A great assembly of approximately 70 African elephants created quite a spectacle in South Africa’s renowned Kruger National Park recently, captivating a wildlife enthusiast who managed to capture this extraordinary event.
During an April day trip, Graeme Mitchley, an amateur wildlife photographer, was the lucky observer of this unique spectacle – a colossal herd of elephants meandering towards a watering hole in the park.
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The massive group took their time, spending more than five minutes reveling in the refreshing water and munching on verdant snacks, much to the delight of the onlookers.
The jubilant scene featured young elephants gleefully splashing in the water. At the same time, the rest of the herd echoed their joy through powerful trumpet-like calls.
“This is the most sizeable elephant herd I’ve ever witnessed,” Graeme expressed. “Being around them is simply mesmerizing. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had such an experience.”
What’s noteworthy in this striking display is the evident camaraderie among the adult female elephants, who were seen working together to keep the vast herd intact.
Observations during the encounter revealed that the young ones stayed close to the matriarchs, the experienced mothers believed to be around 50 years of age.
Mitchley shared his insight into the herd dynamics: “It takes exceptional leadership skills to maintain and safeguard such a large group.
The significant number of young ones, ranging from infants to adolescents, is a testament to this successful leadership.
However, the young bulls will eventually need to break away from the herd as their mating attempts can cause discontent among the females.”
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