After Decades of Hard Labor, Rescued Elephant Somboon Finally Lay Down to Rest

Quick Answer: In January 2024, an elderly Asian elephant named Somboon was rescued after decades of work associated with logging and tourism in Thailand. After arriving at Elephant Nature Park, she quickly found a prepared bed of soft sand and lay down to sleep. When she later struggled to stand, her caretakers helped her back to her feet.

FAST FACTS

• Animal: Somboon, an elderly female Asian elephant
• Age: About 87 years old when rescued
• Location: Thailand
• Rescued by: Save Elephant Foundation
• Sanctuary: Elephant Nature Park
• Rescue: Somboon arrived at the sanctuary in January 2024
• Notable moment: Shortly after arriving, she lay down on a prepared sand pile and slept

Introduction

A photograph of an elderly elephant lying peacefully on the ground became part of a widely shared rescue story in 2024. The captions attached to the image often described an old circus elephant that had been chained for 40 years and was finally able to sleep.

The real story was different, but no less remarkable.

The elephant was Somboon, an elderly Asian elephant in Thailand who had spent much of her life in human-controlled work. In late January 2024, she was rescued and brought to Elephant Nature Park, where she was given food, water, veterinary care and a comfortable sand bed.

One of the first things she did after arriving was lie down and sleep.

For an animal that had reportedly spent decades working and standing for long periods, the simple act of resting became one of the most memorable moments of her rescue.

AI-generated illustrative image representing Somboon, an elderly rescued elephant who rested after arriving at Elephant Nature Park.
(AI-generated illustration by The Pader. Based on the documented story of Somboon; not an actual photograph.)

Who Was Somboon?

Somboon was an elderly female Asian elephant in Thailand. Accounts published around the time of her rescue described her as about 87 years old.

Reports connected to the rescue said that she had been taken from the wild when she was young and had spent decades in forms of work connected with logging and tourism. Other accounts described her as having been used for carrying tourists and working at an elephant camp in Pattaya.

Because some details of an elephant's early life can be difficult to independently document decades later, the safest description is to rely on the history reported by the organizations and people involved in her rescue.

The Real Photographs of Somboon

The real photographs of Somboon were published by reports using images credited to the Save Elephant Foundation. Because the original photographs are not confirmed to be freely licensed for reuse, The Pader is not republishing them directly.

Thumbnail Illustration: AI-generated by The Pader.

View the real photographs of Somboon →

The linked report contains photographs of Somboon from her rescue and time at the sanctuary.

Somboon's Rescue in Thailand

By the time Somboon's rescue was arranged, her advanced age and physical condition had become serious concerns.

Contemporary reports described her as thin and physically frail, with deteriorating teeth and dry, damaged skin. Her rescuers arranged for her to be transported to Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand, a sanctuary associated with the Save Elephant Foundation.

The journey itself required careful attention because of her age and weakened condition. After she finally reached the sanctuary in late January 2024, the team prepared an environment where she could receive food, water, medical attention and a soft place to rest.

Then Somboon Lay Down on the Sand

One of the most striking moments came shortly after her arrival.

The sanctuary team had prepared a mound of soft sand for Somboon. According to accounts from the rescue organization, many newly rescued elephants may take time before they feel comfortable enough to lie down in an unfamiliar environment.

Somboon did not wait long.

Exhausted after her journey and decades of difficult work, she went to the sand and lay down. She then slept while activity continued around her.

The scene was striking precisely because it was so ordinary: an elderly elephant finally had a comfortable place where she could rest without being required to work.

She Needed Help Standing Again

There was another important part of the story that is sometimes left out of viral versions.

After sleeping deeply, Somboon had difficulty getting back onto her feet. Her caretakers and veterinary staff assisted her in standing again and continued monitoring her condition.

This was not necessarily surprising for an elephant of her age and physical condition. Elephant Nature Park has noted that elderly rescued elephants can experience significant difficulty with mobility, including problems standing after lying down.

For Somboon, the rescue therefore involved much more than simply removing her from a difficult working environment. She required ongoing care suited to an extremely old animal.

Why Lying Down Matters for Elephants

Elephants spend much of their time standing and walking, but lying down is also a normal part of elephant rest and sleep.

For elderly elephants, however, lying down and getting back up can become physically challenging. Weakness, age-related changes and previous injuries can affect mobility, making the quality of the resting surface and the animal's ability to move safely particularly important.

This helps explain why Somboon's sand bed mattered. It provided a softer surface than the hard flooring commonly associated with captive working environments and gave her a place where she could rest under veterinary supervision.

The Viral Caption Got Important Details Wrong

The image that circulated online described Somboon as an old circus elephant chained for 40 years.

That wording should not be presented as the established history of the animal.

Available accounts instead describe Somboon's life as involving decades of work associated with logging and tourism, including carrying tourists. Reports from organizations and sources connected with the rescue also describe her as having spent much of her life under human control.

The broader rescue story is therefore genuine, but the viral caption simplified and altered parts of her history.

This distinction matters because an authentic photograph can still be paired with an inaccurate caption. The photograph itself is not evidence for every claim written beside it.

A New Chapter at Elephant Nature Park

After her rescue, Somboon was able to spend time eating, walking, receiving care and resting at the sanctuary.

Her story was part of a wider effort to provide long-term care for elderly elephants who had spent much of their lives working in human-controlled environments.

For Somboon, the first hours at her new home offered something remarkably simple: a safe place to lie down.

The Takeaway

Somboon's story is a reminder that a viral animal photograph can tell only part of a story.

The dramatic version described a circus elephant chained for 40 years. The documented accounts tell a more specific story of an elderly Asian elephant who spent decades in logging and tourism-related work before being rescued in Thailand.

And after reaching sanctuary, one of the most memorable moments was not a dramatic act at all. Somboon simply found the soft sand prepared for her, lay down and slept.

Sometimes, for an animal that has spent decades working, being able to rest safely can be remarkable enough.

