An elephant, the gentle jumbo of the animal world. So emotional, yet fiercely protective and tough; they’re one of Africa’s most revered species often associated with wisdom. Elephants have the innate ability to express grief, humour, co-operation, playfulness and compassion. Their brains comprise a series of complex folds, more so than other land animals, which is a major factor in their intelligence. Seeing them interacting within their herds in their natural habitat and expressing their hybrid of emotions is quite an experience.
When rangers notice an elephant herd, they will often stop to watch the expressive antics. Guests from nThambo Tree Camp watched a lone bull drinking from the dam for about 10 minutes. Trackers and rangers believe he was following a herd – there were fresh tracks around the dam. This makes sense because males are solitary creatures who move from herd to herd. Elephant cows live together in herd harmony and are led by the most experienced matriarch. There are normally about 10 individuals in a herd and together they will source food and raise their young.
According to the WWF, the conservation status of the African elephant is “vulnerable”, which is why we celebrate and express gratitude for elephant sightings in the wild !
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