Lying poolside on a sun lounger in the late afternoon, Im squinting through a set of binoculars and thinking how theres nothing quite as pleasant as an elephant. Make that 30 elephants and theyre simply delightful.
Not that I need the binocs, mind you. Across the Crocodile River, about 200m from me, on the bank where the Kruger National Park begins, theres a huge herd milling about in a long meandering line. Wafting their trunks, flapping their ears, pawing the dust, swishing their tails. Some are tipping their toes in the water. Some are further back among the trees, munching on branches. Theres a baby using its mother as a carport. Theres a big one lying down on a little hill. One herd of elephants, also collectively called a parade or a memory, is also a mosaic of individuals, each doing their thing.
Take a poll of peoples favourite animals anywhere and the elephant is sure to come up. And why are they so lovable? Their size and weird anatomy, sure. They are, impressively, the worlds largest land mammal. But it's mostly their character. They are highly social, with smarts, emotions and memories. They respect their matriarchs. They are loyal. They mourn their dead. Annoy them and theyre prone to the odd tantrum. All very relatable to this human watching them from the other side of the river.
