Connection with Elephants

I just got back from a magnificent road trip through Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia.     Throughout this long journey, we had multiple encounters with elephants, all of which made me feel a deeper connection with elephants and even more mesmerised by how they interact with humans. 

Whilst visiting Victoria Falls in the northern part of Zimbabwe, we could barely stop seeing elephants, no matter where we looked. We were going for lunch at a restaurant that overlooks the falls when all of a sudden a group of elephants just crossed the road and started eating at a tree on the other side of the road. I live in South Africa, where this certainly isn't the everyday thing. I have heard many tourists before ask about where the elephants or lions are and why they aren't disturbing us but have often just laughed that off as a funny tourist's stereotype of Africa. This, however, seems to be an everyday occurrence in this city. There was also multiple dung dropping scattering the streets of Victoria Falls which was even more fascinating to me. That meant that these magnificent giants were coming all the way into town and yet from my knowledge (just from hearsay) there was very little disturbance between both humans and elephants and both species just allowed the other to live their lives. 

We also spotted a group of elephants right next to a craft market where locals were trying to sell the typical wooden crafts they made to tourists. These elephants quite easily could have come and knocked them over but chose no stay away. This really showed a mutual sign of respect. 

Another incredible elephant interaction was in Hwange National Park. Before we had even made it to the main gate, there was a small herd of elephants in a small waterhole. Alongside them was a little baby. In the past, I have seen elephants get quite angry and territorial from even a much greater distance, yet these elephants were perfectly calm, and just allowed us to sit there for 15/20 minutes and admire their beauty, whilst they drank away at the water and cooled themselves down under the shady trees. 

We saw some more elephants whilst visiting Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana. They were standing right outside a small tented camp. My grandmother had questioned what was stopping them from stomping right over the tents and canvas chalets. My response was, "They most certainly could if they wanted to, but they just choose not to".  

I have heard many other stories about the connections one feels with elephants, and these encounters just show me once and once again the connection that humans and elephants have with each other. These are most certainly intellectual animals with massive feelings for each other as well as other species and I think we should really recognise and take in that in and cherish this connection we have with them.