More From The Pader

• Amazing Animal Stories: Remarkable Animals and the Stories Behind Them
• Rescue & Survival Animal Stories
• Thai Rescuer Revives a Baby Elephant With CPR
• Tortoise Rescued From a Garbage Bag

Sources & Further Reading

Save Elephant Foundation — Rescue and elephant welfare information

Rescued Elephant Lays Down After 80 Years on Her Feet — iHeartDogs

87-Year-Old Elephant Takes First Freedom Steps at Sanctuary — Pet Rescue Report

Thailand — New Residents at Elephant Nature Park — Future for Elephants

FACT-CHECK

Status: FACT-CHECKED

The rescue of Somboon and her arrival at Elephant Nature Park in January 2024 are documented by sources connected with the rescue and by independent reporting. Accounts also document that she quickly lay down on a prepared sand bed and later required assistance getting back to her feet. The viral description calling her a “circus elephant chained for 40 years” was not used because the available documentation instead describes decades of work associated with logging and tourism.

The Pader

Wildlife, Nature & Science

Written for The Pader by Sahim Ader

EDITORIAL NOTE

The Pader presents wildlife and science information using credible sources and accessible language. Scientific information may be updated as new research emerges.

A Rare White Puma Was Caught on Camera in Brazil — It Had Leucism

Quick Answer: In 2013, camera traps in Brazil's Serra dos Órgãos National Park photographed a young male puma with a strikingly pale, leucistic coat. Researchers later identified the animal as the first recorded case of leucism in a wild puma. The photographs were taken in the Atlantic Forest and the animal was not recorded again during monitoring through 2016.

A puma moving through Brazil's Atlantic Forest would normally be expected to have the species' familiar tawny or grayish-brown coat. But in 2013, camera traps in Serra dos Órgãos National Park captured something far more unusual: a young male puma whose fur was strikingly pale.

The photographs eventually became known online as images of a “white cougar.” But the scientific story behind them is more specific.

Researchers identified the animal as a leucistic puma — an exceptionally unusual pigmentation condition — and documented the first recorded case of leucism in a wild puma.

An editorial illustration of a leucistic puma moving through the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.
A photorealistic editorial illustration depicting a rare pale leucistic puma walking through dense Atlantic Forest vegetation in Brazil, with a wildlife camera trap visible on a nearby tree.
(Cover image: AI-generated  wildlife illustration created for editorial and educational purposes.)

FAST FACTS

• Species: Puma (Puma concolor)
• Sex: Young male
• Location: Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Brazil
• Habitat: Atlantic Forest
• First recorded: 2013
• Condition: Leucism

The White Puma Was Captured by Camera Traps

The unusual animal was discovered during a long-term mammal-monitoring project in Serra dos Órgãos National Park in southeastern Brazil.

Researchers used camera traps to monitor medium- and large-sized mammals in the park. During 2013, the project involved 48 cameras positioned at 24 sampling stations.

Among the puma records was a young male whose fur appeared grayish white and lacked some of the typical darker coloration normally visible around parts of a puma's body.

The same individual was photographed at two camera-trap stations approximately 4.5 kilometers apart.

Four Camera-Trap Records Documented the Unusual Animal

The scientific report describes four records of the leucistic puma in 2013.

• July 5, 2013
• July 21, 2013
• August 13, 2013
• September 7, 2013

The researchers considered these records to represent the same animal because of the proximity of the camera stations and the rarity of the condition.

The cameras showed the puma moving between the two locations through dense forest.

DID YOU KNOW?

The four documented photographs were taken months apart at two camera-trap stations, giving researchers multiple records of the same unusual-looking puma rather than a single isolated image.

The Original Photographs

The unusual puma was documented through camera-trap photographs taken in Serra dos Órgãos National Park in Brazil. The original photographs are included in the scientific paper documenting the first recorded case of leucism in a wild puma.

View the original camera-trap photographs and scientific paper

What Made the Puma Look White?

The unusual coloration was identified as leucism.

Leucism is a pigmentation condition in which an animal can have reduced pigmentation in some or much of its fur, producing a very pale or white appearance. The researchers noted that leucism is rare in wild felids.

It is important not to confuse leucism with albinism. In the scientific report, the researchers explained that leucism involves a loss or reduction of pigment in the fur while typically leaving the iris unaffected. Albinism involves a different biological pathway involving melanin production and can affect the eyes and skin as well.

This Was Not a Separate “White Cougar” Species

Puma, cougar and mountain lion are common names for the same species, Puma concolor.

The unusual animal photographed in Brazil was therefore not a different species or a newly discovered type of cougar. It was a puma with an exceptionally rare coat-color variation.

That distinction matters because the phrase “white cougar” can make the photograph sound like evidence of a new animal species. The scientific finding was actually about an unusual pigmentation phenotype within an existing species.

The Animal Was Never Recorded Again

After the 2013 photographs, researchers continued monitoring the area.

According to the scientific report, the same leucistic puma was not recorded during additional camera-trap efforts in 2014, 2015 or 2016, including at the locations where it had previously appeared.

Other normally colored pumas were recorded in the area during the later monitoring period.

Because the individual was never captured for genetic sampling, researchers could not determine the precise genetic mutation responsible for its unusual coloration.

Why the Discovery Was Scientifically Important

The significance of the photographs was not simply that the animal looked unusual.

At the time of the study, the researchers described this as the first recorded case of leucism in a puma from a wild population. The finding provided an unusual starting point for further research into the genetics and possible biological significance of pigmentation variation in wild cats.

The researchers also discussed whether unusual coloration could have implications for wild animals, since coloration can affect visibility and other aspects of survival. However, the available observations of this particular puma were not enough to determine whether its leucistic appearance affected its survival.

A Rare Photograph From Brazil's Atlantic Forest

The white-looking puma was photographed in Serra dos Órgãos National Park, part of Brazil's Atlantic Forest.

The photographs are particularly valuable because camera traps can document animals that are difficult to observe directly in dense forest. In this case, repeated records allowed researchers to establish that the unusual animal was not simply an isolated photographic mistake.

More importantly, the scientific documentation gives the images a very different meaning from the sensational “white cougar” captions that later circulated online.

The Takeaway

The striking white puma photographed in Brazil was real, but the most accurate description is not “the world's first white cougar.” It was a young male puma with leucism, documented by camera traps in the Atlantic Forest in 2013.

The scientific report published in 2018 described it as the first recorded case of leucism in a wild puma. The animal was never documented again during the researchers' later monitoring, leaving the photographs as an unusually rare record of pigmentation variation in one of the Americas' most widespread wild cats.

