The African elephant, the largest animal to walk the earth, has shown an
extraordinary ability to adapt to habitat and climate. Elephants migrate
widely in herds, constantly searching for food and water. They need to drink
water every day and are always hungry. An adult elephant can eat as much
as 600 pounds of leaves and grass in a day.

In addition to having practical functions, the elephant's ears, trunk, tail and
body express a range of emotion.

This particular elephant is venting frustration at an unwelcome guest at the
watering hole. An unfortunate oryx stumbled into the water and had great
difficulty making an exit in a timely fashion · or at least quickly enough for
my subject matter.

In this instance, the perturbed pachyderm spreads it's large fanlike ears in a
show of anger, which makes it look particularly huge and intimidating. And
like the bully in the playground, the hostility is expressed even more clearly
by scuffling the dirt towards the object of aggression.

Needless to say the oryx was not long making a hasty retreat.