A delightful video captured by Michelle Broadhurst and Jacques Joubert showcases an older elephant intervening in a playful scuffle between two baby elephants at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
The couple, who prefer to visit the park during off-seasons for a more peaceful experience, managed to film the two energetic calves tumbling and frolicking in the dirt near a watering hole where the rest of the herd grazed.
The older elephant then tries to end the playfight by nudging the calves apart with its trunk. The youngsters pause momentarily before resuming their antics as soon as the adult turns away.
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Michelle, 49, and Jacques, 55, observed that it’s common for baby elephants to engage in playful behavior on the ground when their family or group is at a watering hole or dam. While the adults drink, the calves play since their mothers are still nursing them.
Michelle noted that these playful bouts could be early ranking exercises, typically occurring between elephants of similar size.
If a larger calf engages in rough play with a smaller one, the mother of the smaller calf often intervenes.
The couple witnessed around 25 elephants of various sizes and ages at the waterhole, highlighting that such occurrences are not very rare but seldom captured on video.
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