Tembe Elephant

An African elephant photographed while volunteering in Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa. An excerpt from my travel blog:

As the herd pass us, moving in front and behind, at times just a few metres away, we stay extra quiet. We mustn’t make ourselves big – no GoPro selfie sticks pointing out of the vehicle – it might be interpreted as a sign of aggression. Camera’s mustn’t beep, they don’t like the artificial sounds. We try not to move, and we duck down in the back, keeping ourselves small to avoid giving any wrong impression.

Over half an hour the herd passes us without incident, mothers and calves looking at us then continuing, an exhilarating if not frightening experience.