In the Mfuwe Lodge in the South Luangwa
National Park in Zambia, the sight of one or even ten elephants
strolling around the Hotel Lobby is a regular occurrence.
Unwittingly built on the elephant's traditional path in 1998, the Mfuwe Lodge stands directly en-route to this elephant herd's favourite food - "Wild Mangoes".
Andy Hogg, 44, Director at the Bushcamp Company that runs the Mfuwe Lodge, has lived in the South Luangwa National Park since 1982.
But in his 26 years of dealing with wild animals in the Zambian National Park, Andy has never seen such intimate interaction between man and beast.
"This is the only place in the world where elephants freely get so close to humans.
"The Elephants start coming through base camp in late November of each year to eat the mangoes from our trees.
"When they are ripe they come through and they keep coming back each day or second day to eat the mangoes."
Living in the 9,500 square kilometre national park, the ten strong elephant herd are led to the lodge each day by the Matriarch of the herd fondly known as, Wonky Tusk.
"The most interesting thing about this is that they are wild animals and are certainly not tame," explains Andy.
"They come through the lodge to eat the fruit.
"There is ten in that herd and it is only that herd that comes through. It is a strange thing.
"The Matriarch in the herd is Wonky Tusk, and she brings the nine others through and they come and go as they please."
Credits : The Telegraph U.K.
Wild Elephants stroll through hotel reception October 1, 2008
Unwittingly built on the elephant's traditional path in 1998, the Mfuwe Lodge stands directly en-route to this elephant herd's favourite food - "Wild Mangoes".
Andy Hogg, 44, Director at the Bushcamp Company that runs the Mfuwe Lodge, has lived in the South Luangwa National Park since 1982.
But in his 26 years of dealing with wild animals in the Zambian National Park, Andy has never seen such intimate interaction between man and beast.
"This is the only place in the world where elephants freely get so close to humans.
"The Elephants start coming through base camp in late November of each year to eat the mangoes from our trees.
"When they are ripe they come through and they keep coming back each day or second day to eat the mangoes."
Living in the 9,500 square kilometre national park, the ten strong elephant herd are led to the lodge each day by the Matriarch of the herd fondly known as, Wonky Tusk.
"The most interesting thing about this is that they are wild animals and are certainly not tame," explains Andy.
"They come through the lodge to eat the fruit.
"There is ten in that herd and it is only that herd that comes through. It is a strange thing.
"The Matriarch in the herd is Wonky Tusk, and she brings the nine others through and they come and go as they please."
Credits : The Telegraph U.K.
Wild Elephants stroll through hotel reception October 1, 2008
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