good-bye old friend.

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an entry in the National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest, seen on my favorite photo blog In Focus. i've long known that elephants mourn their dead, but every time i see an example i find it very moving. below, the caption from photographer John Chaney:

Good Bye Old Friend: Elephants are legendary for their memory and intelligence including attributes associated with grief, making music, altruism and compassion. We came across this elephant whose corpse was overcome by vultures and jackals. From a distance we heard and then saw another elephant approaching at a fast pace. She was successful at chasing away the predators and then very slowly and with much empathy wrapped her trunk around the deceased elephants tusk. She stayed in this position for several hours guarding her friend.