African elephants have the most beautiful large ears. The elephants in Chobe either paid no attention to us at all or sometimes seemed to enjoy watching us as much as we enjoyed watching them!
When elephants lean against trees or chew branches, they can really devastate an area. Now I understand why Chobe Game Lodge where we stayed had an electric wire approximately 6 feet high from the ground to prevent elephants from wandering onto the property.
This mother and baby were near the river and were part of a much larger herd. The elephants enjoyed mud baths and spraying themselves with water in the hot afternoon sun.
The baby elephant laying on the ground here had been attacked by hyenas and our guide said it would probably die from its injuries before the day was over. She said the adult elephants would stay with it and keep it company until it died. During the short time that we watched, the adult elephants took turns stroking the baby gently with their trunks and even tried to help it stand. Elephants are very loyal to their herd and mourn the loss of any member. Seeing them in their natural habitat was an experience we will never forget.
Oh that poor baby elephant... That must have been tough to see.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful we arrived after the attack. Our guide said it's all part of nature but I think it would have been difficult to watch and not be able to do anything to help the baby elephant.
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