On the plains of Africa, safari workers were stunned to spot a baby elephant moving with its herd — without a trunk.

For an elephant, the trunk is everything: food, water, defense, even affection. Without it, survival becomes nearly impossible. A calf without one faces hunger, thirst, danger from predators, and the risk of being left behind.

No one knows for sure what happened — a crocodile attack, a lion, or perhaps a poacher’s snare. Whatever the cause, the sight is heartbreaking.

And yet, the little elephant still walks on, clinging to life, protected by its herd.