On an early morning game drive shortly after sunrise, we crested a hill on a dry season’s dusty road and found ourselves directly among a large herd of elephants.  Forty or more animals ranging from very large, aggressive bull males to the most tender of infants, as surprised to see us as we were to see them.  Finding ourselves suddenly amongst the dizzied herd, we abruptly halted our vehicle; elephants began scrambling all around us and seemed to be quickly growing in numbers.  Trumpeting loudly to each other, one mighty blow after another, they warned their trailers that there was danger in the area.  As quickly as they could amass the herd, they scurried down to the Sabie River and across the parched bottom to the opposite side. The larger males then turned to us in an about face and began flapping their ears and sounding off in defiance.  Then out of nowhere from our flanks came the alpha male.  He was on top of us before we knew it.  He had been tailing the herd to position himself as the first line of defense to protect the herd from rear assault.  Hustling by just off the back of the vehicle, he snarled, then headed to regroup with the others, ears erect, eyes fixed on us, he moved swiftly, trumpeting in strong baritone blows, and beckoning the others that waved him on with their ears from the far side.  In the haste, the matriarchs and adolescents immediately shrouded the youngest of them all, one keeping an attentive eye, the others facing outwards towards the threat, postured in a “Ring of Protection”.