Wednesday afternoon's game drive

The highlight of yesterday afternoon's game drive was the bull elephant we caught up to in one of the dirt roads that crisscross the reserve. As we got closer Charl, our ranger said, "He's in must; you can smell it." When male elephants rut, it's called "must," and they secrete so much excess testosterone that you can literally smell it. You can see it, too, but you have to know where to look.

Our ranger knew which water hole the bull was headed for, so he circled around to the other side so we could get a good look. I'm not sure of my directions, but if the elephant entered the area of the water hole from the west, then we were positioned to the south, so that we could watch him pass by in front of us.

And he did, maybe 15 feet away. He gave us the briefest of glances. Charl warned us to be quiet and sit still. The enormous bull sucked a pint of water into his trunk and then blew it out again on the ground. His purpose for visiting the water hole seemingly satisfied, he marched off to the east in stately fashion.


I'm adding a photo of a mother elephant and baby, which we actually saw on Thursday, the day after seeing the big bull. Elephant herds consist of females and their young. The males, once they reach maturity, leave the herd and wander around alone, looking for food and waiting for their turn to become the dominant male in the area, and thus the one who sires offspring.