A Tragic Ending

Nature has a way of humbling us. Sometimes it’s through the elements, unleashing devastation in the form of cyclonic storms or engulfing tsunamis. At other times it reveals its raw brutality, reminding us of just how fragile life truly is. This is the story of a tragic ending, as the life of a majestic creature comes to a brutal end. It is a reminder of brutality of nature, and this article and media must be viewed with caution (viewer discretion advised).

All living things are pilgrims, sojourning on this planet for a brief fraction of time. With every passing second, the great cycle of life turns around us. Transformation is constant, like the quiet shift of a season, or the gradual rise and fall of a dynasty. Kingdoms and bloodlines are built over time, only to be overthrown in an instant and soon forgotten. Mighty rulers, once feared and revered, fade into memory as swiftly as the morning mist dissolves beneath the summer sun. Every so often, a photographer is privileged – or perhaps burdened – with the chance to witness a fragment of this eternal dance as life and death collide, and in that moment a duty to capture the unvarnished essence of the African wilderness.

Nature is neither cruel nor kind. It does not judge, nor does it show any bias. It simply eliminates the weak, the weary, and the senile, carving a way for the strong, the cunning, and the alert. Sometimes fortune falls in your favour and sometimes it slowly slips away. Yet it is this uncertainty, the absence of any promise of tomorrow, that makes the gift of today so profound. As a professional wildlife photographer, I have come to understand this truth intimately. In the last twelve months alone, I have witnessed the slow demise of two lion kings, an elephant, and a leopard. With every final breath observed, there is a price to be paid – an unseen toll that strips away a fragment of your humanity, leaving behind only the salt of a dried-up tear. Like a droplet of moisture in the Kalahari sun, so too evaporates emotion, only to be replaced by natures pure understanding.

In December 2024 I was joined by my friend and colleague – Helgardt Pretorius – to work on the promotional film and ‘behind the scenes shoot’ of my latest publication, ‘Eden: Soul of Africa.’ We ventured deep into the western parts of the Okavango Delta where the living waters flow into a sandy grave, marking the end of this liquid phenomenon. Our timing was perfect, arriving at base camp prior to the first rains and the scattered waterholes were teeming with an abundance of wildlife and birds. The late afternoon dust hung like heavy pollution in the air, throwing a suffocating veil of blood orange across the distant plains, lighting up the skyline in towering flames of dust. Sandstorms regularly engulfed the landscape, swallowing even the largest of mammals who vanished beyond the curtain of fine sand. There was an eerie silence in the air, as the smothering grip of drought became almost tangible.  

The dry season is when most of the predator-prey action occurs. The big cats frequently occupy the water holes; and the prey – driven by an insatiable thirst – are drawn to the fresh water like iron to the magnet. Unique interactions often takes place during times of extreme drought and on several occasions during production work I witnessed events such as lion and giraffe drinking together, as well as leopard and hyena – apparently to form a truce while quenching their thirst. During our photographic safaris we particularly schedule our tours to give guests the best opportunities to see interaction between species, particularly elephant and lion, which often proves entertaining.

However, during this particular trip, the severity of drought was overwhelming, and several claims confirmed it to be the worst drought in over 10 years. Giant sand tornadoes swept across the scorched land in apocalyptic fashion, giving an other-worldly appearance to the Okavango. The air was heavy with anticipation of rain, yet not a single cloud occupied the empty sky, and the hope of salvation dwindled in the afternoon breeze. The heat was intense, and the cruel midday gusts felt like the fan of an oven was switched on, evaporating the life from your body.

It was early morning when the cool of night was chased by the sun’s sudden arrival, splitting the horizon with a fiery blaze of orange. As we approached a nearby waterhole we came upon the body of an elephant – seemingly lifeless – haloed by a barrier of sand kicked up in its final death throes. We searched the area for signs of predators, but none were to be found. Sitting in patient silence, we waited for the first scavengers to arrive when the slightest movement caught our eye: the rhythmic rise and fall of a single breath. The elephant was still alive!

With wary eyes, she watched us approach – her dreadful gaze filled with fear and confusion, pleading for mercy. It was utterly heartbreaking to see such a gentle giant – once magnificent and proud – now lying prostrate at death’s door. A tragic ending in sight. It filled us with sorrow and gut-wrenching nausea. Her dreadful stare pierced the deepest part of our humanity as the reality of hopelessness sank in. Were it within our power to help, not a second would have been wasted but as this 4-tonne animal lay bound to earth, we quickly realized there was nothing we could do. With heavy hearts, we left.

