Our resident elephant Stompie was a patient and gentle old soul who did not react when people got too close but nonetheless we warned guests about approaching any wildlife around the camp. Most people respected the ideal but there were some who did not get it.
On my way to the office one day I saw one of the guests slowly moving towards Stompie, talking as she approached. I managed to get to her when she was a few meters from the elephant and cautioned her on getting too close. The strangely sympathetic look she gave me took me by surprise and her words that followed nearly had me in stitches, but I maintained my composure ...
The conversation went along these lines

'No my dear I am merely passing a message on to him'

'A message'

"Yes from the zoo back home

My expression did not deter her

'You see there is an elephant there that I talk to whenever I visit the zoo, and I promised him that I would pass on his regards to his cousins in Africa'

'But these are wild elephants, you must not get too close'

'My dear I think I understand what I need to do'I was stunned into silence.
'I know elephant language and I have to pass on the message and get a message back to the zoo ..' 'Okayyy but .....'

With a dismissive wave of her hand she continued her conversation in a garbled sort of mish-mash of sounds.
I managed to attract the attention of one of the guides who walked over to see what was going on. After explaining to him what the situation was he said to the Elephant Whisperer:
'Ummm the elephants of the delta have a different dialect to anywhere else and do not understand normal language, apparently it has something to do with the water'.
This time it was the guest whose turn it was to look puzzled.

I smiled inwardly and thought to myself 'Now why did I not think of that'.
By Leigh Kemp