Rajan, 'the last ocean-swimming elephant' captured by Canadian photographer

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[...] One night, I watched a Hollywood movie called The Fall, which had a section where an elephant was swimming in tropical blue water. I didn’t know if it was real or a fake Hollywood thing. But I thought: “Man, if that does exist, I’d love to photograph it.”

I searched the internet and found the elephant from the film was living in the Andaman Islands, an Indian territory in the Bay of Bengal. When we sailed into the capital, Port Blair, a few months later in 2010, I decided to hop off and try to find this elephant. 

It’s surreal to swim with an elephant, especially in tropical blue water. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is crazy that I’m here witnessing this.” Often, Rajan was in shallower areas. But I really hoped to get a photo of him swimming weightlessly in deeper water, his legs kicking freely, in doggy paddle motion. It was challenging because I was always having to try to stay clear of him and his movements were unpredictable, which made it difficult to anticipate where he was going to swim. [...]

I think it’s important to share those experiences to encourage and inspire people to get out of their comfort zone and have their own adventures. It not only enriches their own lives but strengthens their relationship with nature and the environment, which means they’ll be more inclined to protect them. 

Source - https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/dec/08/rajan-last-ocean-swimming-elephant-jody-macdonalds-best-photograph-andaman-retirement?

[PartySick 172,426]

Wow, what a great shot

[dit 46,738]

he looks so cute like he is havin the time of his life