What elephant problem?
Our choice of words and the way in which we use them, strongly influence the understanding and perception of those who hear them. I recently completed an extraordinary safari with wonderful people from Belgium. On this safari we had special times with elephants, approaching them on foot and having them enter our camp. We saw magnificent elephants in magnificent settings We saw the agile elephants of Mana Pools We saw very many elephants Sadly there were also areas where we saw very few elephants but where in previous years I had seen hundreds of elephants....
Back in my element
I have just returned from another extraordinary safari. Whenever I first arrive in the bush after an absence, I experience a wave of tremendous emotion - perhaps a sense of home-coming. We had great sightings of Painted Dogs hunting as well as of Lionesses with playful young cubs but I think that this handsome gentleman won the hearts of many. However it always the elephants that seduce me. Most of the time they leave me feeling very calm. And I love the artwork that they create and leave everywhere. Here is just one...
The Zen Elephant
Elephants are remarkably peaceful and tolerant animals - particularly the large bulls. In spite of this I am always alert when I am on foot around elephants, simply because of their immense size, speed and potential to do damage. So I was a little apprehensive on a recent walking safari when this huge bull elephant walked right up to our group while we were watching him. However he clearly knew that we were present and yet he showed no aggression. He came to within a few metres of us and then...
Elephant Scrimshaw
Scrimshaw is the intricate engraving artwork done by whalers on bone or tooth. I was just in the sacred Fever Tree Forest n the far north of South Africa. And here I saw the intricate and exquisite 'artwork' done in the bark of these trees by elephants. If you ever get the opportunity to visit this magnificent forest, do not hesitate....
The sweet smell of fresh water
Elephants have a remarkably well developed sense of smell. In fact the acuity of their sense of smell is beyond our comprehension and it is only through observing them in the wild that we can begin to imagine how sensitive is their olfactory ability. They also have a preference for fresh water and their remarkable sense of smell allows them to detect where the underground water is closest to the surface. In order to reach the sweet sand-filtered subterranean water they regularly dig holes in dry river beds. The length of...
At the movies
I've just returned from a wonderful safari with a very small, super-talented film crew consisting of Jan Stevens, Stijn van der Veken & Patrick Verbraecken who were working on a documentary on the life & times of Steve Bolnick. We started in my coastal fynbos home . . . . . . and proceeded to my bush home Amazingly the very first animals we saw on this safari were three Cheetah. This photograph clearly illustrates how well camouflaged these regal animals are when in their natural habitat. We worked hard and had some...
Musth Elephant in Okavango
I recently returned from yet another wonderful safari in Botswana with a special couple. On one of our drives we came around a bend in the road in the midst of a beautiful mopane forest and encountered this bull elephant in musth. Musth is a hormonal condition exhibited by male elephants once a year after they have reached sexual maturity. It is associated with increased sexual activity and is recognised by three visual cues. A bull elephant in musth has a copious (strong smelling) secretion from his temporal gland, his penis...
Elephants in the Okavango
girls that text their ex boyfriends want them back In my line of work, I am periodically treated to spectacles and experiences about which many can only dream. Recently I was in The Okavango Delta when I had such an experience. I hope that Denen De Silva doesn't mind me using one of his photobuy priligy onlinegraphs here so that I can better share this exquisite story. For those who don't know, the Okavango Delta is an enormous (13,500 square kilometres) inland delta composed of innumerable...