With a band of crimson encircling his neck, he bore the physical reminder of past captivity. Each stride he took was accompanied by a tormenting ache stemming from his lengthy chains. His form was clothed in wounds inflicted by the fangs of rabid creatures, emitting an unmistakable fragrance of decaying flesh.
In the midst of his immense suffering, Isumu’s eyes continued to glow with a flicker of vitality, demonstrating his inherent capacity to feel fear, humility, and hope. With an earnest prayer to God, he pleaded for someone to come to his aid and rescue him from the depths of his anguish.
A volunteer at the shelter discovered him and brought him in. Upon arrival, Isumu was given necessary medical attention and provided with a cozy bed to rest in. Isumu underwent a thorough cleaning and had his wounds treated. He was also nourished with food and water, and for the first time in a while, he experienced a sense of care and affection.
After 10 days, Isumu’s condition began to improve significantly. His wounds showed signs of healing, and his fur started to regrow. The unpleasant odor of decaying flesh that once surrounded him was no longer there, and his eyes radiated with joy and satisfaction.
Day 80: At long last, a delightful family arrived at the shelter seeking to give a loving home to a dog. The moment they laid eyes on Isumu, an undeniable connection formed, and their hearts were filled with adoration for him.
Crocodiles push stray dog to safety after it falls into danger-filled river
Scientists believe rare rescue is a sign that the fearsome reptiles may be capable of compassion
In an apparent example of interspecies compassion, a group of crocodiles appeared to usher a dog to safety after it fell into a dangerous river.
The dog, believed to be a stray, was being chased by a pack of other feral canines when it jumped into the River Savirtri in India out of harm’s way, or so it thought.
But the river was infested by local mugger crocodiles, and three of them were floating near the stray.
This should have been the end of the helpless pup, with the crocs being “well within the striking range,” according to a report published by scientists in the Journal of Threatening Taxa.
However, the crocodiles appeared to usher the dog back to safety on the shore.
“These crocodiles were actually touching the dog with their snouts and nudging it to move further for a safe ascent on the bank and eventually escape,” the researchers wrote.
“The muggers were well within the striking range and could have easily devoured the dog, yet none of them attacked and instead chose to nudge it towards the bank, implying that the hunger drive was absent.”
The researchers say that the crocodiles were “docile”. Adult male mugger crocs can reach 18 feet long and weigh up to 1,000 pounds, according to the Wildlife Institute of India.
The researchers said they believe that the pup rescue could be a sign of the crocs having emotional intelligence.
“The curious case of a dog ‘rescued’ by the group of crocodiles reported here seems more on lines of empathy than altruistic behaviour,” the scientists said.
Aside from the muggers’ apparent alliance with stray dogs, scientists discovered another wholesome obsession that the crocs appeared to have: marigold flowers.
Crocodiles are often seen floating or laying in marigolds, often keeping “physical contact” with the yellow flowers, which the researchers note have compounds that can protect skin from fungi and bacteria.
The Savitri River is polluted with sewage and other harmful ingredients, so this may be why they like to have contact with the petals.
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