African Elephants are well known for their ability to find underground water and digging wells to reach it. While exploring the Kruger National Park in September we came across this bull patiently waiting, trunk draped over a tusk, for his well to fill up sufficiently for another sip, and repeating the process several times over. Aptly the dry stream is called “N’watindlopfu” in Tsonga, meaning “of the elephants”.
We’re waiting… We’re waiting… We’re waiting…
We’re drinking…
We’re drinking…
We’re drinking…
We’re waiting… We’re waiting… We’re waiting…
DeWetsWild 
Wonderful captures and fascinating info. It must be really tough surviving when water is so scarce. I hope his patience paid off.
He was in no hurry and I am sure the well eventually took care of his needs and that of several other animals that followed!
Fascinating!
Just a glimpse into what everyday life for an African elephant entails. Thanks, John!
How amazing to be able to witness and photograph this interesting process and the resourcefulness and patience of the elephant.
Another one of those “wow” moments that nature keeps dishing up for us, Carol.
Ek het dit sowaar nie geweet nie
Bly dat ons jou dit kon wys, Tina!
Pret! Laat my dink aan die kere wat ons moes grawe vir water in die Klaserie… op oorlewings kursus. VET PRET!
Ek glo mense grawe baie makliker op verkeerde plekke!
I knew that these elephants could find water in the sand and dig to draw water
I have always found it spectacular but at the same time heartbreaking to know that sometimes they may not find it
Your pictures are absolutely divine
Thank you for the kind comment, and nice to see you around here again! Elephants are resourceful animals and so important to the ecosystem.
I hope the elephant got enough to drink. How long did it have to wait between sips?
It took about 5 minutes for a sufficient amount to seep through for a trunkful, Tracy. Depending on how thirsty he was it could’ve been a long wait, considering that big bulls like this may need up to 300l a day!
That would take quite a few trunkfuls (not sure if that is a word, but you know what I mean).
I first came across this phenomenon in Savuti where a small group of elephants worked at digging in the sandy river bed for water. During our last visit to Kruger, which must be about four (!) years ago, when it looked to very dry, a maintenance crew were fixing water pipes close to one of the camps which the elephants had dug down to and ripped open to get at the water. I imagine they can smell the water underground.
They’re very perceptive animals and I agree Anne, they must be excellent at smelling it out. One of my most precious memories is standing in a dry riverbed of one of the reserves in Zululand and actually hearing the water flowing just beneath the top layer of sand. Walking along the stream I found a stretch where the water was flowing, crystal clear, above the sand, only to disappear into it again a short distance away. An awesome experience in the true sense of the word.
That is a fantastic experience!
such sweet photos
The big guy’s patience was almost unbelievable to witness
poor thing.
We watched quite a few documentary episodes when a grandmother elephant take the young elephants for a long journey to find the old wells. 🙂
Elephants are amazing creatures, aren’t they Miriam!?
Yes, they are indeed. They have better memories than I do.
It’s amazing, these elephants have developed a way to survival. 🙂
And thus many other animals and birds rely on the elephants to get through the dry season. They’re vital to our ecosystems.