Reassurance

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Asiatic elephants - Elephas maximus
Bandipur Tiger Reserve
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 24-105 F4 L IS USM lens at 105mm, ISO 800, 1/160 sec, full frame image.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Lovely image sir... I have seen this behaviour when they are nervous. In one such instance in Tholpetty a young mother and calf on detecting our presence quite close (in an anti poaching camp) rushed to the matriarch and started touching it on the face just as in this image and the calf started suckling from the matriarch instead of the mother.

TFS
Roopak

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Lovely composition. The 'Moon Dot' or Chandrabindu formed by the trunks of the two cow elephants captured at right moment looks fantastic. It looks like 'alert' (not alarmed) position in a tigerland. The young elephant might be inserting tip of the trunk to take out 'saliva' for brushing over its body, if it was hot, otherwise it was seeking reassurance by 'touch'. Nice capture.Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild

[Sabyasachi Patra]

The elephants were a bit nervous. A forest department canter reached the spot and very aggressively parked close to the elephants. The tourists were mocking the elephants. One of the elephants even mock charged at the canter. The elephants kicked up dust with their forelegs and touched each other with their trunks.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Nice image displaying the bonding of these gentle giants. It is sad that the forest department canter carelessly parked so close to them, making them uncomfortable. Thanks for sharing.

[Debasis Bose]

Nice composition, thanks for sharing

[Sandip Mukherjee]

Nicely briefed by everybody, to good to note this manner..........

Thanks for details, once again

[Shyamala Kumar]

Very poignant image,indicative of the complicated emotions which elephants are capable of feeling, captured at the most critical moment.Thanks for sharing.