I’m in the northern regions of Botswana, which are home to one of the largest elephant populations in the world. I am here to cycle through elephant territory to observe them in their natural habitat. I think elephants are majestic. As I cycle through, the elephant herds tower over me. In comparison to these majestic animals, I feel incredibly small. Sometimes, I will ride by myself to visit the elephants to be alone with them and my thoughts. Being with the elephants is awe-inspiring, and ignites a passion in me to educate and share with people how wonderful they are--and how much we need to protect them.
Elephants have rich complex family groups, just like humans. Elephants are matriarchal, meaning the head of the family is a female. The herd is a group of aunts, sisters and mothers working together to care for the babies. Elephants are deeply intelligent. They can remember routes to different watering holes and paths to different places, and they pass this knowledge down to young elephants. The young learn by following the elder elephants as they traverse the savannah together. Young male elephants, also called bulls, leave the herd when they grow up to roam alone or to form small groups with other bull elephants.
