarkable footage has emerged capturing the moment captive elephants at a zoo in South Korea came to the rescue of a calf at risk of drowning in the enclosure's swimming pool. Within seconds of the baby slipping into the water, two nearby grown-ups leap into action, racing in together to deliver her to safety in time.

Even a third elephant, cordoned off by a fence in the background, appears visibly distressed throughout the ordeal that she's unable to help resolve.

The animals' reaction should come as no surprise; elephants are among the most intelligent and sensitive beings on the planet, forming deep and complex emotional bonds with their families and herd. This natural sense of comradery is so strong, in fact, that it can endure even in the most unnatural of settings.