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Elephant trunk-strokes my pregnant tummy

By on 5 June, 2012 in Wildlife & Safaris
Image and text courtesy of Caitlin Carter
Jabu the elephant

I was at Baine’s Camp in Botswana with Sanctuary Retreats and had the pleasure of meeting Jabu, the patriarch of the Elephant Experience there. I stood chatting to ‘elephant expert’ Doug Groves, while Jabu meandered about his business of browsing and soaking up the warm morning sun. Before we knew it, Jabu raised his trunk, very politely and delicately toward me. Doug Groves stepped back and captured this moment with Jabu “investigating” my baby -

none of us are sure if it was a sense he had, but it certainly must have been. Jabu then kept his trunk on my tummy for some time. It was quite special, to say the least. Animal intuition.

Keen to visit Botswana? Check out Ngoma Safari Lodge, one of Africa Geographic's Special Places.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/Simon.Espley1 Simon Espley

    Special moment!

  • Amberroom

    Awesome elephant interaction. Great photo!

  • http://twitter.com/ratelmel melanie cameron

    Precious!

  • http://twitter.com/craigthom69 Craig Thomson

    Wow. What an experience! It is moments like this, where we can all be proud to be african.

  • Starbuffs

    how lovely, in this day in age when you hear so many horrible animals cruelty stories, this is so refreshing :-)

  • Mama Tembo

    Jabu is one of my favorite elephants (along with Morula and Thembi of course). He usually just takes people’s hats but this gesture is really stunning!

  • Pamela Miller

    It is a fine example of the intelligence of these beautiful animals and a sense we have no clue about. 

  • Louise357

    Wonderful – there is so much more to these beauties than we will ever know. A very special gesture!
     

  • Eddy

    Elephants are such gentle giants. It’s asham they are losing the battle to survive against man.

  • Katallack

    Oh I think I might cry.  :)

  • http://theaccessorylady.com/blog TheAL

    Amazing! It’s like he could sense the baby was there! So perceptive and sweet. :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/ladyjade3 Rachel Mills

    Good lord. If we can’t even keep wild elephants off our bellies, is there any hope for the lady behind us at checkout? ;) Precious. But my hubby would be FREAKING THE EFF OUT if this happened to me! lol

  • http://www.facebook.com/linda.l.finke Linda Luken Finke

    Ah, I am envy you.  How beautiful.  I wish I were Dr. Doolittle.

  • Elizabeth Shaw

    How beautiful. I would love, love, love to cover this in the BabyCenter Blog. How do I go about getting permission to use the photo?
    Betsy Shaw
    Blogger
    http://blogs.babycenter.com/author/bshaw1/

    lizhardshaw@gmail:disqus .com

  • Jesuschorou_jo1135

    MARAVILLOSO…QUE PRIVILEGIO… ERES AFORTUNADA EN TENER UN SER TAN GRANDE DELANTE  DE TI Y QUE TE TOCA, CON TANTO CARIÑO…FELICIDADES. ESA FOTO ES PERFECTA.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1403108042 Katherine Mary

    What a beautiful moment! I love it. Jabu is a very special elephant, a gentle giant.

  • http://www.facebook.com/brashed Byron Rashed

    Such a beautiful picture. Animals know way more than we think. The have feelings, intuition and in many cases much better residents of this planet than man. How could anyone kill or hunt these beautiful animals, or any animal for that matter.

  • Vegan Steve

    Why i am an Animal rights activist #476. Thank-you for posting this.

  • Dana

    gives me goose bumps, how lucky for you to have that wonderful creature do that. Something you will never forget Im sure

  • http://www.facebook.com/christie.gingles Christie Gingles

    Perhaps an Elephant Blessing for your baby! A most sacred experience, indeed!

  • Mary P.

    truly animals are more in tune with natural scents, than humans, etc. It couldn’t have been difficult to pick up this woman was pregnant for beings so keenly aware of scents. Just because humans are so far behind, doesn’t mean it is possible in other species. We clearly give off scents of gender, hormones, and openness that is easily picked up by a wild animal tuned in to such scents. I wouldn’t be surprised if this gentle giant wouldn’t do its most to protect the future mother if danger appeared imminent. Just because humans can’t achieve it, animals have special skills that help them survive in the wild. They are skilled in alternative skills than humanoids; they are better in some areas and weaker in others. The ability to pick up scents as far as 2 miles away isn’t by chance. “God” if you believe in the spirit, clearly didn’t give all the superior beings’ abilities to humanoids, alone. Sometimes, it would be useful to pick up a human’s true intention through scent! We could learn a lot from them!

  • http://www.facebook.com/janan.platt Janan Jennifer Platt

    Beautiful! So peaceful and generous!

  • http://www.facebook.com/londone3 London England

    Exactly Why I stand for soooo many causes to protect wildlife!!!! I wish I knew what they know– The wisdom in their eyes is all I need to feel justified in everything I stand for. Thank you for sharing such a lovely story.
    L.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1185731343 Lynda Walker

    THESE MAGNIFICENT CREATURES, JUST KNOW. WHAT A BLESSING, INDEED.

  • http://www.facebook.com/patsy.schultz.9 Patsy Schultz

    What a beautiful picture to have for your baby’s book. A very special moment indeed!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/osc.l.prieto Osc L Prieto

    Amazing! Very special, you’re blessed. Such a massive animal and to touch you gently as he did. Amazing. I don’t know how people could kill animals as these or any animal at that.

  • otherbritghtlight4

    Amazing picture to interact with this large wild elephant wonderful. could have been dangerous though but glad it was ok.

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