African bush elephant

The population is healthy, and as I understand it, monitored for disease by the kenyan wildlife service rangers. We didn't get close enough to see much more than is in the photo, but there were no obvious signs of mourning elephants. There were many in the area though... hundreds by my estimate, so we may simply have been a few days too late to see that behavior.

The population is healthy, and as I understand it, monitored for disease by the kenyan wildlife service rangers. We didn't get close enough to see much more than is in the photo, but there were no obvious signs of mourning elephants. There were many in the area though... hundreds by my estimate, so we may simply have been a few days too late to see that behavior.

As an additional positive note, about an hour later, I saw a group of elephants with some young, so.... the circle of life goes on.

It is, and contrary to legend, it obviously had not found it's way to some hidden elephant graveyard. On the plus side, it had most likely died of natural causes... the presence of tusks makes it unlikely that it was the work of poachers. As our guide pointed out, the carcass would most likely go undisturbed for several days.. Until it started to stink of decomposing flesh, no hyena would dare take the chance it was only sleeping.