Tuesday 28 August 2012

Ellies


I know that I need to get my eyes tested when everyone else in the car can see that red rock over there as an elephant before me. However I believe that even if my eyes had seen him, my brain would have said  Ellies aren't that red - they're grey!



We watched as he dug repeatedly with the back side of his front foot, scraping and scraping



unearthing a root similar in size to a sweet potato and then tapped in on his right tusk a few times before chomping. I suppose if you're eating that much crunchy stuff all the time those extra sandy bits won't freak you out like they do me.


 He looked permanently half asleep. The naughty bull ellies get injected to prevent them from coming into must and causing trouble with the ladies and Shamwari's guests.
Male ellies have a head that is rounded. Female ellies have a more angular shape to their heads, 45 degrees.



This beauty walked right passed us. I snapped many pics wondering all the time if I could edit that white goop out of her eye. Nothing says control freak more, hey? She walked past showing that side, I could have reached out and touched her, but chose not to.






 Elephants have their mammaries in the front. They only suckle their own babies unless the mother of the infant dies when another female relative will adopt the baby. They are pregnant for 2 years and suckle for two years.


 This baby was less that a month old and we were told was still learning to control his trunk. He kept trying to catch the tail of the baby in front of him. Naughty little bugger.



Sweet and such a gentle giant. Round head =boy, even though it may look like a girl.

1 comment:

Ella Swan said...

Aaaw they're adorable! Being pregnant for 2 years?! Now that must suck....