Story behind the photo: Ooooops! I think that elephant is pissed!
I was taking my family for a leisurely drive through the park . . . . Amboseli National Reserve (Kenya) that is. Jeff (8 years old at the time) was in the back seat and Lynda was up front with me. She was always my "camera-bearer" when we went on a photo-safari. Of course, when you live in Kenya, every safari is a photo safari.
We came around a curve and there she was, a cow elephant (and I learned a couple of frightening seconds later) with her baby.
I had read in a book months before that elephants are very protective of their offspring. A normally docile female elephant will often “false-charge” when she feels her calf is threatened. Let me add here that Lynda and Jeff had not read that book.
Then, it all happened so quickly. The elephant flared and bellowed (so did Lynda). Then she charged us. Dang! That is a VERY uncomfortable feeling having a six ton elephant charging straight at you.
Lynda yelled, “Back up! NOW!”
Jeff was hollering something unintelligible from the back seat (I think he was speaking in tongues).
I raised my camera to grab a quick shot before we left. That was a big mistake!
“What are you doing? Get us out of here,” Lynda said in a calm, patient voice.” Yeah, sure she was calm. Nope. Things definitely took a turn for the worse when I did not instantly shift into reverse. Jeff was now screaming at the top of his lungs (if Lynda and Jeff had only read the same book I did, I am sure we could have skipped all that drama).
I stood my ground and got the picture. Nice shot, too.
The elephant stopped her charge in a cloud of red Kenya dust, about twenty feet short of our car (just like the book said she would).
This incident did not result in divorce proceedings, not because Lynda didn't consider that though. Jeff's little psyche was scarred for life. I was considered persona-non-grata for a week or so after that.
I got my picture though. And, a great story to go with it.
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