More From The Pader

Explore more documented stories about unusual and extraordinary animals in The Pader's Animal Stories collection.

Amazing Animal Stories: Remarkable Animals and the Stories Behind Them

Rare & Unusual Animals

Sources and Further Reading

Cronemberger et al. (2018), “First record of leucism in puma from Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Brazil” — CATnews 68

Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco — First record of puma with leucism

National Geographic — Extremely rare white cougar highlights a quirk of the species

Exgenus — First-ever White Cougar spotted in Brazil's Atlantic Forest

First Record of Leucism in Puma from Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Brazil — CATnews

Extremely Rare White Cougar Highlights a Quirk of the Species — National Geographic

Parque registra onça-parda com leucismo — ICMBio / ISA Archive

FACT-CHECK

Status: FACT-CHECKED

The underlying event is documented by a scientific report in CATnews: a young male puma with leucistic characteristics was photographed by camera traps in Serra dos Órgãos National Park in 2013. The study described it as the first recorded case of leucism in a wild puma. The viral wording “world's first white cougar” is simplified and should not be used as the scientific description. The photographs are historical, not a recent sighting.

The Pader

Wildlife, Nature & Science

Written for The Pader by Sahim Ader

EDITORIAL NOTE

The Pader presents wildlife and science information using credible sources and accessible language. Scientific information may be updated as new research emerges.

A 12-Year-Old Built a LEGO Wheelchair for Gracie, a Puppy Born Without Front Legs

Quick Answer: Gracie was a puppy born without front legs who was eventually adopted by the Turley family near Atlanta, Georgia. A 12-year-old volunteer named Dylan, who helped at Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue in Kennesaw, built her a small wheelchair using LEGO pieces. The adjustable design helped Gracie move around while she was still growing.

A small puppy named Gracie became known for something few people expected from a homemade device: a wheelchair made from LEGO pieces.

Gracie was born without her front legs and was brought to a veterinary clinic when she was only a few weeks old. She later came into the care of the Turley family, who run an animal rescue operation near Atlanta, Georgia.

But one of the most memorable parts of Gracie's story came from a young volunteer. Dylan, who was 12 years old at the time, built a wheelchair for her using LEGO pieces.

The story has circulated online for years, sometimes with exaggerated wording. The documented account is remarkable enough on its own: a rescued puppy received a simple, adjustable mobility device built by a child who wanted to help.

AI-generated illustration inspired by the documented story of Gracie, a puppy born without front legs who received an adjustable LEGO wheelchair from a 12-year-old volunteer.
(Cover image: AI-generated  wildlife illustration created for editorial and educational purposes.)

Gracie Was Born Without Front Legs

According to CBS News, Gracie was born without her front legs. Good News Network reported that she was taken to a veterinary clinic when she was about six weeks old and required emergency treatment for two wounds.

She eventually came into the care of the Turley family and was given a permanent home. The family was also involved with Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Mostly Mutts describes its mission as rescuing dogs and cats in danger of abuse, neglect, abandonment and euthanasia, while working to place them in permanent homes.

A 12-Year-Old Volunteer Had an Unusual Idea

Dylan was a 12-year-old volunteer at Mostly Mutts when he began working on a way to help Gracie move more easily.

Instead of using a conventional wheelchair, he constructed one from LEGO pieces.

The design was particularly useful because Gracie was still growing. LEGO pieces could be added or rearranged as her body changed, allowing the device to be adjusted rather than immediately replaced with a permanent wheelchair.

Reports from the time described Gracie using the device to run and play. Good News Network also reported that she could move around without the chair, while the cushioned device helped support her body and protect her chest and spine.

Why a LEGO Wheelchair Made Sense for a Growing Puppy

A mobility device for a young animal has to account for growth. A wheelchair that fits a puppy perfectly at one stage may no longer fit as the animal becomes larger.

That made an adjustable design particularly useful for Gracie.

Instead of treating the LEGO wheelchair as a permanent medical device, the design could be modified as she grew. Later versions could accommodate her changing size before she eventually moved on to a more permanent wheelchair.

The important point is not that LEGO is a standard veterinary treatment. It was a homemade solution created for one particular rescue dog, and the reports about Gracie describe it as a practical adaptation that helped her while she was growing.

The Viral Story Leaves Out an Important Detail

One version of the story circulating online says that Gracie was a puppy “nobody wanted.” That wording is misleading.

Available reports do document that Gracie was abandoned or dumped at a veterinary clinic as a young puppy. But she was subsequently rescued, cared for and adopted by the Turley family.

So the more accurate description is that Gracie was an abandoned puppy who later found a home and received assistance from people who cared for her.

That distinction matters because the documented story is already powerful without adding an unsupported claim about how many people did or did not want her.

Gracie's Story Was About Adaptation, Not Just a Wheelchair

Gracie's situation also illustrates something important about caring for animals with physical disabilities: mobility support can be adapted to an individual animal's needs.

In her case, the early wheelchair was not simply about making her look different or giving her a novelty device. Reports described it as a way of supporting her body while allowing her to move, play and explore.

Her ability to move without the wheelchair also shows why the device should not be described as something that “gave her the ability to walk.” Instead, it provided additional support for a puppy who had already adapted to life without her front legs.

A Small Invention Became Part of a Bigger Rescue Story

Gracie's LEGO wheelchair eventually became the part of her story that attracted worldwide attention, but the larger story began much earlier.

She was a vulnerable puppy who needed medical care, found her way into a rescue environment and was eventually given a permanent home. Dylan's invention became another part of that journey.

The story also shows how creative solutions can sometimes emerge from simple materials. In Gracie's case, LEGO pieces provided a temporary and adjustable framework while she was still growing.

The Takeaway

Gracie's story is real, but some versions circulating online make it more dramatic than the documented evidence allows. She was born without front legs and was abandoned as a young puppy, but she was later rescued and adopted. A 12-year-old volunteer named Dylan built an adjustable LEGO wheelchair to help her while she grew.

The most accurate version of the story is also one of the most remarkable: a rescued puppy received a creative mobility aid from a young volunteer, and the unusual LEGO design became part of her journey toward a more active life.

