Image: Twitter/Kruger PRIDE safaris
How cute! Baby elephant spotted playing with starling bird [watch]
How cute! Watch as a baby elephant play with a starling bird in the Kruger National Park.
Image: Twitter/Kruger PRIDE safaris
Safari-goers recently enjoyed a sighting of a baby elephant playing with a starling bird in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Baby elephant spotted playing with starling bird
According to Getaway Magazine, youngsters are playful in all intelligent species, and there’s something incredibly endearing about watching the baby elephant called ellie play.
“This elephant calf was seen in Kruger National Park recently chasing a little starling,” the publication reports. “Young elephants are known to enjoy play, with adults often joining in on the fun.”
PLAYFUL ANIMALS
It is said that elephants use play as one of the many mechanisms for sustaining their social, protective and leadership roles within families. Elephants are also creative when it comes to playing, using sticks, stones and splashing in the water, and in this case, a bird. Another instance of their playful behaviour was captured on camera by Dylan Royal, a guide at &Beyond Kirkman’s Kamp and Tengile River Lodge in Sabi Sand.
The last thing he expected was to find an elephant calf warming up with an early morning soccer session.
“We were in the area looking for a leopard when we came across a spread-out herd of elephants with quite a few young ones present. We stopped to watch them for a while and it was not long after that when the smallest calf burst out of the bush, into the road following his soccer ball made of elephant dung!”
The baby elephant was initially so focused on his dung ball, that he did not even notice there was company.
“The elephant seemed to be so impressed by his own skills that he even kicked and rolled the ball around using different strategies and all four of his legs.”
Put up a show
According to Kapama, a private game reserve, young elephants are free to do as they please, and they often put up a show.
Young elephants still in the developing stage are very curious about the world even though they are still very dependant on their relatives when they are under the age of three. They are often found mimicking their elders and this is how they learn and build their own personalities’ overtime.
“Young elephants are also not afraid to charge a vehicle,” states the website. “Now, this is often found to be very amusing to guests and guides also enjoy it while always keeping a safe distance. With knowledge of animal behavior, we can tell if its playful behavior or if it is from feeling pressured or threatened.
“The reason we are pointing this out is if young elephants are feeling uncomfortable with the presence of a vehicle, they can often give out a cry of distress which will alert the bigger relatives, who will often rush in and try and defend the little one. This does not occur often if you keep your respective distance. Elephants will generally continue with their day as if you were not even there.”
