Exploring Nature: Elephants

One of the first animals I saw on a long-ago trip to south Africa was an elephant.

Our vehicle was about 10 feet away, and the first thing I noticed about the ponderous gray pachyderm was a small bird perched on its back. An oxpecker, our guide informed us, which searched the elephant for fleas, ticks and other edibles.

It seemed to me a very win-win relationship for both the bird and the elephant. Obviously, the elephant recognized the wisdom of letting the bird peck away.