Elephant Encounter and Lion Track

This morning on our walk we came upon an elephant. We eased our way closer on the rugged terrain that separated us until we were about 50 yards away (incredible!), but she didn't like that so much  and began to walk towards us (no good!). We eased our way back, still facing her, and a few of us stood behind a large tree. When she got to about 15 yards from away and started to mock charge a few times, Doug started to wave his arms around and try to convince the giant to go on its way. The elephant agreed and meandered off. The whole thing was a bit scary, but so magnificent. On our way into the park yesterday, a guard was cleaning some tusks, and when we asked what happened he said, "oh, it was an unfortunate thing. The elly charged a guard and he was forced to shoot it." I suppose that knowledge made our experience a bit scarier (especially having no means of protection ourselves). Doug, who is quite the outdoors man and visits Mana several times a year, seemed comfortable though, so I knew we'd be fine. Since that experience we have had more, even closer encounters with the elephants here, but they have all been while we were in a vehicle, and let me tell you, being within the protective walls of a truck makes a world of difference!

Our last day at Mana we had not yet seen any lions. However some of the them have been traquilized and equipped with tracking collars. So, we decided to do a lion track. It was quite exciting, and again, terrifying. Nothing like the zoo-like atmosphere I experienced at Antelope Park last year. These lions are not cubs, and they are in NO way tamed. So we were along in a truck with a few guards who held an antenna device that they used to track the beasts. The one we were looking for was a female lion who was either pregnant or had new cubs. After finding the signal, they parked the truck and we got out to walk. We were warned that if we were to see her, we were NOT to run. We must stand our ground and even if she mock charged us to within a few feet, we were not to move. AHHHH!!!! I wanted to flee, haha, but that wasn't really an option.  So after walking for about an hour, we still had not located her and were told beforehand that the majority of the time, you follow the signal to the lion, but never actually see the (because they see you way before and stay very hidden). Finally though, the signal lead across the field from where we had come. So we passed by this thicket of brush that was out in the open and went into the foliage. However, the signal started to beep that she was behind us. So again, we passed right next the the circle of bushes on the other side. Then, after having made a full circle around it, a look of understanding donned on all our faces as we stared at the thicket we had been circling within a few feet of. Then the guard pointed to the bush and whispered, "she's in there." A few people in the group (guys of course) asked the guard to go shake the bush, which of course was a horrible idea. The lioness was either extremely pregnant and in pain or a new mamma ready to protect her babies- either way, she would have been ferocious. We never saw her, but it was quite a feeling to be so close and to know she was there! Maybe next time :)