Rhulani Insights 251 - An old elephant mother with her baby
Look behind the scenes of Rhulani Safari Lodge.
Idyllic sunset, vast savannah, and all alone out here, we come across a mother elephant with her baby, trying to chew some sap from the dry branches during the dry season. As field guide Alasdair tells us, the mother elephant is already quite old...
Nature's great masterpiece, an elephant; the only harmless great thing.
...which naturally raises the question of how old elephants can have babies? The answer isn't clear. Some studies say it's possible up to 55, perhaps even 60, and the mother elephant in today's blog is close to that age.
It's also interesting to see how unconcerned the mother is around our vehicle, partly because we follow the most important rules for elephant sightings: treat the animal with respect, never confine it, and always leave room so the animal can decide where to go.
Stay tuned for the next episode on 1 June when a tortoise walks through Rhulani.
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