Blog: They feel each other’s pain, argue with each other about directions, flirt and share what they have. What very nice and normal human beings? No actually, I’m talking about African elephants.

The monkey family apart, a 35-year-study (and that’s long enough to be believable) has identified the great and mighty beasts of the bush as being closest to us in emotion, feelings and habits.

And having seen and marvelled at the sight of elephant herds in many parts of Africa, including a special sanctuary area of Kenya, I can totally believe the elephantine conclusion.

They are amazing, magnificent, adorable … and their families come first. Yes, ok, they eat and trample the thousands of miles of bush land but this is their home, the homes and graveyards of their ancestors, what are they expected to do?

And if visitors don’t respect that about the bush, they should stay home too.

One of my most treasured memories is being in a safari vehicle at dusk one day, just two or three of us, when our guide and driver stopped abruptly, turned off the engine and lowered his hand for us to be totally silent and absolutely still.

Minutes went by before what we saw what he had sensed. The trees and foliage parted to our left and out came a great bull elephant looking left, then right towards us, we could almost have touched the trunk he waved in warning. For 10 or more minutes he stood as absolutely still as we were, his great bulk totally barring any move even if we’d intended to try.

And then … the foliage parted once more and a smaller elephant (mummy) appeared, a bit hesitantly but trusting dad to protect them. Because down at her feet was the tiniest baby being brought into the big world for probably the first time, the ranger thought.

Dad remained between us and them, saw them both across the track and then with a loud trumpeting in our direction, lumbered behind them and they were gone. Magical, moving and yes, all the emotions the survey suggests.

***

Friends from South Africa who we met up with in Portugal, were staggered to hear of our challenges with so-called human rights and widespread policy on assuming that a man with a camera close to kids is a paedophile. I say ‘so called’ because many perfectly civilised, caring and decent folk cannot see what prisoners allowed conjugal visits so they can make babies, granddads banned from taking pictures of their own grandchildren on sports or drama days or terrorists suspects allowed to stay here because they don’t want to go home, has to do with human rights or nabbing paedophiles. In so many countries, after all, they know and have experienced exactly what violation of human rights really means.

And believe me, it has nothing to do with prisoners not allowed to start families while paying for their crimes.

***

Don’t laugh, smirk or be cynical as yet another set of questions reckons that for most of us, the best things in life really are free. A giggle, the sun on our faces, sharing good food with great friends and being given a hug. True, you might think you need something to grin about, but I’ll bet my bottom dollar that most of the time most of the people could find something. Go on, go look and then surprise somebody with a hug. Hope the thought police aren’t watching, though!

***

The e-coli scare is serious but panic doesn’t help. Following advice and using common sense, might. So buy carefully, wash, peel and enjoy.