Baby mine: Tanzanian elephant calves steal the show

I have loved elephants as long as I can remember. Their intelligence, the way they communicate, their social nature; they have always been a point of intrigue. That fascination grew into a lifelong dream of traveling to Africa to see them in their natural element.

I realized that dream in 2020, and have returned many times since. There are so many stories to tell, but first I want to focus on what really pushes you over the edge into elephant obsession: the calves.

Tiny (at 250 pounds), clumsy, and unaware of how to fully operate their own trunk, there is absolutely nothing on this planet as wonderfully amusing as a baby elephant.

We certainly got our fair share of them this past visit to Tanzania in February 2026. We were in the thick of calving season and babies of all species were abundant. We chose to spent part of our visit at Tarangire National Park, one of the best places to find large elephant herds.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass walking toward an adult elephant.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass toward an adult elephant.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass.

These small but mighty calves steal the show everywhere they go. Their playful nature has them off chasing after flocks of birds and fighting with their peer. Still not used to where one end starts and the other ends, it's common to see them trip and fall over themselves then lumber back up again. They try their best (and adorably fail) to emulate mom picking up grasses as they learn to use their trunk, which honestly at their age has a mind of it's own.

When in doubt, they are often up to something mischievous.

The social nature of the herd becomes most active when interacting with their rambunctious young. The entire group works together to protect them from harm and each member participates in passing on knowledge and wisdom.

If anyone or anything gets uncomfortably close, be it a predator or safari tourist, the entire herd reacts and surrounds the calves, becoming an impenetrable wall of large stomping feet, imposing tusks, and waving trunks. You can not only hear but feel their deep rumbles resonate against your chest as they communicate.

Elephant calf and adult elephant embrace trunks.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass.

Elephant calf standing in tall grass with two adult elephants.

There is not a more amazing feeling in the world than to be in their presence and just be in the moment. If you ever get a chance, find a place to park and just stay put. You will see so much more magic if you soon fade away to the herd just become just another part of the landscape.

If I could, I would never leave.