A doting mum has been pictured helping her newborn baby elephant back on its feet, after it took a nasty tumble during its first few shaky steps.

The new family – a mum and two youngsters – were seen making their way to the river for a drink at the Chobe River in Botswana when the smallest calf fell down several times at the water’s edge.

Luckily mum was on hand to help, and can be seen carefully lifting her precious offspring back up using her trunk and her feet.

The heartwarming snaps were captured by South African wildlife photographer, Charl Stols, during a boat ride

Luckily mum was on hand to help, and can be seen carefully lifting her precious offspring back up using her trunk and her feet

The newborn was set on its feet again after its nasty tumble by the water’s edge, with a helping hand from mum

The heartwarming snaps were captured by South African wildlife photographer, Charl Stols.

The 39-year-old, who works as a photo host for Pangolin Photo Safaris, witnessed the cute encounter during a boat ride.

Charl, who watched the elephants interact for around 40 minutes, said: ‘The elephant cow and two youngsters were coming to the river for a drink.

Whoops! The young elephant calf fell flat on the ground at the water’s edge in Botswana, captured by South African wildlife photographer, Charl Stols

The new family – a mum and two youngsters – were seen making their way to the river for a drink at the Chobe River in Botswana when the smallest calf fell down several times

The mother elephant used her trunk and her feet to help get the baby elephant back on its feet. Stols watched the elephants interact for around 40 minutes

‘The smaller calf seemed to be only a few hours old, still in pink colour and wobbly on its feet.

‘At the water’s edge, the newborn plunged down several times and the mother gently helped it back up using her trunk and feet.

‘Surprisingly they even crossed the river to one of the islands and the little one did manage to swim all the way, only its trunk sticking out of the water.

‘The smaller calf seemed to be only a few hours old, still in pink colour and wobbly on its feet,’ the photographer said

At the water’s edge, the newborn ‘plunged down several times’ and the mother gently helped it back up. ‘To watch the mother gently guiding him and then even seeing the little calf swim was a touching experience,’ Stols said

‘It was very special moment. We have lots of elephants in Chobe but that must have been the youngest elephant I’d ever seen,’ Stols said

‘It was very special moment. We have lots of elephants in Chobe but that must have been the youngest elephant I’d ever seen.

‘To watch the mother gently guiding him and then even seeing the little calf swim was a touching experience.

‘I still dream about seeing a mother giving birth someday but that was already pretty close.’

The newborn calf pictured under the protection of its mother at the edge of the Chobe River. WIldlife photographer Stols described the incident as a ‘very special moment’