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We’ve been seeing more and more of Rana and Mara in the pond, especially on particularly hot days. Often, the depth they decide to wade in depends on their mood–and how bright the sun is. Rana used to splash around with Ramba on occasion, and they seemed to love getting muddy. These days, Rana has a calmer energy (and she’s a little older), and she doesn’t always get as silly in the water as much as she once did. But Rana and Mara are known for their love of mud, so they definitely take time to make a good-sized mess. 

On this particular afternoon, it was very sunny with nice blue skies: the perfect combination for a dip. In fact, all five Asian elephants went to their respective ponds that day. We saw Mara walk into the pond in Yard 5 and Rana followed her over. Mara was the first to submerge, though the top of her head initially stuck out of the water. Rana walked forward until the water reached her belly, and then stopped right next to Mara. After a few minutes of soaking, Mara decided to go further under the surface and dipped her head into the water. Rana quickly followed suit and they stayed there together for several minutes, with their trunks coming up periodically for air, almost like snorkels. We predict seeing them in this spot again soon.