_D038024 A Protective Circle -- This was one of the highlights of our safari. The elephants had been walking almost single file in the higher land to the left of us, nearing the path on which we were driving, which they intended to cross to get to the Chobe River to drink and bath. When we drove up and stopped, the entire line was brought to a halt by the large female at the center of this grouping. She inspected us from a distance and then decided it was safe to carry on so the line started moving again. We inched our Landcruiser closer to the crossing point and again the line of elephants stopped. This time we received increased scrutiny from the large female and a couple of the other larger sisters and even possibly young bulls. After a bit of a standoff, the large female started her family walking again. But when we moved the landcruiser even closer to the crossing point, that was all the large female was going to take. She quickly gathered her family, children in the center behind her, and formed this magnificent protective circle placing herself at the center directly in front of and looking at us with her ears fully extended as if to say, "that's it; now stay there and don't move". We didn't (move that is). The elephants crossed rather hastily as can be seen from some of the next photos. What an experience!
_D038034 "We're Crossing Here, Stay Back"
