21st February 2013

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is looking green having enjoyed some rains that have released the Zebras from the clutches of the Boteti River so they could return to the pans and feast on the fresh grasses. It was heart breaking to see them in November, emaciated and in desperate need of fodder, slowly making their way to the river. WE drove ever so slowly desperately trying not to spook them so they would not use vital resources that balanced life and death.

Now the forest floors have green grasses and the zebras have moved off. I miss them.

As I write this in my little tent, I can hear the rumblings of a storm in the distance and I hope that it will reach us here.

We headed out early and explored the expanses of scrub, including the interesting named Coffee Neats Foot, which has a beautiful and aromatic white flower. We spotted two groups of males from a look out but they were in thick sickle bush, which is a killer for tyres, so we left them too it and headed north and then finally east to the river where we picked up two males, one of about 30 years and another of about 15th both enjoying eating the mud for salts and then both promptly pooped, which we are collecting for DNA, hormones and parasites – fascinating stuff poop.

Further on down the river we came across another group enjoying the river – some sparring in the water, although swimming with just heir foreheads pocking above… I was desperate to join them as temperatures had soared to 37oC.

Suddenly the bar was open and two more males arrived to quench their thirst … then two more….. and more and more emerged over the ridge of the ancient riverbank and we lost count, as bull after bull trotted down the bank to join the social mêlée at the waters edge. After thirst were quenched it was time for the all-important socialising, touching of trunks to mouths, sparring, pushing and just the simply pleasure of enjoying the presence of others.

In the end we counted 32 elephants all with 500m, most within 50m of one another. It was impossible to get ID shots for them all but we tried our best and now we need to find out who is who…. We could be some time.

Such a wonderful sighting, and I am left wondering what role this large social aggregations of bulls play in their social network.