Bonded for Life

Two young elephants playfully test their strength in the open savanna. These tests of strengths are necessary for their later lives. For female elephants, these play fights promote bonds, and this bond is crucial, as they spend their whole lives together in a herd, raising families and protecting each other. This also provides necessary practice for young bulls, who might need to fight others for mating privileges someday, as they spend their adult lives roaming the plains on their own or living in bachelor herds.

​Maasai Mara National Reserve, 2024