What do elephants and avocados have in common? They both need land to survive. The major difference? Avocados can grow in locations outside of Amboseli in Kenya while two thousand of the world’s genetically unique elephants cannot. Significant threats pressure this pocket of remaining wilderness in East Africa–population growth, agriculture, and climate change.

“Do you know why hippos open their mouths so wide?” asked Daniel, my Maasai guide. “No, why?” I asked, sensing a creation story in the making.

The maniacal whoops of spotted hyenas sent a shiver of excitement down my spine as I pulled the covers up to my chin and wriggled my toes on the hot water bottle at the foot of my bed. What was going on out there in the dark beyond my tent?

I saw a tiny form tucked in amongst the elephants. The herd travelled several kilometers across the Amboseli plain and paused for a mud bath where we strategically parked midway on their route to water. The matriarch turned towards us, like a crossing guard to ensure safe passage for the little one when the elephants continued on and crossed the road.

Feb. 4, 2020: Big Tusker Tim is dead. I looked at my email in disbelief. Impossible. I felt the gap between comprehension and acceptance in my gut. I saw him alive and well just 3 weeks earlier. Twenty Big Tuskers left on the planet—now there are 19.

Sex on the savannah—it’s everywhere! Being on safari is like being in class in real time—zoology, botany, anthropology, geology, conservation—teaching opportunities are everywhere including sex education.

I have exciting news! Fig, my favourite spotted celebrity, is a new mother. Fig lives on the Olare Motorogi Conservancy adjacent to the Maasai Mara in Kenya. When I saw her in January 2020, she looked healthy and… pregnant.

The truck came to a grinding, abrupt stop, part of its underbelly hung up on a rock. It was the end of the day on safari on the Maasai Mara. Nathan, our guide and driver, asked, “Do you want to meet a new pride of lions?” We nodded eagerly and a mad dash ensued across the savannah.

“Come! Come! You won’t believe this.” My friend pulled me to the edge of the bluff above Kenya’s Mara river. My breath caught in my throat. On the opposite shore of the river a baby hippo sniffed around a massive 12’ crocodile. Riveted, we feared the worst.

I credit an elephant with a significant life lesson—slow down, be calm, watch/listen for the signs. I believe there is much going on around me that I often miss. Elephants are known for being able to communicate over vast distances. Perhaps that youngster heard my wish that night and was happy to fulfill my dream.

“Come see our orphans, I’ll take you over first thing in the morning.” said Robert, my Samburu guide. Before the sun was up, we were bouncing down the dirt track in the land cruiser towards the stables at Sarara Camp, in Northern Kenya.

When our grandson adopted a rhino for his birthday he explained his choice because “they have a really cool way to poop!” He’s absolutely right, they do. A male rhino poops in one spot creating big pile of dung, known as a midden. This marks his territory and acts as a warning to those who might trespass.

I believe animals can teach us a lot about love and compassion. As a trauma therapist I heard many stories about how family pets or farm animals were the companions who provided love and solace in situations of domestic violence or abuse. The emotional support from an animal to a human and human to animal can heal deep wounds of separation, abandonment and trauma.

My love of Kenya and Africa was sealed by a kiss in Oct. 2010. My first day in Nairobi we headed to the Giraffe Centre—a refuge and breeding centre for the endangered Rothschild (Nubian) giraffes. I did not know that there were 9 species of giraffes on the African Continent.

I confess, I am in love with elephant ears—the real ones. Although, as I write this, I realize one of my favourite pastries as a child was elephant ears so perhaps, I was destined to love elephant ears. I love elephants too, most of you know that, but, those ears—amazing! I remember the day I was hooked.

At a time when the news is dominated with reports of communities in conflict and environmental disasters, I have good news! Caring people are having a direct positive impact on the lives of others. This week’s story is one of gratitude. Special thanks to readers who have donated money or purchased products from my online store. You are making a difference in the lives of people in Kenya and the wildlife they coexist with.

As I lay in bed, I heard rumbles in the dark. I knew what they were. That's how elephants talk to each other. They have a deep rumble that comes from their belly and other than their body language—trunks and ears and use of their body—it is one of the main ways they communicate.

My final and 26th game drive in January 2020 and I felt full. My photocards were full. My external drives were full. My heart was full! Steeped and sated in my encounters with the iconic African wildlife and its people, I wondered what this day would bring.

. The afternoon is quiet in the heat. No sound of bird calls or animal rustling outside my door. I raise myself up on my elbows and peer through the screen trying to orient myself. An enormous red brown head rises out of the thick grass. There is a huge bull elephant silently enjoying a mud bath directly in front of me.