23 February 2008

Elephants

The big guy
............

Up close and personal

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26 comments:

sonia a. mascaro said...

Great photos! Love Elephants!

23 February 2008 at 18:34
S-V-H said...

I wish to see a elephant for REAL in my life!!!! Nice shots Max-e!

23 February 2008 at 19:15
Tom said...

2Cor Blimey Guv'nor... I thought it was a mirror at first.

Great capture Max... love the skin tone. My mate Peter as some tree bark pictures on his blog today.. on look much the same as elephant skin.

23 February 2008 at 19:34
Max-e said...

Thanks for the visit Sonia, they are aso one of my favourites

23 February 2008 at 19:49
Max-e said...

Susanne, it is really great where we live as the Addo Elephant Park is only 74 kilometres from out front door. You can really get up close to the Addo elephants - I can sit and watch them for hours.

23 February 2008 at 19:51
Max-e said...

Glad you enjoyed it Tom. Now that I have lost so much weight I am also beginning to look like an elephant, but somehow the wrinkled skin doesn't have the same appeal :)

23 February 2008 at 19:54
Unknown said...

what gorgeous shots!! Wow!

23 February 2008 at 20:32
Katney said...

He is magnificent! I believe African elephants are larger than Indian epephants (the only kind I have seen close up and a sad representative at that.) I don't know if I can keep visiting your blog as it makes me want to cash in my retirement and hit the road every time I come.

23 February 2008 at 22:21
Michele said...

Egads, those are huge! I have not actually been so close to these magnificent animals but your photos make me feel as if I'm standing right next to them... wonderful pictures!

24 February 2008 at 02:49
myonlyphoto said...

Max-e, I have to thank you, these are my favorite animals, and you have really captured them well, really nice and thanks for sharing. Anna :)

24 February 2008 at 02:52
myonlyphoto said...

...forgot to ask, are they in the zoo or in the wild? Anna :)

24 February 2008 at 02:53
Max-e said...

Glad you like them Jenty. I don't know if you have ever been to Addo, but it is well worth the trip

24 February 2008 at 08:19
Max-e said...

Katney these are magnificent. They are bigger and Indian elephants and better looking : )
I guess you could do worse than spend your retirement on a trip to Africa - it would be fun but may not be the wisest thing to do :)

24 February 2008 at 08:27
Max-e said...

Michele you are right they are huge, especially when one suddenly emerges from the bush next to your car - the size will seem even bigger if you have a hysterial person with you : ) These guys are not aggressive.
I was once in the path of a herd of charging elephants - that was quite exhilarating.

24 February 2008 at 08:35
Max-e said...

Anna these are wild and and free within the bound of the Addo Elephant National Park. Sometimes you can end up being in the middle of a herd crossing the road.
I also like elephants they are so huge and powerful but at the same time can be so gentle and caring.
The Addo elephants were almost wiped out in the 1920's by a hunter employed by local citrus farmers. Fortunately a visionary saw the writing on the wall and so the Park was born. I is truly a wonderful heritage that has been left for us.

24 February 2008 at 08:39
Barbara said...

Great photos of one of my favourite animals.

24 February 2008 at 21:07
Swubird said...

Breathtaking images of the bull elephants. I would love to see them in the wild. But I fear that they will be long gone from the planet before I can ever get to Africa.

I've always been a big animal lover, and it saddens me that they are all doomed - so-called civilization is taking over the world. It's really a shame.

Great shots - great post.

Have a nice day.

25 February 2008 at 07:49
Merisi said...

Such striking beauties, and so close!
Do they have this melancholic air about them also when you observe them in action?

26 February 2008 at 19:16
Max-e said...

Starnitesky glad you enjoyed them, they are also one of my favourites.

26 February 2008 at 21:48
Max-e said...

Swubird I never tire of seeing them in the wild. I think that they will be around a long time yet, as they are well looked after in our game reserves.

The concern is where poaching is rife. The Rhino have taken a severe knock in the past 20 to 30 years through ruthless poaching and there numbers have declined dramatically.

26 February 2008 at 21:53
Max-e said...

Vienna for Beginners they are beauties.

The melancholic look does disappear when they charge you, as I have experienced one before, but then you don't hang around to long to see their expressions. That happened in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe in a hunting area, not that I was hunting - we were driving past a herd that objected to our presence.

Around the water hole the look is mostly contentment.

26 February 2008 at 22:00
MedaM said...

These photos of elephants are just fantastic!

28 February 2008 at 13:13
Anonymous said...

In July, we were right in the middle of an ele trek to and from the waterhole at Addo. It was one of the most amazing and breathtaking experiences of my life! Your beautiful photos reminded me of that magical afternoon.
Diane

28 February 2008 at 17:59
myonlyphoto said...

Max-e thanks for the update, wow, in the wild that is so cool. Thanks, Anna :)

4 March 2008 at 01:06
karoline in the morning said...

oh max! my son brought me home photos of elephants on his safari...they captured my heart...

thankyou for sharing..

k:)))

4 March 2008 at 21:53
Max-e said...

Karoline they are truly magnificent animals. These were nearly wiped out for the sake of a few oranges. Back in the 1930's the elephant population was reduced to 11 - there are now 450, thanks to the vision and foresight of one man.

4 March 2008 at 23:04

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