david korte photographs

elephant sequence

Occasionally a camera trap records pictures of an animal as it becomes aware of the camera. It is fascinating to see the eye contact and the behavior that follows. A buffalo might flee, a sitatunga might investigate, and there is no telling what an elephant may do. I lost my first camera trap to what appeared to be an angry elephant. (lowland forest, part 3. https://dkortephoto.com/wordpress/?p=1147)

eleX6_Korte — A feeding elephant becomes aware of a camera trap and moves closer to investigate.

Maybe elephants can feel curiosity. I would like to think so.

dkortephoto

May 9, 2014

Gabon

2 responses to “elephant sequence”

Dave Clark

May 11, 2014 at 3:42 am

What alerts them? Is it from smell or sight or do they hear it?
Your pics are always amazing!

Reply
1. dk
  
  May 12, 2014 at 10:26 am
  
  Not sure what alerts them, but I think it is either 1, they can see into the infrared spectrum of the flash, or 2, the flash presents some of the red color range as well as the infra-red range. They seem to pick up on the camera when it is dark more often than daylight pictures.
  
  Reply