Elephant’s behavior is determined by their experiences. In areas with heavy poaching, elephants learn to be wary and aggressive towards humans and vehicles. In a place like the Mara, elephants have been well protected and seem placid and calm. Usually I am able to drive up within a few feet of an elephant, even a herd with tiny calves, and the elephants down make a move or a sound. In the last few months, my behavior has been determined by experience and I have lost the wariness of the elephants that had to be so well acquired while working in the North.
So when I saw a herd of elephants that included a few Big Tuskers – animals with three to four foot tusks gleaming brightly from their mouths, I stopped the car nearby and put it in neutral to get a better look. I had a few extra helpers so the car was full and everyone was enjoying the incredible view, until one of the Big Tuskers turned on us. She ran – not straight – but diagonally ahead of the vehicle so as to cut us off. In my terror, I put the car in first and floored it. I felt confused as to why the car was struggling to keep ahead of the elephant as the huge female came within inches of the passenger side door. I walked the trunk swing towards us and then finally remembered to shift. We flew ahead, gaining momentary speed and the elephant trumpeted in rage. She pursued us for a few more meters and then stopped a huge cloud of dust encircling her. I glanced back at her 10 foot ear-span as she flared her ears out to the side. Usually trumpeting and spread ears are a sign of a mock charge rather than the real thing, but it hadn’t felt that way to me or my passengers. We all sighed in relief and looked back at the small herd, who had returned to its deceptively peaceful feeding.