It is important to know proper etiquette when self driving among ellies. First you need to know that elephants love to eat and run,
and they love to cross roads.
They especially love eating and running whilst crossing roads.
But more than all these things combined, they love to block roads. What do you do when an elephant blocks the road?
You wait.
The worst thing of course is to inadvertently block the path of an irritable, lone bull elephant in musk, in pursuit of his disinterested, and fast disappearing, beloved.
What do you do when this happens?
Pray you can get the heck out of his way.
Elephants love to knock over trees, and they even love to try and knock over trees, they can’t knock over.
What do you do when this happens?
Watch, until the ellie gets really frustrated at the tree, and then get the heck out of his way.
The biggest tip to keep in mind when driving among wild ellies?
Do whatever the ellie wants you to do, cuz they really are so much bigger than you!
Cheers to you from South Africa’s intelligent, incredible, irreplaceable Pachyderms!
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¡Qué belleza! Me encantan estos animales tan inteligentes. Pero es natural cederles el paso porque también tienen mal genio cuando se enfadan. 😉
No son simplemente increíble! Tienes razon. Ellos deben ser tratados con respeto. Gracias a mi amiga por la comprension! <3
Such terrific photography. My heart would have been thumping to be this close to these big guys. And to see one knock over a tree? Spectacular!!
Awwwww, thank you! They love knocking over trees and I loved watching this one try and try!!
Wow wow wow Cindy! I can only imagine flying over them and then being up close and personal. What an amazing trip … and photos!
Makes the experience twice as nice to share it with kind friends like you! Thank you~
Wonderful post Cindy, I’m happy that you followed your own advices and survived 😀
Elephants are very beautiful animals and they should have each their own personality.
You could see some of this personality differentiation in the herd behavior. There were the more placid ones, and the ones that were more the protectors. You would have to live among them though to really get to know them individually. Amazing creatures~
Elephants are intelligent animals and I believe they are individualists. Beautiful experiences you get Cindy 😀
Yes, I think you are correct~
Oh seeing free, wild elephants in your pictures brings so much joy into my heart. Amazing animals.
Your comment brought joy into mine! Thank you~
How wonderful to see the cows and babies. They are very protective of their young and usually keep them away from people. Those lone (lonely) bulls are a threat. You have to see them up close, as you did, to realize that they are much larger than your vehicle. We diverted our drive a few times to keep a safe distance from bulls until they disappeared into the brush.
Oscar
That is the smart way to approach them, with lots of respect for their space. We saw the babies nursing, and the ellies sleeping, resting up against each other in a knot. Wonderful!
WoW …beautiful captures Cindy…:-)
From you that is a big compliment my friend. Thank you!
What a fantastic post Cindy – the male was totally frustrated, wow and takes it out on the nearest tall thing. Incredible close-up photographs of these wonderful animals – your wait was well worth it.
Sharing with you Mary makes the trip a richer experience! Thank you~
Your trips Cindy are always fascinating, different and memorable for us viewers. This one is a favorite of mine.
Awwww, you are a good friend Mary!
Woooowwww Beautiful Pictures, thank you very much Cindy….💗💗💗
Thank you more for appreciating them!
Beautiful photos enhanced with a fun story lesson in ellie etiquette! 🙂 Thanks Cindy.
I bet Ellie Etiquette is one class you never took!! 😉
LOL, nope!
Cindy, I so love these elephant photos!! I know they’re BIG creatures, but their faces look so happy that it hurts me to think of anyone harming them.
Yes, this feeling becomes overhwhelming when you are around these creatures and you see how trusting they are, how peaceful towards humans, and protective of each other. Killing any of these wild creatures for fun is obscene to me.
thanks for sharing photos of these magnificent creatures 🙂
Thank you for appreciating them!
Made me smile.Lovely pictures. 🙂
Your comment made me smile!
Sound advice! Love the photos, they are such incredible creatures.
They are indeed!
LOL! So true about doing whatever the elephants want you to do because they’re so much bigger. You really captured their moods here. I love drawing stylized elephants and looking at your photos gives me a good sense of their movements!
Oh I can’t wait to see what you come up with! I love your animals!
Thanks, Cindy! I should write a 12 word story for an elephant illustration I already have so you can see it. 🙂
Looking forward to it!
I never thought much about elephants crossing roads but then I have never been to Africa, Very wise advice to go along with excellent photos!
It won’t come in too handy at the beach though, unless a bunch of elephants were to escape from the zoo! 😉
They are such gentle giants — unless you get in their way! 😆 Great advice to get along with these gorgeous creatures! <3
You, I know, would love them Linda! <3
Wonder how one would get on with my cats and dogs! LOL
I think there would be a new alpha critter at your house! 😉
AnElephantCant tell you how much he loves this
Other pachyderms are his absolute fave
He gives you this advice
Unless you are mice*
When you see an angry charging heffelump don’t try to be brave
*He is scared of meeces!
Yes, this is excellent advice! If only I had known this before I went! I am home now. I would have brought a couple meeces to scare the heeflelumps, only in an emergency of course! 😉 <3
AnElephant loves smiley faces, hearts, and Cindy.
But not necessarily in that order.
Hugs.
I never knew elephants had such excellent taste! 😉 😉
Elephants, one of the most interesting creatures for their intelligence and their “ways”. Thanks again for beautiful photographs…and thank you for taking time to stop by my site. ~Ron
Visa versa 2 U X 2 Ronald!
What a magical experience!
I must admit it is a magical place which is why I have flown 22 hours each way twice to visit!
