A thirsty elephant demonstrated the need for a different trunk when it went to drink in the private infinity pool.
Lucky tourists watched in amazement as the small giant swallowed large saliva from the pool.
Along with a small herd, the thirsty baby elephant found a refreshing drink at Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate, a “suburb” in the South African bush.
Since it was the dry season, not many rivers naturally flowed, and the water holes dried up, meaning elephants had to resort to other methods.
Lucky photographer Villiers Steyn, 33, discovered the elephant was sipping its cooling water and took several heart-melting photos.
Villiers, from Hoedspruit, said: “I was leading a private photo tour for an Englishman.
“He just wanted a guide for mornings and afternoons; the mornings drove very quiet and hardly seen any animals.
“When we got back to the camp, we heard that elephants had bathed in the pools next to the dining area the day before.
“So instead of me and my guests going to rest and relax, we decided to wait for the elephants to come back, and sure enough, they did.
“I was lying on my stomach about two meters away from the calf. He was very comfortable.
“At one point, he didn’t even drink but just sucked and sprayed water at me out of delight.
“I have been waiting a lot because this happens all day, and I need ripple-free water for reflective photography, so that also takes patience.
“I’m currently having a hard time keeping my camera too low, but it was worth it in the time. It was unbelievable.”