WWF Travel Blog

© Dana Allen

Subject: Tragic lion and elephant calf interaction
Location: Kalamu Lagoon Camp, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Date: 05 August 2009

Yesterday afternoon, a guide and his guests were lucky enough to arrive just a few minutes after an elephant cow had given birth to her calf. Their initial joy was tempered by sadness as they discovered that the calf could not stand up. A pride of five lions lay nearby, with the remainder of the elephant herd – led by the matriarch – trying to chase them off.

Meanwhile, the mother elephant tried repeatedly for hours to lift her calf, but had not managed to. It was at this point, around 7 p.m., that the guide and his guests returned to camp.

The next morning when we returned, the baby was dead. But the elephant herd was still there and stood protectively around the calf. It was very clear that these elephants had not moved from the prone form of the calf since the evening before (even though it must have been dead for some time) and surely must have been hungry and thirsty.

The lion pride, meanwhile, had grown in number, to seven. The elephants made regular forays to chase the large felines off, but they returned relentlessly.

We sat and watched this scene for about three hours. Around 11 a.m., the heat of the day no doubt driving them towards water, the elephants eventually moved away from the baby. At this point, the lions took the gap and approached the calf – only for the elephant herd to come charging back.

In such a situation, the lions would normally have given way and avoided conflict. But emboldened by the carcass at their feet, they stood their ground. The elephants eventually gave up, finally accepting that the calf was dead.

They moved away trumpeting loudly.

Join WWF’s Wild Zambia tour, scheduled August 9-20, 2010

© Wilderness Safaris. Reprinted with permission.