When a man who saved and rehabiliated elephants passed away, two herds of elephants did something that amazed the world!

In March 2012, Lawrence Anthony, environmental activist and author known as "elephant whisperer", died.

His family talked about a procession of elephants that no one can explain.

For 12 hours, two herds of elephants living in the wild in South Africa made their way slowly through the prairie of Zololand until they came to the home of Lawrence Anthony.

The elephants, which once were violent and troubled, and were candidates for extermination, were rescued and rehabilitated by Lawrence.

They stood around the house for two days, as if standing on guard, then disappeared back into the wild.

"They were not at home for a year and a half, and probably it took them about 12 hours to make the journey", said Dylan, the son of Lawrence. "They first arrived on Sunday, and the second herd came a day later. They stayed at the house for two days, then returned back to nature ".

But how did elephants know that Lawrence died?

"A good person dies suddenly", said rabbi Leila Gal Brenner. "And from a distance of miles and miles, two herds of elephants, felt they had lost a friend, a valuable human being. They walked in a dignified way, as if they go to a funeral and wanted to express condolences to the bereaved family at the home of the man".

"If ever there was a time when we could really feel the connection between all living things, that's when we think of Tula Tula's elephants. A man's heart stopped pounding, and the hearts of hundreds of elephants were mourning. Beloved heart of man who offered healing and rehabilitation for these elephants, and now they came to pay him a final respects".

Source: CBC Canada, Beliefnet