Animals are our best friends. This is true because they are great company, they give us lots of positive emotions, and they are loyal to their owners. Some animals are unbelievably brave and risk their own lives to rescue people.
We would like to share 12 moving stories of animals whose courage is astonishing.
1. The Lion Queen
This unbelievable story happened to a 12-year-old girl in Ethiopia. She was held captive for a week by 4 men who beat her and tried to force the child to marry.
When the police finally tracked their whereabouts, the abusers had to run away with their hostage. They were stopped by 3 lions who attacked them and made them flee. The lions thought the child was a baby lion since she was crying, and they protected her until the police arrived.
The lions never did the girl any harm, she was safe and sound, and the snatchers were caught.
2. Mila the Rescuer
A beluga whale saved diver, Yang Yun, during a competition to see who could hold their breath the longest. Yang Yun was doing well but when she tried to move her legs to swim to the surface she was unable to do so. Mila came to the rescue and took Yun’s leg in her mouth and brought her to the surface.
They say animals have a sixth sense and that’s how they know if something is wrong.
During a diving competition with whales in a deep tank of extremely cold water, Yang Yun felt her leg cramp up, and she was unable to move. As there was no diving equipment provided for this contest, the girl began to drown at the depth of 20 feet. Mila the Beluga rushed to rescue Yang and pushed her to the surface.
If it hadn’t been for the brave whale, the young diver would’ve probably drowned.
3. A Giant’s Protection
Nan Hauser, a whale biologist, was in the middle of her research dive in the Pacific Ocean when a tiger shark approached. One of the whales, who are generally known to protect other species underwater, sheltered the scientist with its huge body and guided her back to the surface where her team was.
The biologist says she’s impressed by the unbelievable intuition and kindness of her beloved animals.
4. Elephant to the Rescue
Best friends are always there for you. Even if there’s no threat.
This baby elephant in Thailand misinterpreted her owner’s shouts as a cry for help when he was really just trying to attract the animal’s attention. Little Kham La didn’t think twice, embracing Darrick Thomson with her trunk and pushing him to the shore. The rescued man got something more than just safety — he witnessed the demonstration of true friendship.
5. Rabbit Sense
Due to this little helper, his diabetic owner received help just in time.
Mr. Steggal was watching TV with his wife one day when he suddenly lost consciousness. Mrs. Steggal thought he was just asleep, but their house rabbit Dory sensed danger, jumped onto his owner’s chest, and tapped intensely until his wife noticed. She called the ambulance right away, and Mr. Steggal was saved from his coma.
It’s worth paying attention whenever your pet acts in a strange way because sometimes they’re more aware of certain things.
6. Dog vs. Snake
Khan the Doberman risked his own life to save his owner’s toddler from a snake attack. One day they were both playing in the yard when Khan, who was rescused from the animal shelter just 4 days before the incident, noticed a huge venomous snake. At first, the brave dog tried to push the baby away. But when he realized it wasn’t working, Khan threw little Charlotte one meter away from the deadly snake. The girl was safe, but the poor Doberman was bitten. Luckily, Charlotte’s mom was in the house and immediately called the vet.
The dog and the child are both fine and happy and the Doberman’s name is “Khan the Wonder Dog.”
7. Goat the Pet
Who says goats can’t be pets? Or heroes?
Little Abigail got a lifesaving birthday present – a pet goat she named Speedy. One day they were peacefully sleeping in the living room when Speedy smelled fire and started jumping on his owner’s chest. The girl woke up and realized the house was in smoke. She ran to her parents who then discovered that the garage was on fire. They managed to get out safely.
Unfortunately, the house was severely damaged, but thanks to Speedy, the whole family was rescued just in time. The goat is now a beloved family member.
8. Bear vs. Lion
Robert Biggs, an experienced mountain hiker, was trekking in the California woods when he noticed a mother bear with her child. Robert stopped for a moment to watch them, but all of a sudden a mountain lion attacked him from behind. Thanks to his backpack, the wild animal couldn’t reach the man’s face. Still, he was no match for the mountain lion and at that point, only luck could save Mr. Biggs. Which unexpectedly came from the mother bear.
She pounced on the lion and chased it away into the woods. The hiker came out with minor injuries and everlasting memories.
9. Tsunami Elephant
During one of the worst natural disasters, the tsunami in Thailand in 2004, Amber Owen was there on vacation. One morning she was riding Ning Nong the Elephant. Everything seemed fine, but at some point, the elephant started moving back from the sea. The girl noticed a huge wave approaching. She was shocked and very scared while Ning Nong ran as far away as possible from the deadly sea. He took her to a safe place where she could climb down and reunite with her family.
The elephant’s bravery was so outstanding that it inspired Michael Morpurgo, a famous British writer, to write a play about what happened.
10. Cat in the Box
Sometimes people do such outrageous things that you can hardly call them humans. But this child’s story is true.
A newborn baby was left in a box in a cold stairwell in Russia. The child could have frozen to death if a stray cat hadn’t come to the rescue. The neighbors heard the cat meowing as if it was calling for help. They were surprised and shocked at the sight of the poor baby in the cat’s fur.
Masha the Lifesaver is now a local hero.
11. The Parrot’s Speech
Some parrots can mimic human speech. And usually, it’s just for amusement for the owners and their guests. But this time the words were said in the right place at the right time.
Willie the Parrot was eating breakfast with his family when suddenly Hanna, his owner’s child, started choking on her food. The mother had just left the room and there was only Willie to help the child. The parrot shouted, “Mama, baby!” really loudly, and Mrs. Howard rushed to the kitchen. The first aid was right on time as the girl was already in critical condition.
Courageous Willie was honored with the Animal Lifesaver Award by the Red Cross, and he’s now the family’s hero.
12. Heroes
On one of the most horrifying days in US history, September 11, 2001, a lot of help was needed to get through the terror and chaos. About 100 dogs were involved in the search-and-rescue. Due to their exceptional sense of smell, a huge number of people were rescued from the rubble of the World Trade Center.
These hardworking dogs were scouring day and night in the hazardous location. Not only were they looking for survivors, but they were also comforting them, sharing their warmth and empathy in this horrific moment.
The heroes will not be forgotten.
Bonus: A member of a lion pride
Kevin Richardson has a very big family. Apart from his wife and 2 kids, there’s the huge sanctuary he established in South Africa with lions, hyenas, and leopards. These animals became the closest creatures to the zoologist. The Lion Whisperer, as they call him, is not afraid to cuddle, play, and even kiss the big cats.
This magical connection impresses both the visitors of the sanctuary and other zoologists who are not as brave. But Kevin believes that his beloved animals instinctively feel that he is not dangerous to them, and they love him in return.
Whether they are wild or domestic, these animals deserve to be honored and respected. The rescued people will always be grateful to their savers, and we will always admire these animals for what they’ve done.