More From The Pader

Rescue & Survival Animal Stories

Amazing Animal Stories: Remarkable Animals and the Stories Behind Them

A Tortoise Was Found Inside a Garbage Bag — Then Rescuers Gave It a Second Chance

Kitten Rescued From an Excavator in Ohio

The Rescuer Who Used CPR to Save a Baby Elephant

Sources and Further Reading

CBS News — 12-year-old boy builds Lego wheelchair for dog born without legs

Good News Network — 12-Year-Old Volunteer Gives a Rescued Pup a Wheelchair Made of LEGOS

Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue — Official Website

FACT-CHECK

Status: FACT-CHECKED

The central story is supported by reporting from CBS News and Good News Network: Gracie was born without front legs, was rescued and later adopted, and a 12-year-old Mostly Mutts volunteer named Dylan built an adjustable LEGO wheelchair for her. The viral wording that Gracie was a puppy “nobody wanted” is not supported and should not be presented as fact. The story is also historical, dating to 2019, rather than a new event.

The Pader

Wildlife, Nature & Science

Written for The Pader by Sahim Ader

EDITORIAL NOTE

The Pader presents wildlife and science information using credible sources and accessible language. Scientific information may be updated as new research emerges.

Stoffel the Honey Badger Kept Escaping His Enclosure — Even After Keepers Took Away the Rocks and Trees

Quick Answer: Stoffel was a rescued honey badger at South Africa’s Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre who became famous for repeatedly escaping his enclosures. Keepers removed branches, trees and rocks that he could use to climb out, but Stoffel continued finding new ways to escape.

Some animal stories sound too strange to be true. Stoffel’s is one of them.

At the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa, a rescued honey badger repeatedly defeated attempts to keep him inside his enclosure. When keepers removed one possible escape route, he found another. When they removed objects he could use as climbing aids, he began using different ones.

According to the PBS NATURE documentary Honey Badgers: Masters of Mayhem, Stoffel used branches, rocks and even objects left accidentally inside his enclosure to help himself get over barriers. His behavior became so persistent that his keepers eventually had to keep redesigning the enclosure around him.

A recreation of Stoffel's famous enclosure escapes.
(Cover image: AI-generated  wildlife illustration created for editorial and educational purposes.)

Who Was Stoffel the Honey Badger?

Stoffel was a rescued honey badger kept at the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Limpopo Province, South Africa. According to Brian Jones, who cared for him, Stoffel had originally been kept as a pet but was not suitable for release into the wild.

Instead of becoming an easy long-term resident, however, Stoffel became an extraordinary challenge for his keepers.

PBS documented how he caused trouble even before the elaborate escape attempts. Jones described Stoffel breaking through windows, getting into the kitchen and opening a refrigerator to reach food.

His behavior eventually convinced his keepers that simply building a stronger enclosure would not necessarily solve the problem.

A honey badger in Kruger National Park, South Africa. This photograph is illustrative and is not a verified photograph of Stoffel. Credit: Sumeet Moghe / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Stoffel Kept Finding Ways Out

The most remarkable part of Stoffel’s story was not one successful escape. It was the repeated pattern of finding a new solution whenever his keepers changed the enclosure.

At first, the enclosure contained trees. Stoffel climbed the trees and used the branches to reach the wall.

The keepers then removed the branches while leaving the trees standing. But according to Jones, Stoffel spent the night bending and twisting a branch until it broke. He then carried the branch to the wall and used it as a makeshift ramp.

So the trees were eventually removed as well.

That did not stop him.

He Started Moving Rocks

With the trees gone, Stoffel turned his attention to the rocks in his enclosure.

Jones told PBS that Stoffel dug up rocks and rolled them toward the wall using his back feet. He then piled them high enough to help him climb out.

The keepers responded by removing the rocks.

For Stoffel, however, the enclosure appeared to become a problem-solving challenge rather than an insurmountable barrier.

PBS described his repeated escapes as evidence of remarkable problem-solving ability, although the documentary's later scientific investigation also emphasized that honey badger intelligence had not been fully tested.

Even a Rake Became an Escape Tool

One of the stranger examples involved a rake accidentally left inside the enclosure.

According to Jones, Stoffel figured out how to position the rake against the wall and use it to help himself climb out.

The important point is not that every honey badger can perform the same trick. Rather, Stoffel repeatedly adapted his behavior to the objects and barriers around him.

That distinction matters because his story is often presented online as proof that honey badgers are unquestionably among the world's smartest animals. Scientific evidence is more cautious.

What Happened When Stoffel Faced Lions?

Stoffel's reputation for confronting larger animals was also part of his story.

In the PBS documentary, Brian Jones described an incident in which Stoffel confronted lions and was badly mauled. Jones said Stoffel spent about two and a half months recovering in hospital after the encounter.

The episode is a reminder that the honey badger's reputation for toughness does not mean it is invulnerable. A small animal confronting much larger predators can still suffer serious injuries.

The viral version of the Stoffel story often connects his escape attempts directly with a desire to get outside and fight lions. The available PBS account supports the escape behavior and the serious lion encounter, but it does not establish that every escape was specifically motivated by a desire to fight lions.

Then Came Hammy

After Stoffel's dangerous encounters and repeated escapes, his keepers introduced a female honey badger named Hammy.

The idea was partly to give Stoffel another animal for company and to help occupy him.

Instead, the two honey badgers became part of another remarkable escape story.

The enclosure had a gate secured by two bolts. According to Jones, Stoffel learned that Hammy could reach the upper part of the gate. He would get her to pull one bolt while he held the gate, and she would then work on the second one.

Once the second bolt was moved, Stoffel could pull the gate open and the pair could escape together.

Did Stoffel Really Stand on Hammy to Open the Gate?

FACT-CHECK: Misleading

The viral claim that Stoffel simply “stood on” Hammy to unlock the gate is not an accurate description of the documented account.

PBS's transcript describes a coordinated sequence in which Hammy climbed up and pulled the bolts while Stoffel held and pulled the gate. The documentary presents the behavior as cooperation between the two animals rather than Stoffel merely standing on Hammy to reach the lock.

This distinction is important because the viral version makes the event sound simpler and more dramatic than the documented account.

Were Stoffel's Escapes Really Evidence of Intelligence?

Stoffel's behavior certainly demonstrated flexibility and problem-solving in the situations documented at Moholoholo. He used different objects, changed strategies and repeatedly adapted after his previous escape methods were blocked.

