Cuteness Alert – Baby Elephant Antics
My Maasai guide, Kupai, and I came across a mother elephant and her tiny newborn out on a game drive on the Maasai Mara last month. The little calf was full of personality and confidence. When we approached it flared its ears and raced towards us in a mock charge.
A few feet outside of the protective circle of its mother, the calf had a quick change of mind and raced back to mama. The little elephant snuggled up against its mother’s leg for security just like toddlers do.
Courage restored, the calf turned and practiced another brave stance facing the open savannah and the great unknown.
Kupai and I watched entranced by the baby’s antics. Learning to co-ordinate a tiny trunk takes practice. An elephant’s trunk is all muscle, capable of pulling down trees and plucking up a single leaf. Determined, the calf did its best to imitate how its mother wrapped her trunk around greens then used her foot to uproot a plant.
Step one, figure out which leg to use to get the job done.
Nope, not the back leg.
Choosing a vine did not make the task easy. If at first you don’t succeed try, try, again.
The littlest elephant soon learned that foraging for food is tiring. After a couple of attempts with the pesky vine, the calf ran back to mama searching for an easier snack.
There’s got to be some milk here somewhere. This meal was just the right height with good gravity flow.
Watching this little calf exploring the world from the security of its mother’s watchful eye was delightful. Enjoy a 30 second video of some of its antics. Note how the mother stops the calf’s bolt for protection with the lift of her back leg.
