These stunning pictures show a group of young elephants delighting safari-goers with a huge pile-on by the side of a waterhole.
Family herds of elephants were meeting up at the Shindzela Tented Camp in Greater Kruger, South Africa, when the youngsters got together to play.
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As amazed tourists watched on the older elephants lay down on the ground and let the younger animals climb on their backs and push playfully at them with their feet.
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Photographer Bobby-Jo Vial, 35, was positioned just 25 yards from the ‘family reunion’ and watched the elephants piling riotously on top of each other, as the animals made a ‘great deal of noise’ with their trunks.
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She said: ‘This was several different family units meeting together. I think that is why there was so much interaction happening.
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‘Elephants have their own immediate family herd and then they often meet up with extended family herds much like our own relatives.
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‘This could have been a family reunion. All the cousins playing. The younger elephants are the ones playing and the adults are drinking at the waterhole whilst keeping an eye on the youngsters.’