We had spent the day game driving across Serengeti National Park. Our driver spotted a group of elephants, and we parked along their path. The elephants quickly rearranged themselves to hide the youngest safely in the center. The mother would prod the baby right between her legs, walking carefully to avoid harming it. The elephants soon surrounded our trucks, coming within a foot or so; this photo was taken with a wide angle lens, with the mother about 18” from us. It was amazing to experience these elephants so closely. We talked about the encounter for most of the night, with one student commenting, “This was the coolest thing that I have experienced on the trip … Elephants are very emotional  animals.”

ERIC J. SIMON, PH.D. PROFESSOR, NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE New England College Safari to Tanzania: Culture & Wildlife