My ‘Wake Up’ call!
The elephant herds have moved back up to the Albizia woodland around Chimbiya and spent quite some time resting. Shade is plentiful now and large enough even to accommodate these huge beasts.
But this is what has made me so very mad at myself!!!
Towards the middle of the day as the temperatures rocketed again the herds would go and drink in dribs and drabs at Chimbiya spring. I love this place as it offers so many photographic opportunities. And very different images with elephant in the hills.
I had got many shots from my safe location in the hills but when the spring was unoccupied I found another location that would make for an even better shot.
The elephant can only approach Chimbiya spring from 2 sides. From the photo below, they can approach from the bottom left corner or from the top middle to left side. The top side is where they usually approach from and leave. And that was where I needed to be to get my ‘award winning’ photograph. I checked out the area and had an escape route into the hills to the top left (not visible in the picture). But that was about 15m (45ft) from where I needed to take the picture.
I had it all worked out and was confident in my mission.
A herd was drinking and I approached from the rocks in the top right. I was of course keeping an eye on other elephant possibly coming in along that very path where I would be. But all was safe and I was in position. Then a bull arrived on the path that split near me. He moved past about 10m (30ft) away and on to the spring.
All still fully under control. I was now just waiting for the herd to move a little more into the spring, out of the shade. It was then that a cow noticed me. I was now only about 30m (90ft) from them. She stood tall and watched. I remained motionless hoping she would settle down and think I was a stump. And even if she had really seen me I wasn’t concerned as I had lots of time to get to the rocks and she wasn’t showing any signs of aggression.
But she definitely had seen me and the whole herd suddenly froze. With her infrasound communication the cow was able to tell the herd there was possible danger. Still no concern on my part. I stayed where I was.
With the whole herd now on alert they left the waterhole and were moving slowly towards me. I was backing off slowly.
Then I noticed to might right there was another cow in the thicket walking towards me. She wasn’t aware of me but was really close and I now had to get out of there fast. But still no real danger.
I spun round dashed the few meters down the path before heading up the rocks, and just there in the path I ran slap bang into another cow that had approached from behind me. I was so engrossed at what was happening in front of me that I forgot to keep checking my back. AND elephants can move amazingly silently.
Luckily my hasty retreat spooked the cow and she took a few steps back. In all this haste and with the surprise ambush I got my legs all tangled in each other and tripped, but was quickly on my feet again clambering up the rocks.
With me safely out of range the cow mock charged, thankfully, then backed off now with the rest of the herd by her side. They all left swiftly not really sure what this apparition was that was terrorising them.
Taking stock of the whole encounter, although nothing happened and I was totally safe, I was incredibly mad at myself for even having got into such a situation.
I was just incredibly lucky that in the end it all went my way.
But that is what life is all about, learning from experience. From when we’re young we get into situations, small ones initially, and if we survive them we’ve gained valuable experience. And that experience grows on itself. But we are only as lucky as we are lucky. Many don’t have the luck when they need it and it can be fatal.
So hopefully in this situation I’ve gained more experience for next time.
Steve Irwin lived a similar life. Each experience he was lucky to survive he gained valuable experience. But maybe he just didn’t have enough experience about rays. Whatever it was, he was truly unfortunate.
I don’t plan on using up any more of my luck but will be using all that valuable experience to keep me on the straight and narrow.
But I’m still hugely frustrated with myself that it happened!!!
Share Wildcast with the world: 
Kim, you were amazingly lucky that day. Like Steve Irwin, I imagine people who do what you guys do, eventually begin to feel too comfortable with your surroundings and your guard is lowered. Thank goodness you were jolted back to awareness with nothing but increased adrenalin levels to show for it. I’m glad you are ok.
Paula
“But that is what life is all about, learning from experience.”
Some people learn; others do the same over and over. From the text above, it is clear that you were really mad at yourself and that will reinforce the “wake up” call - as will the sharing of the experience.
I guess many have learned from Steve Irwin’s unfortunate experience.
What a paradise! Glad you are respectful of the danger that could come at any minute. Take good care, we enjoy your posts far too much!!!!
Kim,
Thank God you were lucky that day.
I’m a grown man,but every time I see anything about Steve Irwin now,I get emotional.
The main reason of course is that I just thought he was a neat person/father/husband.And secondly,he has done so much
for animal conservation(whether or not one agrees with his methods or not).He just made millions of people aware or renewed a mass intreast in the enviroment and in animals.
Finally,Your right about getting lucky and learning a lession.
-I have gone to the caiman islands twice to stingray city.
-The tour company said that the rays are docile and harmless.
-So,here I go swimming with the rays,even going to the point of swimming on top of them(in a non aggressive way) and grabbing the outer wings and letting the ray drag me along while my ex-wife takes pictures.
-I was lucky,and perhaps at least steve has saved some human lives also by making us more aware of that damm barb.
Kim,
-Sorry about the long post above.
Getting back on topic….
-I just watched “Beauty and the Beasts” The Leopards Story
from national geographic.
-It was awesome,but what’s weird is that while I was looking at the video cover,your name was not mentioned,but at the end of the documentry they gave you credit,or said “Camera”=Kim Wolhuter.
I think your name should have been posted on the video case.
Some comments…….
1)It was interesting to see one of those two nomadic male lions use a skull bite on that injured lioness.
-Usually this is observed only with jaguars in regards to large prey items,or in this case a predator.
2)I was shocked to see that female leopard totally ignore that hyena while they were waiting for the wart hog to come out of that pit.
-Though,I know that most female leopards will show more respect to hyenas.
3)The male leopard standing his ground against the lone hyena.
-Everybody knows a male leopard is more than a match for a female hyena,but is this the norm for a male leopard to defend
his kill from a female hyena?
Anyway,I really enjoyed that documentry,and you need to get the credit that you deserve for filming it,thanks scott.
Hi Scott.
i was working for someone else at the time and so these things happen with credits. Anyway that’s water under the bridge.
Leopards don’t have back up if they get injured. Nobody to help them out. Hyaenas at least have the clan to kill for them should they get injured so they are more likely to take chances. But leopards won’t take chances. A female leopard will move off when one hyaena arrives. A male leopard may stand his ground with one hyaena but as soon as there’s more than one they back off.