Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

Post by Flutterby »

And the same to you!! \O \O


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Part III - Munywini.

Post by 100ponder »

Munywini is such a special female elephant that she deserves her own chapter in our travel tale.

After the Magic Valley, we turned north towards Tsokwane and observing a great variety of game along the H1 we got lost in our own thoughts as we slowly trekked kilometer after kilometer further north, stopping every so often, even for the smallest "something" attracting our interest.

As we were seriously camera-hunting big tusker elephant, we made a point to stop and ensure each and every elephant observed was surveyed for tusk size. We were passing yet another breeding herd of elephant quite far into the bush on out left hand side when Lettie, looking back over her shoulder at a elephant clearly taller than the rest, suddenly called out STOP ! Through a small open passage in the thorn bushes, we could see that this was an elephant female with phenomenal tusks :-

Image

Soon we could see that her tusks were really long for a female and that she also had a very small baby at her feet who would suckle every time she paused to pluck a tit-bit off a tree :-

Image

A few more cars would stop but, as the herd was still quite far out into the dense bush they would pull off after a minute but this was enough to cause the big cow to hesitate approaching and crossing the road.

Image

After a while she realized that we were not going to leave and and she left the baby in the care of her three quarter grown daughter :-

Image

She then boldly walked into the middle of the road to block traffic still approaching at quite some distance.The young cow caring for the baby now brought the baby to the road for the crossing but, the baby halted at the edge of the tar sniffing this foreign "thing" for quite a while before his big sister could convince him to step onto it and toddle across it.

The big cow who has all the time assumed a threatening stance in the middle of the road then took her baby back from his big sister and together they quickly disappeared into the bush.


It was later to transpire that this matriarch of note was named Munywini by Aat Fuik on his TUSKERSOFAFRICA website. ( http://www.tuskersofafrica.com/ )
Last edited by 100ponder on Sun Feb 07, 2016 9:18 am, edited 2 times in total.


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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

Post by Richprins »

Very good student of the behaviour there, 100p! X#X

She is a big old lady! :shock:


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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

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What a wonderful and touching sighting ^Q^ ^Q^


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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

Post by nan »

superb sighting and nice observation O/\ O/\

and photos too ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^


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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

Post by Pumbaa »

Wonderfully captured, 100ponder \O


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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

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Great sighting and pics. \O


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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

Post by Alf »

The little baby is so cute ^Q^ ^Q^

What a special sighting O/\ O\/


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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

Post by 100ponder »

Thanks all for the compliments !
The good photos are all by my wife, Lettie. I normally position the vehicle for her to take care of the photos.
Last edited by 100ponder on Mon Mar 07, 2016 4:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Northwards along the Lebombo Mountains to Pafuri.

Post by Lisbeth »

0()


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