Another great day!
Golly but I do have the life. This is the best.
I was out early hoping to pick up on the Wild Dogs at dawn as they set out hunting. But there was no sign of them.
In my searching I came across Manyari and 8 youngsters just north of Chikwete Cliffs. Lying out in one of the only remaining clearings on Malilangwe I suddenly found my access denied when I nearly got myself horribly stuck in clay, that on top looked sandy. I left them resting, most looking fairly well fed.
The elephant herds had moved a little east from yesterday and I ended up spending all my time with One-tusk, her family and a few bulls.
One-tusk’s big daughter found herself a Sour Plum tree. These plums sure look yummy but are very sour. This wasn’t stopping her as she plucked them one by one. But her progress was seriously hampered by the sharp spines on the tree. Eventually after an overdose of sourness, she left to dig up tubers. Maybe they help take away the sour.
Mid-morning 2 bulls went swimming in the big pan nearby. It’s a really large pan that has filled beautifully with all the rain.
Having filmed the bulls playing, swimming and wrestling it was then time to take photographs. But I wanted to get down low on the water. That meant getting my clothes muddied and wet. No, I wasn’t too keen on that. So I stripped and sat naked in mud taking photos. It was actually really refreshing and just as well there were no stray cameras around. I can definitely recommend a bum mud pack.
In the heat of the day One-tusk and her family were resting in the shade, but was constantly being pestered by a bull in musth. I parked close by in the shade of an Albizia tree. Almost immediately One-tusk came over to my shade followed by her family and a couple of bulls except for the bull in musth who was a little nervous of me. He moved off.
I’m sure One-tusk knew this and that’s why she came to join me.
Elephants and I spent the next 2 hours in the shade. In their resting way, they shuffled around the tree and me, tossing sand at random, but generally all in their own dozy world quite content to have me there.
And I too dozed on and off. It was just so peaceful and I felt so at one with these huge beasts all around me. Even One-tusk’s youngest calf lay down to sleep right next to my vehicle.
Then somewhere during this time of peace, One-tusk sidled up to my door. Now I don’t mind when she pushes on my bull bar, it can handle it, but my door can’t. She started pushing on my door with me sitting right there. I wasn’t looking forward to me car taking on a whole new look, so I lifted my hand and touched her on the forehead. She didn’t budge. Then I rubbed her forehead and only when I pushed hard against her did she eventually realise I was serious about not pushing my door. She backed off gently and resumed throwing sand.
This is totally insane stuff for a wild elephant to be doing. She is just so very cool!
Eventually the elephants moved on heading south into the clays. Byeeeee.
Before sunset I went to check on Manyari again. The pride were still where I’d left them in the morning. But this time I was able to get to them as the heat of the day had dried up the soils that earlier had high-jacked me.
They weren’t up to much and set off hunting at dusk. One of the young males took up the rear with a bad limp. His front leg is badly swollen. He seems to have an infection from a small wound on his shoulder. Tough as these animals are, he will not doubt survive.
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