Elephant Interactions

A 5-ton giant was coming towards us and my heart was racing. My face could only be described as mesmerized terror as I clenched the camera that was pointed nowhere near this beautiful African elephant. We were situated in the front seats of a four-cylinder white Hyundai, straight in the path of a bull elephant that was (only now do I realize) rather casually walking in our direction.  We put ourselves here, Daniel surely more confident with adventure than I tend to be. Aside from my adrenaline, I was frozen thinking that all this big guy had to do was lift a foot and the front of our car would be smashed, making us a couple of tourists stuck in a wilderness of wild lions, elephants, warthogs, and rhinos.  We were at the mercy of the world’s largest land animal and Daniel's ability to react quickly while operating a right-side driver (aka left-hand stick) vehicle, which I guarantee I would stall in a second.

Yet, I can confidently say that this moment was one of my favorite of our three weeks exploring South Africa.

We were just near the Peasland Waterhole at Addo Elephant Park near Port Elizabeth, South Africa, when we spotted this large bull rearing away and down the dirt road.  Knowing that we could respectfully get an up-close experience, Daniel didn’t think twice before driving his direction.  I had the camera as Daniel slowly drove past the elephant, so close that I could see the detail on his tough dry skin.  I might as well have blacked out as I peered up and tried to capture at least one good photo.  

Aside from the adrenaline, I felt like I do every time we summit a mountain or see a sunrise… The feeling that a photo simply cannot capture the movement, the power, or the emotion of the moment, but it’s sure worth a shot for the memory.

Elephants have always been one of my favorite animals.  They maintain a matriarchal family structure their entire lives, so you can see multiple female generations together, and what is more adorable than the weathered and quiet movement of a grandmother next to the playfulness of a calf?  Not to mention, these animals have fantastic memories that allow them to display emotions similar to humans.  Thankfully, they are not inherently aggressive either, unless, of course, necessary for survival.

After our pass, we turned the car around, staring straight into his tusks that were probably half the length of my body, and just watched.  A few seconds later is when I had these fearful thoughts of him angrily stomping our vehicle, which is why we have no photos of this part… I was too terrified to think.  Fortunately, the elephant decided to veer off our driving path and slowly disappear into the brush, tail happily tossing back and forth.

I will never forget the feeling, blush face and all, of being so close and within the natural environment of such a gentle beast.

If you’re ever in South Africa, check out Addo Elephant National Park.  It is the third largest National Park in South Africa and offers the unique experience to self-drive along the established dirt roads within the park.  We saw herds of elephants, zebras, warthogs, springbok, multiple species of unique birds, and much more during our 6-hour self-tour of the wildlife park. A truly unforgettable experience as there is something wildly rewarding about discovering something so very new and exciting “on your own”.