Namibia Elephants
Namibia Elephants are highly intelligent animals with a complex social system. These animals have the capacity to communicate for long distances at a sound level below which the human ear can hear, it may be sometime before researchers can begin to unravel elephant language. Bulls and cows live apart in separate groups. The breeding herds generally consist of a dominant female or matriarch with a few closely related females and their offsprings. At a certain time each year the testerone level of a bull rises and enters a breeding condition known as ‘musth’ (hindi for crazy) during which time he joins the breeding herds in search of females in estrus. If he meet another musthbull of equal dominance a terrible fight even death may follow. A musth bull can be distinguished by streaming temporal glands which leave a dark wet streak down the side of his face and a greenish penile discharge. Bulls in this condition are best avoided as they tend to be far more aggressive than otherwise. Females who become separated from their herds will also stream from the temporal glands, possibly as a form of communication. The elephant’s trunk is an extraordinary versatile organ which has two dextrous finger like projection which are so sensitive that the world’s largest land animal ia able to pick up objects as tiny as a pin. The trunk also allows the elephant to breathe, smell, reach high trees for food, plug grass and pick seeds. It holds nine litres of water at a time which is squirted into the mouth or it can be used to spray mud or sand over the elephant to protect the animal against parasites. Best viewing areas are the Kunene region, Khaudom, Mudumu and Mamili.
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