My sis and I are big ellie lovers, so in January 2014, we went to Addo Elephant Park and Sanctuary in South Africa and were so overwhelmed, we cried. Each day, we would drive around the park looking for elephants and came to the Hapoor waterhole. There we saw hundreds of the beauties with their babies and teenagers and were so engaged watching them, we didnt realise that we had sat in the car for over 5 hours!!!!
This waterhole is in a basin with surrounding mountains and the cars were parked in a half moon around it. Its early morning and slowly as the sun comes up, we see all around us groups of elephants making their way to drink. These groups are families and came from all directions and on reaching us, very calmly walked between the cars to the water. We had our windows down and could have touched them as they passed!!!!
But here's the interesting part - certain families hung back and, known only to the elephants, the correct family came to drink and the others had to wait. But some of the babies were so thirsty, they ran ahead, only to be tapped by Mum's trunk to say," No, it's not your turn" and baby went behind Mum's legs and waited. If the teenagers got a bit out of hand, Dad cuffed them with his trunk and they fell behind him.!!!!! So hour after hour, we watch how the family structure worked and it was incredible.
Hope you enjoyed our experience.
Red, UK
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