A Beautiful Baby Elephant Was Spotted Having So Much Fun With Mud During A Drought

The world of children is a fun-filled place. We used to have a lot of fun playing games as kids and baby animals could definitely come up with their own ways to keep themselves entertained. They may not have flashy toys and expansive playgrounds, but they know how to make the most of the little things in life.

Elephants need mud baths because it not only cools their bodies but also produces a protective coating on their skin that protects them from the sun's rays and bug bites. Elephants have sensitive skin, so mud baths keep them from being sunburned.

In these charming photographs, a newborn elephant can be seen playing in the mud in the hot summer sun. However, his herd was frantically searching for water, which had become limited due to the drought at the time.

That magnificent scene was recorded by a lucky visitor named Maureen Gibson at Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Northern Africa with a high density of wild animals.

Many animals at the park, according to the 73-year-old pensioner from the Eastern Cape have had a difficult time and these gentle giants are no exception.

“A herd of elephants came down the dry Mphongolo riverbed near Shingwedzi in the northern part of the Park looking for subsurface water at a time when the Park was facing extreme drought,” she explained. “The adult elephants had to dig in the sand until the water level was accessible to find the water.”

Even though all of the grownups were stuck with their own difficult mission our adorable young kid managed to have a good time on his own. He had apparently discovered that tiny "heaven" for the first time. He was so enamored with it that even his mother couldn't stop him from spending time there.

“This elephant calf had obviously never had the chance to play in a muddy pool before and he couldn't get enough of it,” Gibson said. “He rushed straight back into the mud to frolic and play every time his mother encouraged him out with her long trunk.”

It goes without saying that being able to witness such a happy event is always a treat, especially for animal lovers.

“Photographing elephant calves is such a pleasure as they are so cute and unpredictable – their antics can always guarantee to bring a smile to my face,” Gibson stated.

Please share this post with your loved ones if you find this little guy as cute as we do!

H/T: Story Trender