Elephants have right of way
Around 3,000 elephants live in Tarangire |
Tarangire National Park is not Tanzania's biggest wildlife reserve. But its 2,600 km2 of open landscape dotted with baobaps is a sight to behold. We arrive shortly after noon, after a long and very dusty drive from Ngorongoro. The lunch that is served at the poolside is very welcome, and so is a dip in the (warm) pool of the Tarangire Sopa Lodge.
Tarangire is known for its large herds of elephants but we only see smaller groups, up to a dozen or so grouped together. Still, many small groups equal a lot of animals. And once we enter the park, we see elephants everywhere our gaze happens to fall.
Just about every other tree has one or more elephants beneath it, enjoying the shade. The grey giants are also gathered around the pools, where they use their trunks to cast mud on their backs to cool down. Even the tiny baby elephants with their short trunks mimic the gestures of the older animals.
Elephants use their trunk to sniff and explore |
Imagine our surprise when there's hardly an elephant in sight during our game drive the next morning. Yahaya explains that the elephants retreat into the hills for the night, to wander back down to the valley the next morning for grazing and drinking from the Tarangire river, the only permanent source of water in the park.
An elephant's trunk has many uses, including providing mud showers |
The Tarangire river provides drinking water all year round
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We do run into a small herd of very red elephants crossing the road. It has rained overnight, turning the red dust to mud. Thick, round footprints, heaps of steaming dung and a churned up road surface alert us to the presence of the giants. Two vans have already stopped.
We halt twenty meters or so behind them, leaving a gap for the elephants so they can walk across. But the matriarch of the herd is not satisfied with the arrangements. The elephants have young with them, and they are very protective. The large female turns in our direction. Her big ears fan out wide, and she stares at us. Yahaya understands the message she's sending. He starts the engine and backs away another ten meters or so. Now the matriarch is happy, and without a further glance in our direction the herd crosses and disappears into the undergrowth.
Baobap trees are popular with elephants; they ate right through |
Reaching the floor is difficult for a giraffe; they drink every 2 or 3 days |
Termites build homes resembling castles and skyscrapers |
The Dikdik has a very mobile nose that can move sideways |
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