While on a safari in the Kruger National Park, we came across a big herd of elephants, scattered around an open area in the bush. The breeding herd of elephants consisted of many adult females, accompanied by their young. While majority the adult elephants were standing and feeding, I noticed a few playful youngsters that are usually incredibly entertaining to watch. One specific young male elephant caught my attention. I noticed the young male elephant was lying down on his side with his hind-legs kicking up in the air every now and then. Next to the baby elephant was the mother elephant. It looked like both mother and son were enjoying a dust bath. Dust baths are usually taken after mud baths, adding an extra layer of protection to an elephant’s skin.

After covering his one side with dust, the baby elephant started kicking with his hind-legs up in the air. This was so funny and adorable to watch. While the mother elephant enjoyed spraying dust over herself, she noticed her son’s erratic behaviour and gently used her trunk to see if he was doing fine. The kicking continued until the baby elephant managed to get off his side and onto his knees. The mother elephant took one more puff of dust before gently supporting and helping her son with her trunk, making sure that he gets back onto his feet without any difficulty. It was incredible to see such an amazing example of support and kindness shown by a mother that cares about every move her baby makes.