The camp was eerily quiet. We moved through our chores and ate breakfast in silence. ‘We should go back. We are photographers, documentarians, naturalists … we cannot allow emotion to blind our perception.’ We knew this was true – that we are mere witnesses to the great theatre of life. Yet it took monumental strength to climb back into the vehicle and sit once more with the dying elephant. It felt cruel, as though we were somehow betraying. Her eyes seemed to follow us, silently begging for help. Her pain and confusion were contagious and we could feel the heavy weight of reality pressing down on our chests and swelling in our throats.

Twelve hours later she was still there, baking under the merciless sun. A pair of jackals lurked beneath a nearby tree, waiting patiently for her final breath. Vultures began to gather, decorating the dead branches like sombre decorations. Then two elephant bulls arrived, cautiously approaching the waterhole. They clearly knew she was there, acknowledging her presence more than once. Both elephants started to drink, filling their mouths with the taste of fresh water … and almost sadistically spraying it over themselves as the dying female looked on. The cool, misty residue drifted over to her but respite never lasted – evaporating instantly in the days relentless heat.

What happened next revealed the extraordinary emotional intelligence of these animals. After quenching their thirst, the bulls stood perfectly still, as though waiting. At first we thought they were silently communicating with each other, but then one moved closer to the female and stood silently by her side.

Hours dragged on under the gruelling sun when suddenly, the female began convulsing. Gathering water in her mouth, she sprayed it weakly across her withered body as the final death throes began. Her muscles spasmed violently, writhing beneath her skin like a brood of vipers trapped in a mirey pit. Her breathing became slow and laboured, straining under unbearable pressure until finally it stopped. In that moment, her pupils dilated and the breath of life left her body with a final, guttural belch. She was gone … and the world seemed to stop and mourn in a shattering silence.

From the corner of her eye, a single drop of moisture slowly streamed earth-bound, carving its way over the scorched skin. It’s gradual evaporation seemed nearly philosophical as it never reached its final destination and the evidence of existence soon vanished.

For a moment, the world felt empty, suspended in silence. Then, as if breaking a spell, one of the bulls cautiously approached her body, gently sniffing her head with his trunk. In human terms, it was the tenderest of condolences, a gesture heavy with grief. He then circled to her hindquarters and scooped some of the loose sand she had kicked in her struggles, casting it over himself like a shower of ash.

This sacred moment was then replicated by the second bull. Afterward both males disappeared, melting away into the surrounding tree’s – leaving us dumbfounded, while wondering what had just happened! Was this act by the bulls a coincidence, or were they mourning her loss, possibly understanding her predicament and pain. As the days followed, I pondered over this thought, yet the question consistently came back – why didn’t they attempt to help?

A lot transpired following the death of the elephant. As usual the scavengers came, with jackals and various vultures gorging themselves on the 4-tonne buffet. Strangely, the larger predators avoided the carcass – their tracks leading up to the elephant then detouring around it to get to the water. It was a mysterious event, of which we don’t have any answers. Why did she die? Why did the bulls wait by her side, then shower themselves in the sand kicked loose? Why didn’t the lions feed, or the leopard just wander by? So many questions with very few answers.

In a way that is the beauty of the wilderness. We won’t always have the answers, and we are left to write the conclusion to our own questions. Either way, it was a tragic ending to an incredible creature – a that will never be forgotten. It has forged a silent bond between us, just as the intense leopard sighting did between my guests, Jordan and myself (see A Fatal Encounter blog). These moments show nature’s raw brutality but subtly remind us that we are only spectators to our wild planet. Here to observe, document, capture and sometimes enjoy.

Article by Armand Grobler

Rhulani Photo and Film

Readers Note: Please note that this article was written by Armand Grobler. It was not generated by any AI programs. Google was used to enhance the literature in the form of individual words in order to describe particular parts of the sighting in more depth, however these are only one-off words and not entire sentences or paragraphs.

When we left the elephant the first time, we immediately reported it to park officials and several guides, however beyond that we had no control. It is important to note that should we have interfered in any way – such as putting the elephant out of its misery or try to save the animal through our own initiative – that Botswana’s government takes a strong stance against such public behavior, no matter how heroic, and we would have been reprimanded with legal action against us. There was nothing we could do for a 4-tonne animal besides reporting it as we had done.