Author: Ethan Smith

Ethan aka "The Elephant Man" is a huge fan of elephants. He lives in the US with his wife and three kids. Together they travel to Africa every year to go on safari and see the big 5.

Ethan worked many years covering the news about the endangered animal species of Africa and is even mentioned in the now world renowned documentary "Planet Earth".

Ethan is passionate about conservation and loves educating others about these amazing animals.

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Elephant safari Visit elephants

Best places to see Elephants in Botswana

A majestic Elephant at a water hole in Botswana
A majestic Elephant at a water hole in Botswana. Photo by Jäger.

It is estimated that more than 130,000 elephants call Botswana home, making the country home to approximately one-third of Africa’s total elephant population.

Recommended reading:
How many Elephants are left in the world?

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Following the introduction of a hunting ban in 2014, elephant populations in Botswana have gradually increased, and the country’s efforts have won praise from conservationists all around the world.

However, the lifting of the ban has generated a lot of discussion and debate. Botswana is one of the elephants’ last strongholds, and it serves as a sort of talisman for Africa as a whole.

If Botswana can’t protect its elephants, what hope is there for the species elsewhere on the continent?

Even though their numbers have risen to the extent that the government now claims that elephant populations are generating increasing human elephant conflicts, which lead to fights.

Botswana’s wildlife tourism sector is almost entirely reliant on wildlife viewing, and the more people who visit the country’s beautiful places, the more important those creatures become.

Botswana’s elephants are scattered across the country, but there are a few hotspots where your chances of seeing these gentle giants are particularly good. Here are some of the best places to see elephants in Botswana.

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Elephant behaviors Elephants in the wild Questions & Answers (FAQs)

What are Elephants afraid of?

Lion in Kgalagadi, South Africa
Lion in Kgalagadi, South Africa. One of few predators known to take down Elephants. Photo by Ansie Potgieter.

In the wild, elephants are cautious creatures that are easily spooked. Even in zoos, elephants have a reputation for acting unpredictably and breaking out of their enclosures.

What exactly are elephants afraid of? Do they have any natural predators? Are there any animals that enjoy preying on them?

Because of their size, there aren’t many animals that pose a threat to elephants. Adult elephants can be targeted by large predators such as lions, tigers, and crocodiles.

However, these attacks are extremely rare since adult elephants tend to live alone or in small groups which makes it difficult for hunters to find them.

When an elephant is young, it is much more vulnerable to attacks from other species.

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Elephant safari Visit elephants

Best places to see Elephants in South Africa

Elephants taking a bath in a South African reserve
Elephants taking a bath in a South African reserve. Photo by Charl Durand.

The Southern and Eastern African game reserves are home to the continent’s densest African elephant populations. The best places to see elephants in the wild are in the national parks of Botswana, Cape Town, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa. 

South Africa is home to the savanna elephant, which can be found on grassy plains as well as in the bushveld. The Kruger National Park is one of the best places to see elephants in South Africa. The park has a large population of elephants, as well as other animals such as lions, leopards, and rhinos.

Even though their fenced-in and protected areas only make up a small portion of the range that they should have. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reports that the their populations are healthy and that their numbers are growing. 

This is a possibility. However, researchers believe that there were once between three and five million elephants roaming the continent of Africa during the 1930s and 1940s. The current population is not even close to reaching this level.

The loss of habitat, due to human settlement and land-use changes, is the primary threat to elephants. They are also killed for their ivory tusks, which are used to make carved figurines and other objects.

The illegal trade in ivory is driven by demand from Asia, where elephant ivory is considered a status symbol.

In this article, we will tell you which African countries are considered to be the best for safaris and specifically where you can see elephants in those countries.

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Diet & Nutrition Questions & Answers (FAQs)

What do elephants eat?

Elephant eating grass

What and how much does an elephant eat?

Elephants eat a variety of different foods, depending on the region and season. In the dry seasons they will often resort to eating bark from trees, which is not as nutritious but can still provide some sustenance.

In wetter regions there are more options for food and elephants will consume an assortment of vegetables, roots and fruit. They also enjoy grasses in their diet when available.

