Accra-Mole National Park has hundreds of elephants roaming its reserves. Despite this great number and the large size of these majestic animals, it was extremely difficult to find and see elephants. Our first safari walk in the late afternoon yielded no elephants. But, the next morning, we all woke up to take the 6:30AM walking safari to see elephants before leaving Mole. After wandering around for about an hour seeing plenty of elephant tracks and the constant buzz of horse flies driving me insane, I was about to give up. But, then, our rifle-carrying guide came through for us and we found eleven elephants! The African elephant is much bigger than its Indian cousin. The most obvious difference is probably the shape of its ears: large and square compared to the smaller and triangular ears on the Indian elephant. As we approached a watering hole where the elephants were bathing, it began to smell like a circus (my most memorable elephant encounter before Mole), so I knew we were in the right place. Watching the elephants bathe and throw sand on their backs as insect repellent was an unforgettable experience. I can’t think of any other animal that has the same silent magnanimity.

Antelope and Water Bucks were the hardest to track because they would flee at any sound. We were only able to catch them from a distance and hear the rustle of their graceful run. The antelope and water bucks are very territorial. Other male antelope and water buck cross into the marked territory of another male at their own risk. However, all females are allowed to cross. The most intriguing thing we were able to see was a fight between two male water buck for a female water buck.
Baboons,They were everywhere! They roamed around the villages, hung around the water towers, climbed up along the soccer goal posts, and were found walking around the reserves. Though they are hairier then we are, the similarities in their mannerisms is really uncanny. Baby baboons cling onto their mother’s backs not too unlike how babies in Ghana are strapped to their mother’s backs; the baboons groom with meticulous scrutiny; the curious stares they give you only reflect our own curiosity; and they sit on “toilets” to pass waste.
Warthogs: The Lion King really did get this one right. Warthogs are not very majestic and are the “pigs” of the African wild. They were also much bigger than I had anticipated. At Mole, they run wild in the reserves, but also coexist with the humans living in Mole. If you are not careful, they will step onto your veranda in search for food. The most entertaining thing about the warthogs is how they eat. Since they have very short necks, they will bend down on their knees to eat. Though, I don’t remember Pumba doing this in The Lion King.
Crocodiles: The first stop on our road trip to Mole National Park was Paga, a town at the border of Ghana and Burkina Fossa. These crocodiles are unique because they are tame and live side by side with the people of Paga. Legend and folklore have the people of the village intertwined with the lives of the crocodiles. Each crocodile represents a human spirit. We unfortunately arrived in Paga too late to get the best of pictures.