Elephants cross and re-cross the Zambezi River
on December 19, 2011Elephant River Crossing
Elephants Crossing the Zambezi River
Now is the time of year when the elephants cross and re-cross the Zambezi River. The river is low and the water is flowing quite gently towards the Victoria Falls. We sometimes wonder whether the elephants want to be in Zambia or Zimbabwe; they move from country to country all the time finding their favourite spots.
The river in front of the Falls Resort is about 2 km wide. It is littered with islands, big and small, so the elephants island-hop as they cross the river. Some of the islands are big enough to provide them with food so they may stop over for a day or two, feeding on the trees and plants. Some islands, though, are merely rocks protruding during low water and only provide a resting post on the journey between the two banks.
The other day I watched as two bull elephants crossed from Siloka Island to the Zambian bank. They swam for a distance and then rested on some rocks. After a while they took to the river again. Elephants are strong swimmers; they ‘paddle’ with their huge legs keeping their trunk out of the water to breathe. Even quite young babies will follow their mothers into deep water and naturally swim alongside mum. An elephant can grow to 4 metres high and weigh 6 tonnes. It is hard to imagine how they can swim so elegantly through water.
Seeing the elephants crossing the river is quite a spectacle for our visitors. Watching them from the river bank is good, but on a cruise boat it is possible to get a much better view. The boat will keep its distance, of course, because the elephants should not be disturbed. But our visitors always manage to get some great photographs while watching one of our most spectacular sights on the Zambezi River.
Wherever the elephants decide to spend their time, Zambia or Zimbabwe, they are now much happier than they were a few weeks ago. The end of November gave us the long-awaited rain. The trees have sprouted fresh new leaves, and the grass is covering the land making it look like a golf course. It is a most stunning time of year; it is like a renewal of life after weeks of oppressive heat and a parched landscape. It is not just the elephants which are happy; all the animals and birds are too.
