Elephant drinking scene

Companymoyophotography
PhotographerRamona Reichert
Entry Description

A herd of elephants was gathering at the Tarangire River in Tanzania. Standing with our car on a bridge we observed the scene. Adult elephants were drinking, calves laying down in the water and playing with each other. Beside suckling at their mother, elephant calves drink water. Young elephants have to learn to coordinate the more than 300 muscles of their trunk before they are able to use it for drinking. Until they master their trunk, they have to help themselves getting their mouth down to the water level. Elephant calves are in so many ways like human children: they are a long time dependent on their mother and live in strong family bonds. They love playing in the water, climbing on and arguing with each other. Elephants are compassionate animals and mourn their deceased family members for a long time - a humanlike species worth to be protected from poaching.

About Photographer

moyophotography - "moyo" is the swahili word for heart. Swahili is spoken in various countries in East Africa like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Ramona Reichert and Ivo Schemionek are moyophotography. Since their trip to Namibia in 2010, Africa has conquered their hearts. Another trip to Botswana followed and the hunger for the untouched wilderness and the adventures grew even bigger. In 2013 they travelled to East Africa to see the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras. In the trans-bordering ecosystem of Massai Mara and Serengeti they fell in love with the vast plains and the fascinating wildlife of Kenya and Tanzania.