Trunk Love Dance: Video

My day started with a bang and not an exciting bang.
I had 2 punctures to sort out before I was going anywhere.
The late start meant I missed the great light of early morning. But the Quelea were already active at Banyini pan flocking in bigger numbers now that many of the chicks have fledged.
I had a rough time trying to find any elephant and all evidence points to them being in the hills.
At Nduna dam I found these 2 bulls swimming. Actually it was more like a love dance as they floated around each other tenderly feeling each other’s faces with their trunks. It was amazing to watch these 2 huge beasts being so tender with each other.

When I’d finished filming I got out the vehicle and walked to the waters edge to take some photographs. I actually ended up sitting in the water to get that low angle.
The bulls finished swimming and left the water. They had 360 degrees in which to leave but for some reason the first bull chose 26 degrees north. He moved a short distance to my right. The second bull took the bearing 27 degrees north, which happened to be exactly where I was seated. From about 40m he saw me but wasn’t sure what I was and displayed in the water with a big splash.

I didn’t budge and of course he wasn’t intimidated by me and kept coming. After every few steps he would make a huge splash and stand tall staring at me. Then he came again and again. When my 70-200mm lens was wide open and the bull was full in frame, the next splash dowsed me good and proper. Time to get out.

I moved back to the vehicle and the bull just stood there watching and then started grazing.
The camera was rather wet but in today’s heat it soon dried and all was well.

I drove the hills searching for other elephants with little success.
Sunset at Bandama pan was different today. The sun was an orange hazy ball on the horizon. This is not normal for this time of year. I’m pretty sure there’s weather on the way. Tomorrow will tell.