Freedom to Roam
Many of us recognize the most beautiful voice of childhood, besides our mothers, the voice of Sir David Attenborough - a British broadcaster, biologist, natural historian, and author. TV presenter in numerous documentaries about nature and the animal world. Today, the 97-year-old has followed the world and its changes for many years, giving us the gift of getting to know nature from our living rooms. He taught us how to tell stories and that the world of nature and animals is closely connected to the human world. Even as children, it was clear that this man loved what he did.
Sir David Attenborough
We recognize him as the voice of natural history programs for the past 70 years. He has brought the natural world into our living rooms and classrooms through award-winning natural history programs such as Life on Earth, The Private Life of Plants, and The Blue Planet.
This is one of his many stories. “In 2021, the world watched as a family of wild Chinese elephants slept, exhausted after an epic 400-kilometer journey. Forced from their ancestral forest by the worst drought on record, the family had gone in search of a new home.
Having traveled through huge swathes of farmland, there was still no sign of them stopping. But what they did next surprised everyone. Crossing under a five-lane highway, the family approached the city of Kunming. Within days, the elephants had reached the city limits. And they quickly found themselves in a frightening new world. Scared and disorientated, the family had no choice but to turn around and begin the long march home.
Remarkably, despite the damage they caused, the elephants were not just tolerated by the local people, but helped, with hundreds of thousands of dollars spent guiding them safely home. After almost two years and more than a thousand kilometers on the road, the weary caravan arrived back in the southern forests, where the drought had eased. Against all odds, this part of the family's story had a happy ending. But it showed when animals are faced with dramatic change, the urge to move away can be overwhelming."
Humans and elephants share several similarities despite being different species. Both are highly social. They live in groups and form complex social structures. Elephants, like humans, exhibit behaviors such as cooperation, empathy, and communication. Both are known to experience a wide range of emotions. They mourn their dead, display signs of joy, and form deep bonds with family members. Highly intelligent animals capable of problem-solving, using tools, and learning complex tasks.
A drone image shows 14 Chinese elephants sleeping exhausted after an epic 400-kilometer journey. In the forest on the outskirts of southwest China's Kunming, Yunnan Province. Photo: AFP / Xinhua
Overall, this story is a powerful metaphor for people's challenges, resilience, collaboration, and learning experiences in life and business. Several parallels can be drawn.
Like these elephants, people often face changes, sometimes requiring them to venture into unfamiliar territory or adapt to new circumstances. New challenges are faced in those moments, such as crossing a five-lane highway and entering the city. By reaching its limits, elephants found themselves in a frightening new world that was disorienting and overwhelming. Their journey back to their southern forests after facing challenges in Kunming highlights the importance of learning from experience and making strategic decisions based on lessons learned.
There is one key thing. They couldn’t have succeeded without the unconditional help of the locals. Everything that happened earlier was a natural slide of things. But unconditional help in a situation where problems of these animals had become even bigger than themselves, was their only guide back to the southern forests. Despite the damage caused, the local community tolerated and helped them, with significant resources invested to guide them safely home.
This serves as a poignant reminder of the universal experiences of facing adversity, seeking resilience, finding support, and experiencing personal growth in life's challenges. Sometimes, in our forests, we find those who, against all odds, lead us to positive outcomes, and this is exactly what makes a significant difference in this world.
After you read this story, the outcome could remind you of someone you luckily have in your life. In my case, it was Tanja Salopek Evertsson, who would bring the elephants home safely. She probably wouldn't even sleep after that but play tennis instead.