The Bull 2

There are lots and lots of elephants at Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa [link]. For those who do not know, and in very general terms, mature male elephants or bulls, are normally solitary creatures roaming and feeding most of the time on their own. Mature female elephants normally go around in groups with other females and with young elephants. This is an older bull elephant, one of the original stock brought into Madkwe 2 or 3 decades ago. He still has a tracking device attached to him, although this no longer works. (See the little box on his head, and a harness around his neck.)

Bull elephants can be dangerous and/or playful. If angry they charge, often with one or two mock charges first - to frighten you away. Female elephants do not engage in mock charging - if they are angry they will charge with intent - no playing. This old fellow was enjoying a drink and scrub up at this water hole. He was squirting himself with water and mud, and generally squelching around.

In this second shot, the bull has moved closer to us in our Land Cruiser, the vehicle being pointed away from the elephant. I am shooting out of the back of the vehicle. There is a lady to my left and my wife to my right, two other men are roughly in front of me, and the driver/ranger is directly behind me. None of these people are visible in these images, although they did occasionally get in my way.

The bull is enjoying a good drink of water, and cooling his feet and lower legs in the mud. But, he has his eye on us.