In the picture, an impressive scene unfolds in a barren, vast desert landscape under a bright blue sky. In the foreground lies the carcass of an elephant, its withered skin and exposed bones a sombre reminder of the transience of life. The vast, dry expanses are broken only sporadically by hardy shrubs that have adapted to life in this harsh environment. The horizon stretches tirelessly into the distance, conveying a sense of infinity and the eternal cycle of nature.
Elephants have a profound and remarkable relationship with death. They often exhibit a behaviour known as 'elephant graveyards', where they visit the bones of their deceased conspecifics and touch or feel them with their trunks. These majestic creatures are known to show extraordinary grief when a member of their herd dies. They often stay with the deceased for several days as if saying goodbye, uttering audible sounds of grief. This behaviour underlines their high social intelligence and emotional depth, making them one of the most fascinating creatures in our natural world.
Location:
This picture was taken on the Nxai Salt Pan in the Nxai Pan National Park in Botswana. 2019
25 yo. hobby photographer based near Stuttgart, Germany.. Read more…