Everyone needs friends—even extra-large mammals love having others around. Maxwell is a 19-year-old Black Rhinoceros who lives at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a special guy—not just because his species is at risk of extinction, but because he is completely blind.
Being blind doesn’t stop this rhino from enjoying life to the fullest. He has been a permanent resident of the nursery at the Trust for over 18 years. Although rhinos are typically solitary animals, Max loves his daily visits from the baby elephant—and they absolutely adore him too.
As we see in the video shared by @sheldricktrust, each morning the baby elephants visit Maxwell’s stockade gate. They make noise to let him know they’re there. One special friend, Kerrio, even has her own custom signal—she kicks the fence with her back leg—as if she’s saying, “Good Morning, Maxwell!”
If the baby elephant secret code weren’t adorable enough, Max gets so excited when they arrive that he does zoomies around his habitat. In the video clip, the rhino takes a quick trip around the tree in the center of his play yard—with some serious pep in his step.
Related: Baby Black Rhino Zoomies Are Wildly Adorable and We’re Obsessed
The Trust rescued this amazing creature when he was a year old. It’s unclear why he was alone in the wild, but shortly after saving him, the keepers and veterinary staff determined that Max was blind due to a congenital eye disease. He was promised permanent residency and has truly flourished in the safe, nurturing environment.
What Are Instagram Followers Saying?
With over 30K views, followers flooded the comment section with love:
“Knock knock. Who’s there? Kerrio and Taroha!! Come to play!” 💓💓
“I love the spirited Morse code signal taps from Kerrio! ‘Max, three taps mean we ride at dawn.’ 😂😂😂 Love these babies!”
“Tapping the gate to let the friend know you are visiting—just incredible 😍 Elephant are truly amazing!” ❤️🐘
“Beyond amazed at how intelligent and intuitive these animals are.”
“Kicking the gate for the visually impaired for the win! 🏆🏆🏆
“Not the elephant version of ding-dong ditch!” 😂😂
Maxwell may not be able to see his friends, but he sure knows they’re there. Kerrio and Taroha are just two of the many baby pachyderms who have befriended him over the years—and with an average life expectancy of 35-50 years, there will be many more friendships to come. According to the Trust, Max is one of their most popular animals—and honestly, we can see why.
This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Sep 6, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.