Category: elephant

Human tears are often associated with emotions. These can be tears of joy or sorrow.

African Elephants have temporal glands between their eyes and their ears (males and females). When they secret a dark, oily, musky liquid it is usually a sign for them being in a special emotional state. This can be sexual (especially with Elephant bulls in musth), but it can have many other reasons, like being a sign of distress when running into Lions, or being a sign of excitement when meeting up with another Elephant group.

Half an hour ago I took this picture of a young bull who started secreting from the gland after a sparring session with another bull. But his dry back legs would indicated that he is not in musth. Musth bulls have to get rid of their excess testosterone by constantly dribbling urine and have therefore wet legs.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 64000 | 1/500sec | f11 | ev+0 | 800mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 90% of original image

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I love this picture, taken last Sunday. A herd of Elephants had just finished drinking at the small pond in front of the Thanda Safari Lodge when they paraded in single file up the hillside. It was a cloudy and rainy day, which gives this image a rather eerie quality.

Elephants drink a lot of water. A large bull can take in over 200 liters (50 gallons) in just five minutes. They use their trunk like a syringe to squirt water into their mouth. The trunk is an elongated nose and not a straw-like device. And as you know one cannot drink through ones nose!

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f4-6.3/24-240mm | ISO 1600 | 1/125sec | f6.3 | ev+0 | 240mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 50% of original image

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… is a surge in testosterone (and therefore heightened sexual drive) in Elephant bulls which can cause rather unpredictable behavior. During this annual period the males continuously dribble urine to get rid of the extra testosterone and their glands behind the eyes are constantly secreting fluids.

It is a good idea to stay clear of animals in that state – especially middle-aged ones – as they can be quite aggressive. But old musth bulls like this ‘six ton plus’ creature have experienced musth so often in their life, that they usually stay quite calm. Elephant ladies like big and old guys and this bull is therefore not concerned about getting frustrated with the opposite sex.

He passed our vehicle without any fuss, following a breeding herd.

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f2.8/70-200mm | ISO 160 | 1/1/500sec | f2.8 | ev+0 | 150mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 75% of original image

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An Elephant’s skin can be up to 3.8cm (1.5”) in certain places. The folds and wrinkles may contain far more water than flat skin. That helps them to stay cool. The have no sweat glands, so they often cover their skin with wet mud which also helps them cooling down in hot weather.

Their skin is very sensitive and they are one of only a few mammals who will not tolerated Oxpeckers (birds, which mainly hunt for ticks) sitting on them. But especially behind their ears the skin is very thin with many veins getting a lot of blood close to the surface. Flapping their ears back and forth helps them cooling down their blood.

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f2.8/300mm | ISO 10000 | 1/750sec | f4 | ev+0 | 300mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 90% of original image

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Whenever I am thinking of the African wilderness a few images pop into my mind. One of them is a large animal walking along a ridge under one of the iconic African trees.

A few days ago that scene unfolded in front of me. One of our young Elephant bulls walked on top of a dam wall in front of a large Fever Tree. So very African!

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f2.8/70-200mm | ISO 500 | 1/2000sec | f2.8 | ev+0 | 125mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 80% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

Yesterday, the matriarch of one of Thanda Safari’s herds of Elephants got a new radio collar. It was an exciting experience for everyone participating in the operation.

The new collar is not only there to track the movement of its carrier, but uses AI technology to provide our wildlife department with a lot of valuable information deduced from the data collected. The same collars in a ‘foot version’ are used on many of our Rhinos to support Thanda’s conservation efforts.

I love this aerial shot of the large female. Shortly after the procedure was finished she woke up and re-joined her herd.

Technical data: DJI Mavic Mini 3 Pro Drone | ISO 100 | 1/500sec | f1.7 | ev+0 | 24mm | WB AUTO | Crop to 30% of original image

Please note: For anti-poaching-, privacy,- and wildlife protection- reasons Thanda Safari does not allow any third-party-drones to be flown over the reserve.

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This little Elephant calf does not have full control over its trunk yet. The trunk of an adult Elephant is a prehensile tool of incredible dexterity and strength. But the little ones just have a floppy nose. While they are getting all their fluids from the mother’s milk they do not yet need the trunk’s syringe function for drinking water. As they get a bit older they learn how to use their long nose as a most versatile tool. I took this picture last night, as a large Thanda Safari herd drank and bathed at a waterhole. Mum and all aunties and older sisters were very protective of this little one.

Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f2.8/70-200mm | ISO 3200 | 1/2000sec | f2.8 | ev+0 | 200mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 25% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

It is ‘raining 🌧️ cats 🐈‍⬛ and dogs 🐕’ right now but the Elephants 🐘 are enjoying themselves at the Thanda House dam! Filmed from my office door 😊

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Three videos I took today at Thanda Safari! Enjoy them and have a good week!

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