While travelling around SA doing some training for Samaritan’s Feet SA, we decided to take a day off and do some game viewing in the Kruger National Park. It was a blistering hot day in June and the height of the bush was such that you felt that you were driving down a road with a 5ft wall on either side. The bush had grown like crazy due to heavy rains the month before. The odds were stacked against us seeing much in the way of animals due to the combination of high temperature and the height of the bush. But we believed! And boy were we rewarded for that. At the end of the day we drove out of Kruger having spotted 4 of the big five and then some. Only lion were elusive.
We had been driving around for the morning and were headed back to Skukuza camp when Caroline suggested that we follow a Land Rover that was mid game drive. Often these guys are in contact with one another via two-way radio or cell phone and therefore share info about game sightings. It seemed like a great idea. We were tagging along behind them, trying to stay far enough back so as not to get in their dust, but also not so far back that we lost them, when Caroline came to life next to me. She had spotted some elephant. Had she! We counted more than thirty of these ships of the bush — including tons of little ones.
I pulled up to the gap in the bush through which Caroline had spotted them, and we watched as they muddied themselves at a waterhole. The matriarchal cow decided that it was time for her to move on but, there was just one little hitch with that. You see, that gap in the bush had been created by elephants — it was the spot they came through to cross the road. Being a little inexperienced, I’d chosen to stop and watch these wonderful pachyderms while obstructing their route. When my not yet two-year old son pointed out his window at Mommy elephant and in a not so quiet voiced called out, “Baaaa!” (his term for any animal that was bigger than him) she decided to come investigate — at which point we decided to get out of her way! I had both hands on the camera while taking this shot, with my left foot on the clutch and right on the gas! I was still taking photos as I skedaddled out of her way. Our hearts were in our throats, but what an experience. We continued to watch as the herd crossed the road behind us. Baby elephants are just so cute — we watched them mimicing their parents as they headed for the safety of the thick bush.
Next week I’ll have a shot of the little ones and a shot for a better perspective on the size of these marvelous mammals! Happy Wild Wednesday!