Crossing the Ewaso Ng'iro River

The last time I saw the Ewaso Ng'iro River in Samburu National Reserve was 2008. At the time is was brutally dry and much of the game was suffering. Elephants were getting water only by excavating shallow holes into the old river basin. It was hard to believe only three years before I had watched the elephants swimming across the same river. The year I watched Ewaso Ng’iro Crossing I was on an artist’s safari that had made camp opposite all the elephant commotion. The activity went on for a while as elephants young and old alike love water and a crossing can be a momentous event. As we watched (for it was momentous to us as well!) We wondered when the elephants finally got across would they continue their trek up river or would they come barreling through our camp which was down river. Elephant herds such as the one depicted, are comprised of youngsters and females. The oldest, wisest and biggest female is the Matriarch. She is in charge of the well-being of the herd. - Kim Diment