It’s morning at a South African wildlife preserve. The elephants are roaming, and the mist is thick.
The mist is so dense that it’s hard to see what’s ahead of you. This is something that troubles the elephant herd of the reserve. It stops them from continuing their morning march.
The older herd elephant, George, marches ahead of the others. He will check for any threats that may lie in the mist. The younger elephants remain in place.
While the younger elephants wait for the oldest to return, they get close for protection. A little too close.
One of the younger elephants pushes another gently away for getting far too into personal space. You can see how clingy some of the smaller elephants can be with how they stay close to the bigger ones.
The elephants show their unsure nature by how they move their feet. Their feet lift and move but don’t bring them anywhere. They step with caution.
George gives an all-clear whistle to let his herd know the mist is safe. The herd proceeds cautiously into the fog, still carrying a certain unease for what morning mist may hold.
Watching over the younger elephants in the back is the older elephant Fishan. Fishan babysits the other elephants alongside Matriarch Tokwe.
Tokwe could be considered the lookout for how she walks alongside the herd. She takes different routes over downed trees. It allows her to keep a closer eye on both the herd and the world around the herd.
Tokwe also shows her loyalty to Fishan, who can’t walk as well with an injured leg. Tokwe will often hang back and walk at the same pace as Fishan.
Every one of these towering elephants serves a purpose for their herd. They all work together, whether going ahead to check for danger or staying behind to babysit. It’s a beautiful sight of teamwork in nature.
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