There you are, lounging poolside at a safari lodge, cocktail in hand, when your sun-drenched serenity is interrupted by a thunderous sloshing and an unmistakable low rumble. No, it’s not another guest doing cannonballs into the water – it’s an elephant! A very large one. And it’s just dunked its trunk in your lodge’s sparkling swimming pool.
The question is, why? There’s a perfectly accessible waterhole a few paces away. It’s even tastefully decorated with mud, reeds and the occasional terrapin. So why does the elephant ignore nature’s offering and head straight for the chlorine?
For a start, elephants aren’t just massive. They’re also remarkably discerning drinkers. The average African elephant can consume up to 200l of water in a single day, and just like your health-conscious neighbour with her reverse osmosis tap, they prefer the good stuff. Lodge pools, filtered and free of silt and mud, offer a cleaner, cooler alternative to muddy waterholes. Sure, they’ve got a whiff of chlorine, but elephants seem not to mind.
Also, much like your Aunt Maureen, elephants enjoy a drink with a view. Many lodge pools are placed on raised decks with excellent sightlines across the bush – perfect for spotting predators or admiring the sunset. Conveniently placed and often in shaded, protected areas, pools are a more comfortable option than standing under the scorching sun in the open veld.
The easy way
Elephants never forget, especially when it comes to the good stuff. Once a matriarch has sussed out a top-notch pool situation, she’ll return with the herd like clockwork. Some herds even pass these locations down – like heirloom recipes.
Elephants are highly intelligent and naturally inquisitive. That’s part of the reason they’re known to open taps, unzip tents or taste-test Land Rover antennae. A pool is an unfamiliar water source, so, of course, it must be investigated – thoroughly and repeatedly.
Wild waterholes aren’t always ideal. In the dry season, they can shrink into muddy soup. Add a few wallowing buffalo, a grumpy hippo or the occasional lurking croc, and you’ve got quite the unappetising mix. Pools, on the other hand, are safe, clear and mostly free of floating warthog. Who wouldn’t prefer that?
Elephants also seem to have suspiciously perfect timing: just after the pool guy’s cleaned the leaves or when guests are gingerly dipping their toes in. Is it a power move? A cheeky reminder of who really owns the bush? Or just excellent comedic timing?
Of course, not all lodges love sharing their plunge pools with a six-tonne visitor. Some have resorted to clever barriers, submerged wire grids, or even motion sensors, with varying degrees of success.
Still, for those lucky enough to witness it, the sight of an elephant gently slurping from a swimming pool while the guests look on in awe (or scramble for their phones) is a uniquely African spectacle.
It’s a gentle, if slightly soggy, reminder that in the bush, the rules of civility are trumped by trunks, and five-star service often includes a complimentary elephant visit.
Text |Â David Batzofin
Photography |Â Huang Jenhung
For more information, go to travelandthings.co.za.
