A heard of grieving elephants gathers round the lifeless body of Lola, a three-month-old calf, after she died of a heart defect.

Lola was due to receive groundbreaking surgery for her condition but passed away during a preliminary scan.

Keepers at Munich’s Hellabrunn Zoo decided to return Lola’s body to the enclosure so mother Panang, 22, could say her goodbyes in peace.

Afterwards the rest of the herd gently nuzzled her body with their trunks before taking their leave of her.

Zoo director and veterinarian Dr. Andreas Knieriem explained how baby Lola died after three days of treatment by experts.

“Considering the pathology, it has to be said it’s a miracle that she lived as long as she did,” said Dr. Andreas Knieriem.

“Her arteries were so blocked that blood couldn’t flow through her lungs anymore.”

A heard of grieving elephants gathers round the lifeless body of Lola, a three-month-old calf, after she died of a heart defect

Elephants are widely believed to mourn the deaths of members of their herd, and even pay homage to long-dead elephants.

A 2005 study in the UK found the creatures displayed traits similar to humans and, coming across the remains of an elephant, would gently touch the skull and tusks with their trunks and feet.

They are also believed to display a ritual around death, with several elephants travelling to visit a dead body and touching the corpse with their trunks.

Some elephants have been seen to weep and others make sounds associated with grief as they cover the body with leaves and branches before keeping a silent vigil.

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