ELEPHANTS

The African Elephant has got to be the most satisfying animal to observe and photograph.  They are social, usually quite tolerant of people and vehicles, and exhibit a wide range of fascinating behavior.  Most of my work has been from a rental car or truck, studying them from the edge of a waterhole or river.  Watching a parched herd come to drink is an awesome event.  Thirst giving way to play and water fights, etc.  Before culling occurred in Hwange Park, Zimbabwe, you could count on seeing herds of 100 or more.  I once was surrounded by an estimated 250 elephants at Dopi Pan.  That was in 1982, a year after independence, while there was still a lot of political trouble.  There weren't any other tourists, and few locals went into the parks (that still had a lot of land mines).  Being alone in an old beat up VW microbus with all these elephants is something I'll never forget.  Large numbers are still encountered in the following locations:

Amboseli NP, Kenya.   Elephants and Kilimanjaro!  The herds are quite tolerant and social interactions are easily observed.

Hwange Park and Mana Pools, Zimbabwe.  The pumped waterholes in Hwange are the only source of drink for these thornbush elephants and serve as magnets for them, particularly in the dry season, August - October.  In Mana Pools we stalked elephants on foot and got within a few meters.  On another occasion we camped out up in a large fig tree on the edge of a waterhole and watched elephants come right beneath to drink.  Walking safaris in Mana Pools are unforgetable.

Chobe National Park, and Okavango, especially along the Khwai River near Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana.  Very large breeding herds come to the rivers in July - October.

Etosha Pan National Park, Namibia.  Same times as above are highly recommended.  Especially close encounters may be had at Kalkheuwel pan where the elephants sometimes scratch themselves by rubbing on the vehicles.