An African elephant demonstrates that size doesn’t matter when enjoying a romp in the mud, as captured by a photographer in a South African game reserve.

The adult bull, standing 13 feet tall, didn’t allow his impressive stature to hinder his delight, rolling around and creating enormous splashes in an attempt to cover himself entirely in mud.

‘The elephant first started splashing with his legs in the water; this was probably to get more mud in the water and loosen some more ground for his mud bath.’ Source: Daily Mail

Mud baths are more than just a playful pastime for elephants, as they cool their skin, protect them from parasites, and shield them from the sun’s harsh UV rays.

Photographer Anette Mossbacher, a 52-year-old German living in Bergdietikon, Switzerland, observed the elephant indulging in the muddy activity for about 30 minutes before using its trunk to clean its ears and eyes.

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud2 — ‘He was sinking into the mud bath, first lying down for a little while and just moving his head sideways a few times.’ Source: Daily Mail

Mossbacher decided to follow the two male elephants she spotted heading toward the mud holes in Madikwe. She recounted her experience: “It was so much fun to watch this elephant enjoying his mud bath.”

She even imagined joining the elephant in the mud, wondering if the activity might benefit humans too.

The elephant created enormous splashes, nearly as high as its body, using all four legs to cover as much of its stomach as possible.

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud3 — ‘Then he started lifting his two front legs to roll nearly over to the other side and back – the back needed to be covered too, of course.’ Source: Daily Mail

Although the creature made some mumbling noises, it appeared pretty content, even appearing to smile.

Upon finishing the mud bath, the elephant noticed the onlookers and briefly charged before deciding to join its companion, who was still bathing behind bushes and out of sight.

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud4 — ‘He was sinking into the mud bath, first lying down for a little while and just moving his head sideways a few times.’ Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud5 — ‘After this, he just ‘sat’ in the mud and seemed to enjoy it; he played a bit with his trunk in the mud, then stood up again and cleaned the mud from his ears and eyes with his trunk.’ Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud6 — He doesn’t let his 13ft height get in the way as he rolls and plays joyously in the mad bath – as a photographer in Africa captured the incredible scenes in a South African game reserve on camera. Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud9 — ‘When standing, he had another go with all four legs splashing more mud onto his body.’ Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud7 — He doesn’t let his 13ft height get in the way as he rolls and plays joyously in the mad bath – as a photographer in Africa captured the incredible scenes in a South African game reserve on camera. Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud8 — ‘There were about five mud holes in this area, which elephants and rhinos use.’ Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud10 — ‘After he stopped, he suddenly realized that we were there watching him, and he charged us for a few meters but decided to walk over to his buddy instead, who was still enjoying his bath – sadly behind the bushes and out of sight. Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud — It’s more than just fun – elephants use the mud to cool their skin and to protect themselves from parasites and their skin from the hot sun’s UV rays. Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud8 1 — ‘There were about five mud holes in this area, which elephants and rhinos use.’ Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud9 1 — ‘When standing, he had another go with all four legs splashing more mud onto his body.’ Source: Daily Mail

Photographer Catches African Elephant Enjoying A Good Roll In The Mud10 1 — ‘After he stopped, he suddenly realized that we were there watching him, and he charged us for a few meters but decided to walk over to his buddy instead, who was still enjoying his bath – sadly behind the bushes and out of sight. Source: Daily Mail

Canidae Pet Food Reviews: An In-Depth Look

Choosing the right pet food is crucial for the health and well-being of our furry friends. In this blog post, we'll delve deep into Canidae pet food, a popular choice among pet owners, and provide an in-depth review based on various sources.

Canidae is a well-known brand in the pet food industry, offering a range of products designed to cater to pets of all ages, breeds, and sizes.

Product Range:

Canidae All-Life Stages (Dry): This vet-formulated product suits dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes. It's available in both dry and wet formulas.
Canidae Pure: A limited-ingredient diet crafted for dogs with food sensitivities. Each recipe typically includes 7 to 10 ingredients.

Key Ingredients

The Canidae All Life Stages Multi Protein Formula, which represents the brand's product line, contains ingredients like chicken meal, turkey meal, brown rice, peas, oatmeal, and barley. Chicken meal, the primary ingredient, is a meat concentrate with nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

Recalls and Safety

Canidae has had recalls in the past. It's essential to stay updated with the brand's recall history to ensure your pet's safety.

Customer Reviews

The Canidae Dog Food product line has earned an overall rating of 4.5 stars from The Dog Food Advisor. The Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food has received the Advisor's second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.

Pros and Cons:

Pros: High protein content, suitable for all life stages, contains beneficial ingredients like flaxseed and taurine.
Cons: It contains some controversial ingredients, and not all minerals are chelated, which might affect absorption.

Conclusion

Canidae All Life Stages is a grain-inclusive dry dog food that uses a notable amount of named meat meals as its primary source of animal protein. With an above-average protein content and a profile suggesting a significant amount of meat, it comes highly recommended for pet owners.