But scientists are more careful about turning these observations into a definitive intelligence ranking.

In another PBS NATURE program, zoologist Natalia Borrego explained that honey badgers have complex ecological lives and behaviors involving climbing and digging that suggest a high level of intelligence, but she also noted that their intelligence had not been fully tested.

Later experiments involving honey badgers at the rehabilitation centre examined problem-solving and adaptability under controlled conditions. These studies are more useful for understanding cognition than simply declaring one animal “the smartest.”

Why Stoffel's Story Became So Famous

Stoffel's story stands out because it combines several unusual behaviors in one documented animal.

He repeatedly escaped barriers that had been specifically designed to contain him. He used branches and rocks as aids, adapted when those resources disappeared, and even exploited an object accidentally left inside his enclosure.

His story with Hammy added another layer: cooperation between two animals to overcome a physical barrier.

These documented observations help explain why Stoffel became one of the most memorable honey badgers associated with Moholoholo.

FAST FACTS

• Animal: Honey badger (Mellivora capensis)
• Name: Stoffel
• Location: Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, South Africa
• Known for: Repeatedly escaping his enclosure
• Escape tools: Branches, rocks and other objects
• Female companion: Hammy
• Notable behavior: Working with Hammy to open a two-bolt gate

Stoffel Was Clever — But the Science Is More Nuanced

It is tempting to describe Stoffel as a genius because of the extraordinary escapes attributed to him. His behavior was certainly remarkable.

However, a careful wildlife story should separate an individual animal's impressive behavior from broad claims about an entire species.

Honey badgers naturally climb, dig, forage and manipulate their surroundings. Stoffel's repeated escapes show how one individual applied those abilities in an unusual captive environment. They do not by themselves establish a universal ranking of honey badger intelligence.

The Takeaway

Stoffel's story is a remarkable example of animal problem-solving in action. When keepers removed branches, he found other ways to reach the wall. When rocks disappeared, he adapted again. And when Hammy was introduced, the pair demonstrated a documented form of cooperation while escaping through a secured gate.

The viral story gets the broad idea right: Stoffel really was an extraordinary escape artist. But some versions exaggerate or simplify the details. The documented account is already remarkable enough without adding details that the evidence does not support.

More From The Pader

• Amazing Animal Stories: Remarkable Animals and the Stories Behind Them
• Remarkable Animal Behavior
• Ken Allen: The Orangutan Known as the “Hairy Houdini”
• Buddy the Parrot and the Amazon Order
• Dusty the Klepto Cat Who Stole Hundreds of Items

Sources and Further Reading

• PBS NATURE — Honey Badgers: Masters of Mayhem
• PBS NATURE — No Lock Can Hold This Honey Badger
• PBS NATURE — Are Honey Badgers One of the World's Smartest Animals?
• Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre — Honey Badger Escapes
• Wikimedia Commons — Honey Badger, photographed by Sumeet Moghe

FACT-CHECK

Overall assessment: The core Stoffel escape story is documented by PBS NATURE and Moholoholo-related material. The specific viral wording that Stoffel “stood on” Hammy to unlock the gate is misleading. The PBS transcript instead describes Hammy climbing and pulling the bolts while Stoffel held and pulled the gate.

The Pader
Wildlife, Nature & Science
Written for The Pader by Sahim Ader

The Pader presents wildlife and science information using credible sources and accessible language. Scientific information may be updated as new research emerges.

A Cheetah Once Curled Up Beside a Wildlife Photographer — But the Viral Story Isn’t What It Seems

Quick Answer: The viral images and videos of a cheetah resting beside wildlife photographer Dolph C. Volker are real, but the common description is misleading. The encounter did not happen between a wild cheetah and a sleeping photographer in the African wilderness. It involved Eden, a captive cheetah at Cheetah Experience in South Africa, where Volker had spent time volunteering and building familiarity with the animals.

Introduction

Few wildlife images are as surprising as those showing a cheetah lying beside a sleeping human. Shared online, the scene has often been presented as though a wild cheetah suddenly approached a photographer in the African savannah and decided to sleep beside him.

The underlying encounter, however, is different from the viral version.

The man was wildlife photographer and animal advocate Dolph C. Volker, and the cheetah was Eden, a captive animal at Cheetah Experience in South Africa. Volker had already spent considerable time around the animals at the facility, and the relationship between him and Eden developed through repeated contact rather than a chance meeting with an unknown wild predator.

Eden, a captive cheetah, rests beside wildlife photographer Dolph Volker during a documented human-cheetah encounter.
(Cover image: AI-generated  wildlife illustration created for editorial and educational purposes.)

The Cheetah Was Eden

Eden was one of the cheetahs associated with Cheetah Experience, a South African conservation organization that provides care for cheetahs and other threatened or endangered animals. The organization was originally based in Bloemfontein before relocating to Bela Bela in Limpopo in 2021.

Volker first encountered Eden while volunteering at Cheetah Experience. Accounts of the relationship describe how the cheetah gradually became comfortable around him after repeated interactions.

That history matters because it changes how the encounter should be understood. This was not evidence that wild cheetahs normally approach sleeping humans. It was an unusual interaction involving a captive cheetah accustomed to human contact.

What Happened During the Encounter?

During one of Volker's periods at Cheetah Experience, he rested beneath a tree and eventually fell asleep. Eden approached him and began interacting with him.

Footage associated with Volker shows Eden grooming, nuzzling and resting close to him. Eventually, the cheetah settled beside him and appeared comfortable enough to remain there while he rested. Reports based on Volker's own account describe the interaction as including grooming, nibbling, purring and lying against him.

The encounter was therefore real, but its setting and circumstances are important. Eden was not an unfamiliar wild cheetah encountering a stranger in the open wilderness.

Why Would a Cheetah Become Comfortable Around a Human?

Cheetahs are not domesticated animals, but captive cheetahs that have experienced extensive human contact can become familiar with individual people.

Scientific research has shown that captive cheetahs can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar human voices. In one study involving captive cheetahs in South Africa, animals responded differently to voices of familiar handlers and unfamiliar visitors. The researchers found greater visual attention and faster activity changes in response to familiar voices.

