July 17, 2010: Madhuri

[xoxoxoBruce]

Madhuri is a large Indian Elephant with a penchant for lizards... particularly Monitor lizards.

Swinging mid-air like a rag doll, this monitor lizard was in for a rough time when a playful elephant took a fancy to it.
The unlucky creature had been swept off the ground and was carried around for a number of days by Madhuri, an Indian elephant.
With tail firmly clamped in the animal's trunk the lizard was swung around and occasionally put back on the floor.

These extraordinary shots were taken by Jagdeep Rajput during a trip to Corbett National Park, in India. He said: 'I had heard about this elephant before and looked out for her. 'She's known to be quite aggressive so when I did eventually find her I approached her carefully. 'The park has a good population of lizards and Madhuri is known as an expert in catching them - she has a particular fancy for monitor lizards. 'She caught the lizard alive and carried it all the time for few days - tossing it up and even dropping it.

Evidently she would play with the lizard then put it up on her back, so she could use her trunk to eat and drink.
Makes me wonder if she only does this when people are around? He said she's agressive, and maybe she's trying to make her trunk look bigger or something?

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