What better way to wrap up the report back on our winter visit to the Kruger National Park‘s Satara and Mopani Rest Camps, than to appreciate those majestic elephant bulls that roam the Lowveld!
Nothing like an evening dustbath…
… and a bit of a scratch!
Drinking from an “elephant well”
The old guys don’t mind a bit of shade
Impressive Tusker
Just look at that bulk!
Obviously a very gentle individual
Armada approaching over the waving landscape
Ndlovane (2016/07/02)
Ndlovane (2016/07/02)
Ndlovane (2016/07/02)
Ndlovane (2016/07/02)
Regal procession
Regal procession
Regal procession
Regal procession
Regal procession
Regal procession
Regal procession
Regal procession
DeWetsWild 
Oifante is een dier wat ek nie regtig kan afneem behalwe as hulle so paar honderd+ meter van my af is nie. Hahaha. Ek’t ‘n groot respek vir hulle.!
Olifante is van ons gunsteling diere, en die groot ou bulle soos hierdie is darem maar so koninklik!
Have to salute each and every one of them! Majestic creatures. Here’s hoping they can live out their days in peace and are left unmolested.
That’s my prayer as well. It would be a horribly sad day when these Kings no longer roam Africa…
Mesmerizing photos; I could scroll through those all day.
Thank you so much for the very kind contribution, and welcome here Steve!
What wonderful images. I’m passionate about elephants and managed a few years ago to get a prize awarded to an Elephant Help Clinic in Thailand where the plight of these lovely beasts who used to be called “the tractors of Siam” is a sad one due to deforestation and no longer being required to drag the teak from plantation to river. The mahouts, now being out of work, are trekking with them on harsh tarmacked roads to southern coastal resorts and there they are used in the tourist trade, giving rides and working all day in many cases. Baby elephants are often chained up outside bars as ‘a novelty’ and to be photographed with tourists.
It seems such a travesty to reduce such a magnificent creature to a life of servitude. I think it would break my heart to see elephants in that state, when we are so used to seeing them striding proudly over the African landscape, like these were!
Majestic creatures!
So true, Maurice!
Them big old bulls! Sigh… what will become of them?
Hopefully they’ll be left to live out their lives in peace!
the big one is probably Kaleka, one of the biggest tusker from the Mopani area. Nice pictures !
Thanks so much for weighing in, Budpumba. We’ve submitted our pictures of both the big tuskers we’ve seen on this trip to the researchers in Kruger, who confirmed that they are known, but as yet unnamed, bulls!
You should ask Aat Vuik from “Tusker of Africa”. he has the best listing of big tuskers from Kruger park, I find your big boy on his web site. there : http://www.tuskersofafrica.com/tuskersnw/kaleka.htm
Thanks Budpumba. Seems that’s a name the owner of that site gave to this particular elephant himself. I’m excited to wait for the official name given by the Park authorities, as they honor past and present rangers by naming tuskers like these after them.
Sjoe daar is ‘n paar met reusagtige tande!Ek wonder altyd of hulle nekke nie seer raak van die gewig nie,Dries.
Ek dink nogal dit moet n swaar las raak, veral wanneer die ou grote oud en swak begin raak. In die olifantsaal op Letaba kan n mens nogal sien hoe byvoorbeeld die tande van ou Mafunyane stomp afgeloop is op die punte.
Ek gaan loer ook altyd daar en verstom my oor die grootte van die tande van naby af!
Dis Joubert se gunstelingplek in die hele Wildtuin – ons kan nie by Letaba verby ry sonder om eers in die saal te gaan rondloop nie!
Pragtig soos gewoonlik
Baie dankie Tina!
Majestic creatures with baggy pants. I love seeing them! 🙂
As do we! Seeing one of these big tuskers is always, always a highlight!
Hulle is darem maar groot en…. vreesaanjaend!
Mens moet hulle defnitief respekteer!
What a great sight!
The kind that will live in memory forever!
Indeed!
They are just so “Impressive and Formidable” not in a wanting way, but in a wonderful, beautiful way! 🙂 T.
They absolutely are, Teresa. Such regal beasts.
What a collection!
Thank you!
So wonderful assortment ! The opening photo with foot raised is so Playful – I can only imagine how wonderful in person – 😉
Thank you! The big old tusker was actually quite irritated by the strong wind chasing dustdevils around him.
Oh – never would have known – thx
I love the pictures!!!
Thank you so much!