Youngsters are known to enjoy playing with each other – and these baby elephants are no different.
These incredible images show the unusual moment when four baby elephants, each weighing up to 300 kg, decided to pile up on top of each other.
The elephants had been drinking water on the Ghwarrie Dam, the banks in Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa, when their mother was cooling off.
Like their human counterparts, the youngsters’ love of play soon turned into an old rough and tumble – much to the annoyance of the herd’s matriarch.
After they piled on top of each other, she quickly marched over to end the fun before the poor baby elephant at the bottom was injured.
The moment was discovered by Ayesha Cantor (46) during a day trip. She said, “We’d sat by the dam for over an hour and watched the various family groups come in to drink and play and then move off.
“We had just decided to drive off when I happened to look back one last time and quickly asked my husband to stop again when I saw the two youngsters seemingly absorbed in a conversation – another picture turned into a bundle of elephants.
“I’ve heard and seen two babies play briefly, but never four, and for as long as this.”
Just like children, they test their limits. The game teaches them to know their limits and to behave within their family group.
“It looked to us just like how people play, so playful and so funny. Amazing to see wild animals enjoying themselves this way.”
And Mrs. Cantor admitted that she didn’t want to be the elephant at the bottom of the 900 kg pile, adding:
“You can be sure that I was delighted not to be the baby Ellie at the bottom of that particular one.”
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