Elephants Coming to Say Hi and Try to Steal Camera

ELEPHANTS COME TO SAY HI AND TRY TO STEAL THE CAMERA
WITH PIX AND VID
By Shuk Yee Tsang
A herd of elephants stroll up to a safari vehicle to greet visitors, with some of them even appearing to try and steal the camera.
Murray Luscombe, 42, who lives in South Africa, shot the amazing encounters in the Eastern Cape safari region of South Africa.
In several clips, the elephants walk right up to Murray, waving their trunks to say hi and interact with the camera as if they’re inspecting it or planning to take it home.
Murray said he has been passionate about wildlife since childhood, growing up on a holiday farm surrounded by animals.
He borrowed his mother’s camera at just six years old and has been filming wildlife ever since, now sharing unique sightings online to inspire people to book once-in-a-lifetime safari experiences.
The elephants have become accustomed to humans driving nearby and will occasionally wander over to investigate the vehicles, especially when young calves are present.
The viewers were in awe of the close bonds Murray formed with the elephants.
Murray explained that, despite their comfort around people, it is crucial to respect the elephants’ space:
Murray said: “There has to be a very healthy respect for the elephant, as they are still wild.
"One can’t simply drive straight up to them, you need knowledge of their behaviour in order to have a close-up encounter.
" We’ve been observing these elephants for over 10 years and have formed special bonds with them.”
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