Other research has also documented affiliative behavior in captive cheetahs, including social grooming and interactions with human caretakers. This does not mean that cheetahs are domesticated or naturally safe around people; rather, it shows that individual experiences and captive environments can influence their responses to humans.

The Grooming Was More Than Just a Cute Moment

One of the most distinctive parts of Eden's interaction with Volker was grooming.

Grooming is an important social behavior in many mammals. In cheetahs, social grooming is documented between individuals, particularly in social groups such as male coalitions. Research on captive cheetahs has recorded affiliative behaviors including allogrooming between animals.

However, it would be too strong to conclude from one encounter that Eden literally considered Volker another cheetah. Volker described her behavior in those terms, but that is his interpretation of the interaction rather than something that can be independently established from the footage.

A Wild Cheetah Is Still a Wild Animal

The most important lesson from the story may be what it does not show.

Eden's behavior should not be interpreted as proof that wild cheetahs are naturally comfortable sleeping beside humans. The circumstances were highly unusual: she was a captive cheetah living in a managed environment and had repeated exposure to people.

Even captive animals can behave unpredictably, and familiarity does not remove an animal's natural instincts. Research on captive cheetahs distinguishes affiliative interactions from behaviors such as aggression and threat displays, demonstrating that these animals possess a broad behavioral repertoire rather than simply behaving like domestic cats.

For that reason, the viral version of the story can give readers the wrong impression if it suggests that approaching a wild cheetah would be safe.

Watch the Original Footage

The footage shows wildlife photographer Dolph C. Volker interacting with Eden, a captive cheetah at Cheetah Experience in South Africa. The video has been widely reshared online, sometimes with misleading descriptions suggesting that a wild cheetah unexpectedly approached a sleeping photographer.

The Conservation Story Behind the Viral Moment

Cheetah Experience describes its mission as raising awareness of the vulnerability of South African species and other endangered species through educational experiences and conservation work. The organization currently cares for cheetahs and several other threatened or endangered species.

The cheetah itself remains a species of conservation concern. Cheetah Experience identifies the cheetah as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, while the IUCN explains that the Vulnerable category represents a high risk of extinction in the wild under its assessment criteria.

That makes stories involving individual cheetahs more meaningful when they are presented accurately. A remarkable interaction can attract attention, but the conservation context explains why people and organizations document these animals and work to increase public understanding of their vulnerability.

What the Viral Posts Get Wrong

The viral story is not completely fabricated. The photographs and video depict a genuine interaction between Volker and a cheetah.

The problem is the way the event has sometimes been described.

Claims suggesting that a wild cheetah simply wandered up to an unsuspecting sleeping photographer in the African wilderness are misleading. Fact-checking of versions of the viral video has previously established that the footage came from Cheetah Experience in South Africa rather than from a temple or other unrelated location claimed in social-media posts.

The real story is already remarkable: a human who had developed familiarity with a captive cheetah experienced an unusually close interaction with her.

Why This Story Still Matters

Wildlife stories do not have to be exaggerated to be fascinating.

Eden's interaction with Volker provides a glimpse into the flexibility of animal behavior and shows how repeated experiences can influence the way captive cheetahs respond to familiar people. Scientific studies support the broader idea that cheetahs can distinguish familiar humans and display affiliative behaviors in human-care settings.

At the same time, accurately identifying the setting protects the animal story from becoming misinformation. Eden was not demonstrating that wild cheetahs are harmless. She was demonstrating an unusual relationship that developed in a very specific environment.

Conclusion

The image of a cheetah sleeping beside a photographer is real, but the viral version leaves out one of the most important details: the animal was a captive cheetah named Eden at Cheetah Experience in South Africa.

Dolph C. Volker's encounter with Eden remains an unusual example of human-animal familiarity, but it should be understood in its proper context. The story is less about a wild predator unexpectedly choosing a human as a sleeping companion and more about how repeated contact can create unusual interactions between people and individual captive animals.

That distinction matters. Wildlife becomes more fascinating—not less—when the real story is told accurately.

More From The Pader

Animals & Humans: Remarkable Bonds & Encounters

Amazing Animal Stories: Remarkable Animals and the Stories Behind Them

Remarkable Animal Behavior

Vanilla the Chimpanzee Sees the Open Sky for the First Time

Do Golden Retrievers Really Copy Their Owners? The Viral Claim Fact-Checked

Sources and Further Reading

Cheetah Experience — ZA Cheetah Conservation

Cheetah Experience — Meet Our Cheetahs

Scientific Reports — Cheetahs Discriminate Familiar and Unfamiliar Human Voices

PubMed — Captive-Housed Male Cheetahs Form Naturalistic Coalitions

PubMed — Early Life Experience and Sensitivity to Human Presence in Captive Cheetahs

Fact Crescendo — Video of a Man Sleeping Beside Cheetah Is Not From India

FACT-CHECK

Status: FACT-CHECKED

The central encounter was checked against reporting about Dolph C. Volker and Eden, including fact-checking that identifies Cheetah Experience in South Africa as the location associated with the viral footage. Cheetah Experience's current website was also checked for the organization's identity and conservation role. Scientific literature was reviewed for context concerning captive cheetah behavior, human familiarity, vocal recognition and affiliative behavior. The viral framing of a wild cheetah spontaneously approaching a sleeping photographer in the African wilderness is misleading. The available evidence supports describing Eden as a captive cheetah with prior human contact at Cheetah Experience. Claims about Eden's internal intentions or whether she literally regarded Volker as another cheetah are treated as interpretation rather than established fact.

The Pader

Wildlife, Nature & Science

Written for The Pader by Sahim Ader

EDITORIAL NOTE

The Pader presents wildlife and science information using credible sources and accessible language. Scientific information may be updated as new research emerges.

How a Zookeeper Helped an Orangutan Learn to Nurse Her Baby

Quick Answer: Zoe, an orangutan at Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia, struggled to nurse her first baby after being orphaned when she was young. Before the birth of her second baby in December 2022, zookeepers spent months helping her learn maternal behaviors through demonstrations, videos and a stuffed orangutan. After Zoe gave birth, zookeeper Whitlee Turner demonstrated breastfeeding by nursing her own baby, Caleb, in front of Zoe. Less than 24 hours later, Zoe successfully nursed her newborn for the first time.

