Current news is riddled with the same sentiment: the world is a negative, scary place. While it is factual that horrific stories need to inform the public about the trauma individuals are experiencing worldwide and domestically, sometimes it can feel as though only abhorrent circumstances are happening.

“I feel like all the news is negative nowadays. I feel like it’s necessary to be informed about what’s going on but why can’t some news be positive?” said junior Gabriela Glende.

Thus, it is equally necessary to consider the positive recent world events occurring. Positive news stories are most prevalent in those pertaining to the animal world. Enjoy these three stories about various animals.

Pianist plays music for deaf elephants

A concert musician and his wife volunteered at Elephant World sanctuary in Thailand for a decade. The musician – Paul Barton – who specialized in piano decided to start playing for the elephants. Barton’s music was especially enjoyed by the blind elephants. Although Barton originally filmed the impromptu concert for the elephants on social media to obtain funds for the sanctuary, the elephants enjoyed it so much he regularly holds concerts for the animals (Good News Network). Now the story has gained so much traction that it will be made into a documentary. Watch a video of Barton playing for the elephants here.

More than 100 animals rescued from a North Carolina shelter

Hurricane Florence has wreaked havoc in the southern U.S., particularly in the Carolinas. Involved in this particularly difficult situation was a shelter full of staff and over 100 cats and dogs becoming trapped by flood waters. Miraculously, all animals and people were rescued by a locally-based volunteer organization (The Huffington Post).

Superpod of dolphins close to shore of California

Close to the shore of Monterey, California an accumulation of dolphins finding food as a collective group was found. Although events such as these are not uncommon, it is extraordinarily rare that a superpod this large would be found so close to land (The Huffington Post). Watch a video of the dolphins posted by a local aquarium here.