Elephant in cloud of dust by Petra van der Zande

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An elephant disappears into a cloud of dust. The elephant was spotted dusting itself in Etosha National Park, Namibia.<br /> <br /> Retired accountant Petra van der Zande, 66, "Elephants will have a dust bath to protect their skin from the sun and to stay cool. The elephants do this by splashing their bodies with water and then they<br /> throw a layer of earth on their backs to create a barrier. The soil also acts as an insect repellent. This elephant was only throwing soil, there was no water nearby."<br /> <br /> "We were driving in a car, window open. In Etosha you are not allowed to leave the car. We saw one elephant approaching the car and before I knew it he sprayed sand all over himself. It happened very quickly but I managed to get these photos through the open window. Elephants can walk very fast. Very soon we only saw the back of the elephant as it disappeared in the dust cloud. It was a beautiful and exciting moment!"<br /> <br /> Please byline: Petra van der Zande/Solent News<br /> <br /> © Petra van der Zande/Solent News & Photo Agency<br /> UK +44 (0) 2380 458800
An elephant disappears into a cloud of dust. The elephant was spotted dusting itself in Etosha National Park, Namibia.

Retired accountant Petra van der Zande, 66, "Elephants will have a dust bath to protect their skin from the sun and to stay cool. The elephants do this by splashing their bodies with water and then they
throw a layer of earth on their backs to create a barrier. The soil also acts as an insect repellent. This elephant was only throwing soil, there was...
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