Blog

Sometimes during rainy season, the ponds literally overflow from all of the precipitation the sanctuary gets. We dug them specifically for the elephants, to ensure they are resting on a natural surface as opposed to concrete–plus, they are plumbed, so there’s water in them all year long; still, the ponds are never so full as when a shower has just come through. On this particular afternoon, Bambi, Guillermina, and Maia had made their way to the pond after a storm for some post-breakfast soaks. 

Maia and Guille took a dip immediately, submerging completely. You can see by their color that their skin is dark from being wet. The pink on Maia’s nose is especially evident when she’s shiny and sparkling. Bambi opted out of a swim and instead stood on the banks. (She’s still brown with dirt, so you can tell she never got in the water.) After their float, Maia and Guille got out of the pond and Guille found a pile of hay nearby, which she both ate and threw on her back, to no one’s surprise. So much for staying clean!