Watch elephants bathing and dusting themselves at Rooidam

At Rooidam you get very close to the African bush elephants of Addo Elephant Park. On hot summer days the heat draws entire herds to the water, where they bathe and cool off. The reddish, brick-coloured soil gave the dam its name, as rooi means red in Afrikaans. Here you can experience the behaviour of these giants from close up and in complete peace.

From your vehicle you watch elephants stepping into the water, rolling around and then covering themselves with dust to protect themselves from the sun and insects. If there is no loose dust, the animals loosen the ground with their front feet and pick it up with their trunks. While the elephants dominate all other species at the water, the spotted hyenas seem unimpressed and hold their ground even against the largest bulls. If you are patient, you will experience a lively interplay of wildlife here.