BOTSWANA: WARTHOGS AND ELEPHANTS IN KADIZORA CAMP

One of the fun things about Kadizora Camp in the Okavango Delta of Botswana is the presence of wild animals within the camp itself. I already described how we had to have a guide with a flashlight and a gun take us to our tent-cabin after dark or to the lodge in the early morning hours.

One morning we came out to find a pack of  8-10 warthogs just outside our door. By the time I got my phone out to snap a few pictures, they had moved into the brush a bit, but they were still plenty close. These pictures were taken from the front porch of our cabin:

The warthogs were fun, but they didn't hold a candle to Franklin the Elephant, who seemed to be lurking around every corner:

One day when we got back to camp after a game drive, Franklin was just to the right of the main entrance, eating the marula fruit that had dropped from the massive tree hanging over the lodge. Here is the tree:

. . . and here is what is under that canvas canopy in the photo above:

. . . and here comes Franklin, sweeping the ground with his trunk, looking for a snack:

Bob got quite close--too close--to him:

Not long after I filmed this video, we heard Franklin throwing a tantrum somewhere in camp, and we later learned from John, the manager, that he and Franklin had experienced "a difference of opinion" that led to the tantrum. I think that means that John was trying to shoo him away from somewhere he was not supposed to be.

Franklin returned to the camp at dinner and again got very, very close to us. Here is the "dining hall" with its elegantly-set table.

. . . and there is Franklin, walking pressed up against the handrail that separates him from us.  A bit passive aggressive, I would say.

We were delighted to have this beast in camp, but he is a real pain for the staff, who has to worry about not only the structural damage he causes, but also the safety of their stupid guests who get too close to him.

One night we were awakened by what we were sure was a roaring lion just yards from our tent cabin. It was a little frightening as we thought of our canvas walls, and I considered making Bob get up and ring our emergency bell. In the morning, we reported our experience to the manager. He laughed and said it had been Franklin or one of his cronies. "They can sound just like an angry lion when they are upset," he told us.

Well, THAT did not make me feel much better about our tent-cabin, especially as Franklin has a habit of pulling down poles and dismantling structures in the camp.

Of course, there is also the problem of his calling card, this one left in the middle of the trail that joined our cabin and the lodge:

On the other hand, elephant poop has absolutely no odor, so some might consider this a work of art.

Or perhaps that is stretching things just a bit too far.