A peaceful gentle giant afternoon with Khanyisa & the whole herd 💛

We bring you some Friday family moments with the whole herd! It's especially sweet to see Khanyisa and Mambo often close together. The pair are often within reach of each other as Lundi connects them to each other, as a mother to Mambo and adoptive mother to Khanyisa.

All these scenes were captured on our Carer Cam, an iPhone that our Carers take out when possible to film the herd on calm days when they are resting or foraging in one place. Today Carer, Shepherd is at the wheel of the video and captures some beautiful moments among the elephants.

It's interesting to also watch the bigger elephants resting - it isn't only Khanyisa who likes a lie-down or to stand still for long periods during the day. Somopane is a magnetic bull with his huge tusks - we are sure he is a tusker, as his tusks are long and thick, compared to the other elephants, and are still growing as he ages.

Khanyisa enjoys time between her favourites - Lundi and Bubi, while Setombe looks after her daughter, Klaserie and Tokwe's little one, Pisa. Zindoga displays some tail flicking and proud close-ups. We identify the elephants based on their tail hair patterns (long, short, thick, thin, even, lopsided...), their tusks (long, pointed, short, curved...), and their ears (are there any notches or tears?), among other identifying features like head shape.

We spy a sweet little lady bug or lady bird atop Khanyisa's furry head (a sign of good luck) and watch as she bends down to chew off a branch after not succeeding in pulling it out with her young trunk. Timisa and Pisa spend time side by side, a distance away from the others, like two naughty youngsters. They offer one another great comfort and company as elephants of a similar age.

Sebakwe, the dominant bull, is as impressive as ever, demonstrating his strength over his habitat, ripping branches apart and stripping bark with ease.

It amazes us, as we know it amazes you, how silent these giants can be when calm and content and simply feeding. You would never think that a herd of 16 elephants were in the middle of the bush.

Видео A peaceful gentle giant afternoon with Khanyisa & the whole herd 💛 канала HERD Elephant Orphanage South Africa