Worldwide, people spend billions on self-care treatments, such as spas and various cosmetics. As these elephants show us, in the wild, pampering can be found at the nearest mud wallow.
Thys Pretorius shared this enjoyable footage with Latest Sightings. He filmed it on the H4-2 near Lower Sabie, in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
The big spa day
Joining Thys at his sighting, we see an elephant lying on the ground. Its angular forehead tells us it is a female, and she has just lain down in a mud wallow to commence her spa routine.
This is not unusual for elephants. In fact, they love nothing more than getting down and dirty in the interests of good hygiene and self-care.
Mud, glorious mud
There are numerous reasons that elephants bathe in mud. Among the most important is to help cool their massive bodies.
After all, elephants don’t have sweat glands. Accordingly, as the moisture in the mud evaporates, it replicates the cooling process.
Furthermore, the mud works its way into the network of wrinkles, retaining the moisture long after the rest of the mud has dried.
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All-over sunblock
To be effective, the elephant needs to cover as much of her massive body as possible. Accordingly, having coated her left cheek and ear, she rolls over to do the same on the other side.
Another benefit of mud-bathing is sun protection. Despite being thick and tough, an elephant’s skin is surprisingly susceptible to the damaging effects of UV rays.
Pest control
However, she goes further than just coating those areas exposed to the light. As she rolls onto her belly, she rubs it back and forth to get it into all the folds in her loose skin.
These areas are particularly prone to parasite infestation. So, once the mud dries, she will find a handy rubbing post to remove even the most stubborn ticks.
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Natural moisturiser
Continuing with her routine, she also rubs the side of her body in the mud. Not only will this help remove parasites from that part of her body, but it will also moisturise it, thereby preventing painful cracking.
Meanwhile, the cow’s elder calf decides to join Mum in the mud. By imitating their elders, calves learn all they need to stay healthy.
Of course, there are drawbacks to rolling in mud. Sometimes it gets in your eye.
Feels soooo good
Even so, the relief and pleasure it seems to give elephants seems to make a little mud in the eye worth the inconvenience.
However, all good things must come to an end. And when you’re an elephant, that means the laborious process of getting back to your feet.
And, as a mother, it means making sure the kids do a good job of their self-care routines.
As Thys’s video ends, we see that she has two calves. Having concluded their visit to the wallow, it’s time for their other favourite pastime: eating.
