Photographer snaps moment five-tonne elephant plays hide and seek behind tree

It’s not often you get to play hide and seek with a five-tonne elephant.

But that’s what Ramona Reichert felt a bull elephant was doing as it appeared to try to hide from her - unsuccessfully - behind a tree while she was on safari in Tanzania.

Ramona, a keen photographer, caught the moment on camera as the huge bull elephant moved in and out from behind the tree in Tarangire National Park.

The 36-year-old architect from Zurich was with husband Ivo Schemionek on safari when they encountered the playful creature.

Playful - Ramona said it felt like the elephant was playing hide and seek (Pictures: SWNS)

Ramona said they were watching a family of elephant cows and calves at a watering hole before the male arrived and gave himself a mud bath with the trademark red soil of the national park.

“After the mud bath the elephant approached the tree that stood nearby our car,” she said.

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"He kept moving in and out from behind the tree and it really looked like he was playing hide and seek - just the way little children do. It was a funny sight when such a huge creature behaves in such a childish way.”

"But I don’t think he was a good player, at least not a good loser because after a while he suddenly moved towards our car and made a mock charge. It seemed like he didn’t like to lose the game.”

Passion - Ramona and her husband want to use their pictures to raise money to support conservation

Ramona said she and her husband had developed a deep passion for wildlife photography - especially African wildlife in Tanzania.

They hope to use their pictures to raise money to support conservation organisations like The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and The Big Life Foundation.

She added: “We want to create awareness of the vulnerability of one of the last big wilderness areas in order to maintain it.”