Introduction

Sometimes, helping an animal means finding a way to communicate through behavior rather than words.

That was the challenge faced by keepers at Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia when an orangutan named Zoe became a mother for the second time.

Zoe had struggled to care for her first baby, Taavi, in 2021. She did not nurse him properly or hold him close to her body, and zoo staff eventually had to hand-raise him. When Zoe became pregnant again, her keepers began preparing her months before the birth.

They used stuffed-animal demonstrations and videos of orangutan mothers caring for their babies. Then, after Zoe gave birth to her second son on December 12, 2022, the zoo tried something even more unusual: a zookeeper who was also a new mother breastfed her own baby in front of Zoe.

The result became one of the most unusual documented animal-care stories to emerge from a U.S. zoo.

A zookeeper demonstrates infant-care behavior while Zoe, an orangutan mother, watches with her newborn at a zoo. The demonstration was part of a months-long effort to help Zoe learn maternal behaviors.
(Cover image: AI-generated  wildlife illustration created for editorial and educational purposes.)

Who Is Zoe the Orangutan?

Zoe is an orangutan living at Metro Richmond Zoo in Moseley, Virginia. According to the zoo, she was orphaned when she was about nine months old after her own mother died unexpectedly.

That early loss became important when Zoe later became a mother herself. Zoo staff believed that her lack of experience around an adult orangutan mother may have contributed to her difficulty caring for her first baby.

It is important to be precise here: the zoo described this as a likely explanation rather than something that could be proven with certainty. The available reports do not establish that being orphaned was the sole reason Zoe struggled with motherhood.

Representative image: A Bornean orangutan mother and baby at Seneca Park Zoo. This photograph is not Zoe or her baby. Photo by Seneca Park Zoo keeper Brian Sheets, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Zoe Struggled With Her First Baby

In March 2021, Zoe gave birth to her first son, Taavi. The zoo reported that she did not show the expected maternal behaviors needed to safely care for him.

Instead of holding Taavi close to her body, Zoe held him away from herself and did not nurse him successfully. Keepers tried demonstrating how to hold and nurse a baby using a doll, but those attempts did not solve the problem.

Because Taavi needed reliable nutrition and care, zoo staff eventually took over his hand-rearing.

The experience showed the animal-care team that if Zoe became pregnant again, they would need to prepare her well before the next birth.

Keepers Spent Months Preparing Zoe

The solution was not simply a single demonstration.

During Zoe's second pregnancy, keepers used several approaches to expose her to behaviors associated with caring for an infant.

Jessica Gring, a lead zookeeper, demonstrated how an orangutan baby could cling to its mother's body by using a stuffed orangutan. She carried the toy around her neck and waist and demonstrated behaviors such as holding a baby while eating.

The zoo also set up a television inside Zoe's area so she could watch videos showing orangutan mothers giving birth and caring for their young.

These exercises were repeated over months, giving Zoe repeated opportunities to observe behaviors that she had apparently not experienced as a young orangutan.

Zoe Gave Birth to Her Second Baby

On December 12, 2022, Zoe gave birth to her second baby, a male orangutan.

This time, the keepers were watching closely to see whether the preparation had made a difference.

According to the zoo, Zoe began showing more appropriate behaviors with her newborn. She also allowed keepers to observe the baby's body and feet, mirroring some of the behavior that had previously been demonstrated using the stuffed animal.

But one critical challenge remained: Zoe had not yet successfully nursed her baby.

A Zookeeper Became Part of the Unusual Lesson

The zoo veterinarian contacted Whitlee Turner, a zookeeper who was also a new mother.

Turner had her own infant son, Caleb. The zoo asked whether she would breastfeed Caleb in front of Zoe so the orangutan could observe the process directly.

Turner agreed.

According to the zoo, she and Caleb went to Zoe's indoor area shortly after Zoe gave birth. Turner breastfed her son while deliberately making the demonstration easy for Zoe to observe.

She pointed between herself, Caleb and Zoe, and made sure Zoe could see the baby's positioning and latch.

ABC News reported that Turner conducted the demonstration in two sessions, rather than a single brief encounter. Zoe watched closely during the demonstrations but did not immediately nurse her own baby.

Less Than 24 Hours Later, Zoe Nursed Her Baby

The change came quickly.

The Metro Richmond Zoo reported that less than 24 hours after watching the breastfeeding demonstration, Zoe nursed her own baby for the first time. ABC News and The Washington Post independently reported the same sequence of events.

The timing is remarkable, but it should not be interpreted as proof that the human demonstration alone caused Zoe to learn how to nurse.

The zoo had already spent months preparing her with videos, stuffed-animal demonstrations and other forms of behavioral training. The live breastfeeding demonstration was one part of a much larger effort.

What can be documented is the sequence: Zoe received months of preparation, then observed Turner breastfeeding her son, and subsequently nursed her own newborn within 24 hours.

Why Did the Demonstration Make Sense?

Orangutans are highly capable of learning through observation. Their long developmental period also means that young orangutans spend years with their mothers learning behaviors and skills.

Smithsonian's National Zoo notes that orangutan infants have an exceptionally long period of dependence on their mothers. They learn what foods to eat, where to find them and how to navigate their environment through prolonged interaction with their mothers.

That makes maternal behavior especially important for a young orangutan's development.

In Zoe's case, however, she had lost her own mother at an early age. The zoo therefore attempted to provide her with alternative opportunities to observe maternal behaviors.

The goal was not to turn Zoe into a human-like mother. It was to give her opportunities to observe behaviors that were relevant to caring for her own infant.

Orangutan Mothers Normally Have a Long Relationship With Their Young

Orangutans have one of the longest periods of mother-infant dependence among land mammals.

Smithsonian's National Zoo reports that orangutan infants can nurse until around six or seven years old, although the timing of weaning varies. Female orangutans also typically have long intervals between births, meaning each infant represents a major investment of maternal care.

This long developmental period makes maternal care especially important.

Young orangutans do not simply receive food from their mothers. They gradually learn where food can be found, what foods are safe to eat and how to move through their environment.

In the wild, this knowledge is acquired over years of close association with the mother.

What Happened to Zoe's Baby?

When the zoo first announced the story in March 2023, Zoe's second baby was still unnamed publicly.

