63-year-old shirley behind me who s been providing tara comfort and support. elephants need each other. that s what is happening in her time of grief, she is turning to her sisters for support. elephants are good at being a herd and family. helping each other. reporter: tara is quieter than usual and they can tell bella is in her heart and on her mind. we know she has gone back and has been seen near bella s grave which is, again remarkable, but at the same time what elephants do. elephants pay respect to their dead. reporter: if there is a lesson to be learned, it s friendship can be found in the most unlikely of places. you can be sure tara s elephant sisters and caregivers will take care of her as she and bella took care of each other. wow. a sweet story. that is a sweet story. they say elephants have brains in that respect that are similar to humans in being able to process the grieving process. it s fascinating. emotional component. for more information check out e
That seems to be the case for an elephant who will never forget the loss of her good friend. happens to be a dog. this odd couple lived at a sanctuary outside of nashville. since bella s death, the elephant has been in noticeable mourning. here s wkrn. reporter: for the past eight years, tara the elephant and bella the dog were inseparable. i suspect that that small vulnerable little animal brought out a maternal instinct in her. and, hence there was a match made in heaven. reporter: now bella is in doggy heaven after elephant sanctuary owners believe she was attacked by coyotes. before bella s body was found by caretakers, they believe tara found the body first and carried bella with her trunk to the barn where they spent much of their time together. the idea she couldn t leave the body and brought with her back home is heartbreaking and inspiring. reporter: to help with the grieving process, tara reached out to other elephants like