Bull elephants

Dust swirls around a pair of bull elephants (above) as they fight. Serious clashes between bull elephants, though rare, include head ramming and wresting with tusks. Sub-adult males leave the family herd when they are aged about 12, and join bachelor herds, only returning to the main herd to breed. The larger, more senior tuskers will be most successful at mating.

In the past, elephants, the world’s largest land mammal, lived over most of Africa. Now found only south of the Sahara, in the mid to late twentieth century systematic poaching devastated elephant numbers. The international ban on the trade of ivory, though flouted in some countries, has aided their recovery, and elephants are now staging a good recovery in many protected areas, such as the Savute region in Northern Botswana. 

The Masai warrior

A watch is among the many elaborate adornments worn by this warrior (left) from Kenya. Each colour woven into the beads and fabric has a specific meaning for the Masai: white indicates peace, blue denotes godliness, reflecting the colour of the sky, and red, worn by warriors, is the colour of strength.

The Masai way of life is intricately bound up with their cattle, a symbol of wealth and a source of pride. Blood from cattle is used as a source of protein and is drunk either on its own or mixed with milk; a nick is made to the jugular, which is then closed up with ashes and allowed to heal. A common Masai greeting is 'I hope your cattle are well'.