Elephants require about 70 to 100 litres of water daily, but may consume up to 150 litres. A male elephant can drink up to 100 liters of water in a few minutes!

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Elephant safari Visit elephants

Best places to see Elephants in Thailand

Best places to see Elephants in Thailand
Asian Elephant taking a bath. Photo by Jakob Owens.

We’re not only referring to the lovely people that call Thailand home when we say it’s home to some gorgeous citizens. The “Land of Smiles” is also known as the “Land of Spectacular Wildlife,” owing to its lush rainforests, tropical beaches, and lovely flora.

According to legend, seeing an Asian Elephant in Thailand will guarantee you good luck. On the other hand, these legends have failed to stop hunting wild elephants or exploiting elephants for profit.

The practice of logging was banned in the 1980s. However, most captive elephants were sold to the tourism industry, resulting in a more than 75% decline. Today, far less than 2,000 elephants live in their natural environments.

Currently, Thailand has no legislation that forbids the mistreatment or exploitation of elephants for tourism purposes.

However, the elephants rehabilitated in these ethical sanctuaries are helping to heal other elephants who have been abused, and you may do the same thing.

Check out these six best places and destinations to see elephant in Thailand!

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Conservation efforts Saving elephants Visit elephants

Everything you need to know about visiting an Elephant Sanctuary / Orphanage

Elephant strolling into sunset

Elephants are one of the most fascinating animals on earth. They’re intelligent, sensitive, and social creatures that deserve to be treated with dignity. Thankfully there are people who dedicate their lives to taking care of these magnificent animals.

We want you to know everything you need to know about visiting an elephant park. That’s why we created this guide, please read on!

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Anatomy Questions & Answers (FAQs)

How Many Stomachs Does An Elephant Have?

Old Elephant eating through vegetation

Elephants being as big as they are, some will think they must have more than one stomach. But they don’t!

The elephant’s original stomach is instead subdivided into four different compartments: the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. Each of which plays a crucial role in the digestion of the elephant’s plant-based diet.

Elephants are big animals with large appetites to match. They take up a lot of space, and they require a lot of food to keep going.

In this article, we will explore the anatomy of the “inner-elephant” go through it’s complex digestive system.

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Elephant behaviors Questions & Answers (FAQs)

Why Do Elephants Throw Dirt On Themselves?

Elephant throwing dirt on himself in the desert.

When you see an elephant, you might wonder what it’s thinking. They’re among the largest land animals on Earth, but they also have some of the strangest behavior.

An elephant can lift a tree with its trunk, or run around, knock things over, and throw dirt. But is there a good explanation for why elephants like throwing dirt on themselves, and for all these other strange activities?

In fact, almost everything an elephant does is related to staying healthy and protecting themselves against the elements.

An elephant is one of the most fascinating animals in the world. They are known for their size and their intelligence, and social behaviors.

What exactly is the reason why elephants throw dirt on themselves, why the dust bathing? There must be some sort of logic behind it all. Let’s take a closer look.

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Anatomy Questions & Answers (FAQs)

What is the elephant trunk and what does it do for an elephant?

Elephant trunk FAQ

The elephant trunk is an extremely useful tool that elephants use for a variety of purposes. Elephants are one of the few animals in the world to have evolved specialized appendages, and their trunks are no exception.

Trunks can be used as weapons, trumpets, snorkels, or scoops to pick up various things from the ground. The trunk has over 100,000 muscles in it!

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Anatomy Elephants in the wild Questions & Answers (FAQs)

Elephant Lifespan: How long do Elephants live?

The average lifespan of an elephant in the wild is around 50 to 70 years. A recent study had the median lifespan of an African elephant at 56 years. However, some African elephants have been known to live for up to 80 years.

Elephants are one of the longest-lived land animals. African elephants generally have a longer lifespan than Asian elephants. Female elephants tend to live longer than males.

Elephants in the wild face many dangers, such as predators, hunger, and disease. These factors can shorten their lifespan. Humans also pose a threat to elephants. Hunting and illegal poaching are major threats to wild populations.

In addition, habitat loss and fragmentation due to human activity can also reduce the lifespan of elephants.

Read on to find out more fascinating facts about the lifespan of Elephants.

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