The good news is the wild dogs haven’t been near the fence today and it is being repaired!
I was up flying at dawn but it soon got very bumpy as temperatures soared.
I wasn’t with the dogs first thing but still got there fairly early and already they had taken up their shade for the day not having fed. They really feel the heat and will often lie up in water but there isn’t any in the vicinity. Actually I don’t think the wild dog pups have encountered water yet.
Because of it being so hot, over 41C (106F) in the shade, and probably at least another 10 degrees hotter in the sun, I was sure to find the elephant herds at the big dam. They were there swimming and feeding on the sedges growing along the upper reaches of the dam. And then back in the water again to cool off. And I just had to sit it out in the sun.
It eventually got too much and I took cover in the shade of my vehicle for a while. What a relief.
I dream about the day when I can swim with the elephants and they’ll keep the crocs and hippos away. But unfortunately that will always be a dream.
Late in the afternoon the elephant herds headed into the hills as it cooled slightly, but ever so slightly. (Even now at 8pm, 2 hours after sunset, the temperature is 34C)
Of course when I got back to the dogs they definitely had no plans on moving and even once the sun had set they were still all passed out.
Elephants on parade…I love that idea. I hope the fence is fixed quickly enough, but with the good work of you and your comrades out there, I can see no problems.
Having the elephants protect you from the crocs and hippos is a wonderful fantacy to contemplate. As they get more and more used to you, maybe some day…