Animals everytime!

 If I had to make a choice between humans and animals, it would be animals all the way. 

No hesitation. No apologies.                                                                                       Maybe it's because my first memory of life on this planet was seeing cute kittens in my bed. 

I don't know if that's why I love animals so, its just what it is. 

I guess that's also why my first choice of profession from as far back as I can remember, was to have become a vet.

 That dream was only frustrated when I inadvertently killed a baby duckling.😭.

I still occasionally think about it. 

Especially since it is possible that I had buried the poor creature alive when it was only drunk. 

That question will haunt me forever I guess.

So what the heck could have taken me on this path today, you could very well ask?

It's the hoopla on social and other media, accusing an elephant of killing an American woman in Zambia!

It is a blatant lie.

What the elephant did was to charge a safari jeep, overturn it and the wowan died from either something like an heart attack or maybe she was crushed to death by the jeep or other passengers.

Regardless, it was an accidental death and while I am always sympathetic to the families when humans die, THE ELEPHANT DID NOT KILL HER. 

I feel very passionate about this, for unlike humans, so-called wild animals don't kill humans or other animals willy nilly. They usually only resort to killing when hungry, or (they or their babies) are threatened. 

I am a bit uptight about the issue, mainly because I interact with these animals whenever it is safe to do so and get impatient at times when people react with the unnecessary "aren't you afraid" hymnal. 

Elephants, the gentle giants often protect smaller animals.

It's as if they think I am stupid and would put myself in unnecessary danger! 

Elephants are among the gentlest giants in the world. I saw them being used in Cambodia like how we use donkeys and mules in the Caribbean. I actually rode one but found it uncomfortable.  (I don't enjoy riding horses either!)

But to each its own. 

I also learned a bit about those gentle giants in Kenya when I spent a few hours observing them while on safari there.

Waterholes are for all

One thing that has stuck in my mind is how polite they are to each other. Like many humans, they tend to travel around in groups and stick to their herds. When they are enjoying themselves in their water holes, the minute another herd approaches, they leave the waterhole so the newly arrived can enjoy it. 

No holding out or fighting for space like us humans. 

The only time elephants made me feel a bit antsy was in Botswana when a huge herd was approaching our jeep. When they seemed determined to come right up to us, I admit I was kinda nervous. But they simply walked right up to our vehicle, one or two looked at us curiously, then they proceeded on their merry way.

Had this been a group of strange young men, I might not be here today to tell the tale! (especially if they were white men.)

In short, I am not at all suggesting we should put ourselves in danger around so-called wild animals, but in my book, they are far less dangerous than so-called civilized or tame humans!

Love those in the ocean too😊.

                                          

Youtube Link; https: https://youtu.be/4Tf4fwQ87wg