Elephant calf learning life skills: Video
Published by Wildcaster 2 years ago Tags: africa, animal kingdom, blogumentary, cites, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, elephants, endangered species, flickr, giraffe, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, IUCN Red List, kids, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, Open Content Alliance, pamushana, peace parks, photos, podcasting, polls, rain, teach, video, wildcasting, wildlife, wildlife documentary, youtube, zimbabwe.Well even after all that rain yesterday, we were eventually able to get out today.
I didn’t even try to follow up on the wild dogs as following them off road hunting would definitely have meant some sticky times.
Instead we picked up on the elephants. They had moved into the sandveld into the Albizia woodland where they love to go after the rain. I think they too keep out of the heavy clays, which is hard work for them to walk in. On the harder soils the clays get really slippery. And when such a big beast slips, they fall HARD.
Chipfongwe is gaining more and more confidence using his trunk and putting leaves into this mouth. But that seems to be about all he does. He doesn’t chew them and they soon fall out.
His teeth should now be starting to erupt, so he should start chewing soon. And again today he was eating fresh elephant dung to help build up the necessary mircoorganisms in his stomach for breaking down what he eats.
The elephants spent most of the day in the sandveld, but in the heat of the day they ventured to pans in the clays. I was so caught up filming them playing in a pan that I didn’t notice this elephant bull that had sauntered up to the front of the vehicle. Right up to it! But he meant no harm and Lindy, who a month ago was absolutely petrified of elephant, sat there and actually chatted to the big dude. It’s wonderful how she has turned around to now totally accept elephants. (I think it was little Chipfongwe who won her heart)
And it’s just as wonderful how the elephant accept us too!
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Neat family of humans observing a family of elephants. I would guess that the calm demeanour of everyone allows the elphants to remain calm as well. Photo of Lindy and Penny by their mom Annette is well composed and very good. What a wonderful holiday for everyone.
Very interesting!!! Definately looks like a little bull!!!
Holiday for the girls is over tomorrow as we carry on filming them and me for our Series. Barend is back and so before the girls go back to school we need to shoot as much as we can.
I must have missed that family photo…..haven’t seen one with Annette. Where’s it located?
Kim, I left a message on the pic of the girls above asking when they go back to school. Just disgregard as I see your answer above.
Paula
The picture of the girls was taken by Annette - see Flickr - hence the assumed “neat family of humans observing a family of elephants”. You’re missing nothing.
Talking of families - so far have been really impressed with the gentle discipline of Chipfongwe. Don’t know if that is because he is small now, and it will get less gentle later. Certainly, wild dog discipline is harsher.