Man and elephant by Lola Photography

This photo by Lola is amazing – it gives me goosebumps every time I see it.Copyright Lola

Man and elephant, Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. Copyright Lola. Please note: Photo taken by professionals working in the field. Wild animals are dangerous and this is not to be emulated.

Elephants are astonishing animals – as well as being highly intelligent, they each have their own personalities and quirks. They can recognise humans by their scent and voice, knowing a stranger from an old friend. African elephants are very different to their Asian counterparts, being much bigger and unsuited to captivity.  An elephant could easily kill a person with one swipe of its foot or one clench of its trunk, but very rarely use this inherent strength.

There are a lucky few humans who are able to get close to wild elephants – after a lot of time, patience and respect. Stru, pictured here, is one of the lucky ones. This photo is priceless – it captures the enormity of the elephant, its long shadow stretching across the ground. There’s something more profound here, too – a moment of connection as the elephant gently rests its trunk on Stru’s arm.

Here are a few more of my favourite Lola photos taken around Zimbabwe – check out the Facebook page for more.[wooslider slideshow_speed=”3.5″ slider_type=”attachments” limit=”9″]

Captions: Chilojo Cliffs (Gonarezhou), zebra, elephant (Mana Pools), view overlooking Kariba Dam wall, Chilojo Cliffs (Gonarezhou), elephant and man (Mana Pools), elephants fighting (Mana Pools), elephant (Mana Pools).

Copyright statement: All the pictures in this post are copyrighted to Lola. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.

 

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Beth is the founder and chief writer of Great Zimbabwe Guide Travel Blog. Practical Zimbabwe travel advice since 2010.