The Metro Richmond Zoo later updated its announcement and said the baby had officially been named Flynn.

The zoo reported that Zoe and her baby were healthy and bonding well. The Washington Post also reported that keepers observed the baby nursing successfully, gaining weight and reaching developmental milestones.

That outcome was particularly important because the purpose of the entire training effort was not simply to make Zoe perform a particular behavior. The goal was to help her care for her own baby safely.

Representative image: A Bornean orangutan mother with her baby at Little Rock Zoo. This is not Zoe and Flynn. Photo by Nngowen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What This Story Teaches Us About Animal Learning

Zoe's story offers an unusual example of how animal-care teams can use observation and repetition when working with animals that have not acquired important behaviors normally learned from their own species.

It also illustrates why animal behavior should not always be reduced to simple explanations.

The fact that Zoe successfully nursed her second baby after months of preparation and a live demonstration does not mean that keepers can simply teach every animal a complex behavior by showing it a human example.

Instead, the story demonstrates the importance of individual experience, learning, observation and repeated exposure.

It also shows how unusual circumstances can require animal-care professionals to develop creative approaches tailored to a particular animal.

Orangutans Are Critically Endangered

The story also highlights the conservation importance of orangutans.

Bornean orangutans are classified as Critically Endangered, with habitat loss and hunting among the major threats to the species.

Orangutans live on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, with the Tapanuli orangutan restricted to a small area of northern Sumatra. All three recognized orangutan species are under serious conservation pressure.

Their slow reproduction makes population recovery particularly difficult. Females normally have only one infant at a time and can go many years between births.

That means every successful birth and every healthy mother-infant relationship can be important within managed conservation populations.

Was the Viral Story True?

Yes — the core story is verified.

The Metro Richmond Zoo published its account on March 30, 2023, describing how Whitlee Turner breastfed her own son in front of Zoe after the orangutan had given birth to her second baby. The zoo reported that Zoe successfully nursed her own baby less than 24 hours later. 

ABC News independently reported the same event and clarified that Turner demonstrated breastfeeding in two sessions. The Washington Post also reported that Zoe successfully nursed her newborn after observing Turner.

The main clarification is that the breastfeeding demonstration was not the only intervention. Zoo staff had spent months preparing Zoe through videos, stuffed-animal demonstrations and other behavioral work.

So the most accurate version of the story is not simply that “a zookeeper taught an orangutan to breastfeed.”

A more precise description is that zookeepers spent months preparing Zoe to care for her second baby, and a breastfeeding demonstration by a human zookeeper was one of the final interventions before Zoe successfully nursed her newborn.

Why Zoe's Story Matters

Zoe's story is memorable because it combines animal behavior, learning and human care in an unusual way.

But its deeper significance is the reminder that individual animals can have very different experiences. A behavior that normally develops through years of interaction with a mother may become difficult when an animal loses that opportunity early in life.

The response from the Metro Richmond Zoo was therefore not simply to remove the problem and raise another baby by hand. The team attempted to help Zoe acquire the behaviors she needed to raise her own offspring.

In the end, the intervention was successful enough for Zoe to nurse her baby and continue caring for him.

Conclusion

Zoe's journey from struggling with her first baby to successfully nursing her second shows how animal-care teams can use observation, repetition and creative behavioral training to help an individual animal overcome an unusual challenge.

The live breastfeeding demonstration by zookeeper Whitlee Turner became the most memorable part of the story, but it was only one piece of a much longer preparation process.

Less than 24 hours after watching Turner breastfeed her son, Zoe successfully nursed her own newborn.

Her story is a remarkable example of animal learning—and of the lengths keepers may go to help an animal become capable of caring for its own young.

Final Takeaway: Zoe did not simply learn from one demonstration. Her successful transition to motherhood followed months of preparation, observation and support from her keepers, with a human breastfeeding demonstration becoming one of the final steps in that process.

More From The Pader

• Animals & Humans: Remarkable Bonds & Encounters — Explore more remarkable stories involving animals and people.
• Amazing Animal Stories — Discover more documented stories about remarkable animals, unusual behavior, rescue, conservation and extraordinary encounters.

Sources and Further Reading

1. Metro Richmond Zoo — “Orangutan Learns How to Nurse from a Breastfeeding Zookeeper” (March 30, 2023). Original source
2. Metro Richmond Zoo — “Meet Taavi – Baby Orangutan Born March 2” (August 19, 2021). Original source
3. ABC News — “Orangutan learns to breastfeed by watching zookeeper breastfeed her infant son” (March 31, 2023). Read the report
4. The Washington Post — “How a new mom taught an orangutan to breastfeed her newborn” (April 1, 2023). Read the report
5. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute — Orangutan biology, development and reproduction. Read more
6. Wikimedia Commons — Representative Bornean orangutan mother and baby photograph by Seneca Park Zoo keeper Brian Sheets, CC BY-SA 3.0. Image source and license
7. Wikimedia Commons — Representative Bornean orangutan mother and baby photograph by Nngowen, CC BY-SA 4.0. Image source and license

FACT-CHECK

Status: FACT-CHECKED

The central story was checked against the Metro Richmond Zoo's original March 2023 account and independently reported by ABC News and The Washington Post. The zoo confirms that Zoe struggled to nurse her first baby, that staff prepared her for her second birth through multiple behavioral demonstrations, that zookeeper Whitlee Turner breastfed her own son in front of Zoe in two sessions, and that Zoe nursed her own newborn less than 24 hours later.

The article does not claim that the live breastfeeding demonstration alone caused Zoe's successful nursing. The zoo's account makes clear that the demonstration was part of a broader preparation effort that included videos and repeated demonstrations with a stuffed orangutan.

The article also avoids treating the zoo's explanation that Zoe may not have learned maternal behaviors because she was orphaned as a proven biological cause. That explanation is attributed to the zoo and presented as a likely factor rather than an established certainty.

Representative Wikimedia Commons images used in the article are clearly identified as not Zoe or her baby. Their respective Creative Commons licenses and photographers are credited.

The Pader

Wildlife, Nature & Science

Written for The Pader by Sahim Ader

EDITORIAL NOTE

The Pader presents wildlife and science information using credible sources and accessible language. Scientific information may be updated as new research emerges.