The herd was walking in the Batlhako Dam vicinity in the Pilanesberg National Park when the crocodile surprised them.
Herd wanders alongside dam
Jonathan explains how it began: “We were watching a large herd a elephants walking around the Batlhako Dam, unaware that they were walking directly into the path of a 4m crocodile which was basking in the sun.”
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Elephants have some of the most complex social behaviours in the animal kingdom. They live in tightly-bonded matriarchal herds, usually led by the oldest and most experienced female.
Communication among herd members is also highly advanced. They use a wide range of vocalisations, including low-frequency rumbles which can travel over long distances.
They also rely on touch and body language to communicate. Elephants show deep emotional bonds, often comforting each other through physical contact or vocal reassurance.
It’s for this reason that they are so fascinating to watch, even on an ordinary, uneventful day. However, for these ellies, this was no ordinary day.
The elephants had gone to bathe and to drink from the dam. They enjoyed one another’s company and displayed some beautiful interactions.
However, the carefree bliss of their excursion to the dam was about to be disturbed by an unexpected encounter.
Elephants bump into hidden croc
Hidden in the long grass where they were walking was a large crocodile. The crocodile was quite a distance from the water, and the elephants clearly hadn’t expected to come across it.
“It was incredible to watch the surprised reactions of the elephants as they walked into the croc,” Jonathan recalls.
This was a particularly large herd, with elephant calves, and the mothers acted instinctively by shielding their little ones from the aggressive crocodile.
Elephants are large, powerful animals and aren’t easily intimidated. Still, these ones gave the crocodile a wide berth.
Jonathan says it was particularly amusing to see how the elephants didn’t warn the others behind them about the crocodile. He explains how he and his fellow travelers watched many surprised reactions as different elephants encountered the hidden reptile.
When elephants encounter a crocodile on dry land, they usually react with caution but confidence. Because of their massive size and strength, adult elephants are not threatened by crocodiles, especially outside of water.
If a crocodile is simply lying in their path, elephants may approach it curiously, sometimes flaring their ears or trumpeting to signal dominance or annoyance.
Crocodiles will generally avoid elephants and prefer staying near or in water, where they have the advantage. This crocodile was possibly just as surprised by the elephants as they were by it!
There were some classic encounters between the elephants and the croc. Some of the elephants were quite dramatic in displaying their surprise.
One lifted its tail in a startled response and did something of a double take as though to say, “What is this crocodile doing so far from the dam?”
Crocodiles do in fact venture onto dry land for periods of time. Reasons cited for them doing so include traveling between water sources, or searching for a better habitat.
In all fairness, the dam was still in sight, so while this croc might have not been on the sandy shores close to the water, it was still very much on its own turf. The elephants should have been just a little more cautious!