I am loving your posts!!
I am loving sharing them with you!
Great sequence. When driving in Africa be prepared when approaching others on the road. Remember visual cues, some of them will have the exhaust in the back, but the trunk is in the front.
Confronting large animals in the African wild always reminds me of the African lion Safari here in Ontario. A number of years ago a couple of young fellows drove through with their small car. They encountered a rhino. They waited for it to cross the road and meander off. Instead it came up to the vehicle and started nuzzling it. Apparently the sound of the engine resembled a romantic rhino. The guys made it out okay. The car had an experience of a lifetime. 😀
Cracking up……I will definitely remember these helpful tips! Thank you~
Liebe Cindy das sind ja Traumhafte Elefantenfotos wunderschön einfach spitze danke für diese Fotos einen schönen Dienstag in Freundschaft Klaus
Ich bin so froh Sie die Elefanten Klaus mmgen. Vielen, vielen Dank mein Freund und haben eine wundervolle Woche!
Simply magnificent!
Awwww, so pleased you like them!
no worries, you know i always do 🙂
das ist ja schön, diese Bilder, liebe Cindy, liebe Grüße, Klaus
GruBe an Sie zuruck mein Freund und ich danke Ihnen sehr!
Hi Cuz
This sounds kinda like driving downtown! The biggest difference is that the downtown elephants have smaller brains and can’t remember anything! Beautiful pics and it’s obvious that you’re enjoying yourself. Hugs. 🙂
Laughing, yes I find the elephants IQ and general deportment to exceed that of some humans I have seen, thinking of reality TV when I said this, but I am sure there are many more examples! 😉
Elephants must be giving drivers lessons to N Texas drivers “-P Great pictures!
Laughing! I wish they could! 😉
Wonderful pictures…
So very pleased that you enjoyed them!
Elephants are my favourite wild animals and you have captured them beautifully <3
So glad and cheers to you!
Great pictures. How exciting!
Yep, exciting summarizes a trip to Africa perfectly!
I sense there is a ‘get the heck out of the way’ theme going on here. What can I say? I’m sensitive to these sorts of things.
Laughing, you are! I am amazed you picked this up! 😉
Outstanding, Cindy!
Awww, thanks much my friend~
Love these noble animals. Thank you for sharing!
Mil grazi~
Enjoyed those pics Cindy, and the running commentary was very informative, and a must read for everyone who enters their realm, woe betide those who encounter a rogue Elephant.
Regards.
We did on our first trip. It was quite an experience!
This has a Dr. Seuss vibe. 😉
Awwww, I jumped over his fence once when I was a kid in hopes he would come out with Horton. He lived nearby. Alas, he did not, and neither did Horton. Sigh……
LOL – You tried.
Still a huge disappointment! 😉
Majestic…amazing clicks!….
I am honored! Thank you~
It is amazing to see so many healthy, happy elephants!
We who live in Sumatra Island are working together with the government to protect the Sumatran Elephant against the paid killers.
Sadly, they are not even killed for their ivory.
Many plant owners hire these killers to get rid of these poor animals so that they would not ruin their plants. I guess they have forgotten that they were the ones who tore up the jungle and turned it into farms!
It is depressing and sad isn’t Hari, to contemplate how cruel and harmful some humans can be. When I was a kid, my best friend’s father who was a Presbytarian minister, had elephant foot trash cans in his home. He shot an elephant in Luanda for fun and then named his daughter Luanda after the experience. I simply couldn’t understand this, even back then. I guess he hadn’t read, “All creatures great and small…….”
“They especially love eating and running whilst crossing roads.” 🙂 Made me smile! I really enjoyed your post.
They are multi-taskers who put human multi-taskers to shame! Plus they can remove tree stumps in one little push! 😉
Love this!
Glad you do & thanks!
I had no idea they’re that annoying 😂 but they are still lovable .
Oh, not annoying, charming as can be! I was just being humorous, or trying too!
Oh 😄
I enjoy watching elephants when they walk side by side, with their trunks swinging. I also like how they treat each other like family, the babies are mothered and taken care of, Cindy.
Sometimes they seem to do a better job of things than many humans don’t they! Cheers to you Robin and be well my friend~
They are such a beautiful species. I love them.
I love them too!
Did you see them walking in a line linked tail to trunk? That was one of my favourite safari sights.
I do have photos of them walking single file in a large herd to the river. The babies trunks often touch the adult in front, and then they lined up like dominos along the water front. Just a captivating sight. Sometimes there were about 100 elephant at the river!
Wonderful!
Marvelous to see them thriving!
lesson learned…..don´t get close to these guys when they are trying to knock down trees, what type of past time do these have?
They eat….alot! 😉
I just love your commentary to go with those awesome photos!
You are a wonderful friend Sarah! Thank you~
Thank you for sharing these amazing photo’s.
Thank you more for appreciating them!
Praying they do not go extinct. These are treasures for sure and deserve to live without cages.
Yes, I share the same prayer and hope!
Superb photos of these amazing animals.
Aren’t they just magnificent! So intelligent and so gentle…..
Fantastic photos and perfect advice. They’re such big creatures, they need a lot of space…and…they rule! 🙂
They definitely should rule! Such sensible creatures….. 😉
What a gorgeous creature!
Aren’t they awesome!
I love that you’re still able to see them in their natural habitat. I hate that they are hunted for the profit of criminals. Wonderful that you are there to see them live a free life! They’re beautiful. xK
They are magnificent and you are right, it is wonderful to see them free!