National Geographic: Reflections on Elephants Page #2

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Some lions specialize in

outmaneuvering the herds,

Waging a constant way

of nerves.

Sometimes older calves

become isolated

separated because their mothers

have new young to look after.

These newborn can be

snatched up easily

and must be well guarded.

Often the older calves must

fend for themselves.

As harsh as it may seem,

it is necessary.

With animals that live so long

some deaths are important to

regulate the population.

Only in paradise is death banned

from claiming the weak.

At the water hole a lone male suddenly

feels the awakenings in his body.

It is the time of his musth.

Like the new dawn, this feeling

is fresh and vital.

He can take on anything.

Musth comes to males

once a year,

But only begins halfway

through their lives.

This is their breeding phase,

when high levels of testosterone turn

their thoughts to conquests.

Another bull has the same

feelings of elation today

and is also ready to

confront the world.

When a breeding herd of females

glides towards the combatants,

the silence is deceptive.

This victorious bull has already

heard the low rumbles

from an eager female

across the plain.

As he draws nearer,

she coyly breaks away.

And the chase is on.

He hunts her down.

She knows she is being hunted,

and with a smaller body weight

She could easily outrun him as

she has lesser suitors this week.

But this time she is willing

and stops

Elephant mating takes

a lot of cooperation.

This coordinates sexual readiness

of both male and female

is quite unique in animals

and for several days

they will stay together.

By soliciting this musth bull,

she has purposely

chosen her mate,

and wins as a prize his dominant

genes for her offspring.

Her calf will be born nearly

two years from now.

Waves of thirsty giants

stampede the water holes.

Anything in the way is

chased off.

But before rushing in,

they stop and test the air.

Each family, under the

leadership of their matriarch,

Maintains long-distance

contact with other groups.

As the groups meet

at the water holes,

they melt together to

become one clan again.

Here they congregate

and reinforce bonds.

Even after short separations,

Greetings are very active

and affectionate.

Screams of tension drive out

non-clan members;

Elephants tend to

avoid strangers.

But the large water holes

attract herds from all around,

Both wanderers and regulars

on this route.

All mass together,

but maintain their discrete

groups around the water hole,

hundreds or sometimes even

thousands at a time.

These gentle animals appear to

want to avoid stressful encounters.

With language skills of at least

twenty-five different concepts,

A complex "stacking" system is

at work at these water holes

When incoming herds signal,

the herd that was drinking

vacates the water.

In all this activity,

the matriarch has arrived.

Over the last two months

the adopted,

Smaller calf seems to have

worked out a way to survive.

The water is still an unfamiliar

experience for both calves.

The adopted calf,

possibly with less

pleasant associations,

is even more reluctant

to venture in,

despite the gentle coaxing.

Others are here for the

water as well.

As hundreds of buffalo

crowd in,

stress rumbles through the elephant

herds like an electric storm.

Boxed in by the huge

herd of buffalo,

the matriarch and her family

are forced to use the

steep side of the bank.

An older calf is

jostled into the water.

With the buffalo still threatening,

a quick rescue is mounted.

Displaying an intelligence of

communication and astounding logic,

The elephants divide their efforts.

Some fend off the buffalo while

others tend to the frantic calf.

Just a gentle stabilizer is needed

and a well-placed trunk does the job.

And still the matriarch

doesn't lead them away.

They need water before attempting

the long journey ahead.

In their eagerness to drink,

the smaller,

adopted calf is shoved over

the edge and into the mud.

Now the danger of a buffalo

stampede is even greater than before.

The thick mud sucks

at the calf's back legs.

Following the matriarch's lead

they all climb into the mud to help.

Desperate attempts to break down

the bank only make the problem worse.

The two females combine efforts,

using tusks and trunks like shovels

to keep the calf from drowning,

while another digs a ramp.

Together the two females squeeze

and push at the calf.

The suction underneath is

suddenly released

and the calf is free at last.

They tenderly reassure

and smell the youngster,

rescued for the second time

in his life.

The concerned herd now bunches

against the converging buffalo

Outrage runs like wildfire

among the herds,

sparking explosions of aggression.

But the buffalo keep pouring

out of the forest,

and dust hangs like smoke

on a battlefield.

The contest is finally resolved.

As the dust settles,

the buffalo disperse.

Somewhere in the confusion,

a young buffalo was struck

heavily in the head and side.

The calf is doomed,

injured beyond hope.

The two calves move off

with the herd.

Having avoided a

muddy death themselves.

The young buffalo's broken

body is left behind.

It causes some concern to the

departing elephants,

Suggesting an awareness

of in jury and death,

even of other species.

Like huge cathedrals

or ancient monoliths,

The solid shapes

block out the sun.

A long way from the

congregating female herds,

the bulls gently sway to a

rhythmic dance of the giants

A shuffle of constant adjustment

in a display of dominance

and submission.

Each one of these bulls has a rank

each responds to the next one.

Every newcomer to the

gathering provokes a reaction

that flashes through the

memories of all the contestants.

Anyone unsure of his status

soon learns the rules of

this tournament of giants.

Status is determined

by body size, rage;

tusks have little to do with it.

The contest is for water,

as usual.

In a classic bull area like Savuti,

up to 200 elephants compete

for this one resource.

In this melee they must constantly

be aware of who is around

A sensitive tail is an advantage.

With their head used like

huge medieval maces,

bodies jostle and tusks joust

for precious liquid.

This struggle may seem like a

chaotic free-for-all.

But with each changing combination,

the field plan of the hierarchy is reset

in a surprisingly orderly fashion

One ghostly form is excluded

from the commotion.

His gaunt features and

sagging skin

are sure signs of his age

and fading energy for life.

With his last set of grinding

teeth nearly worn away,

his days are numbered.

Too weak to join in,

he can only watch the

competing bulls, and wait.

By dusk his body cries out for the

moisture leached from it by the heat.

He can no longer resist,

and with fewer bulls around the water,

he makes his move.

Drawing himself up

to his full height,

he forces himself into the circle.

At last the drinks.

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