Elephants toss mud on themselves to protect their skin from the sun and biting insects. The mud also helps cool them down and soothes irritated or sensitive skin. After bathing or wallowing, they often follow up with a dusting of dry soil to seal in moisture and enhance the protective layer. I filmed this big bull elephant on day one of our recent trip to the Masai Mara in Kenya. Please contact us if you’d like to join our tour in late November of this year. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 70-200mm lens (at 200mm), ISO 476, f/18 at 1/250th of a second and 120 FPS.