Incredible pics show herd of wild elephants cooling off and having a drink at a swimming pool in sweltering 38C heat

THESE Incredible photos show a herd of wild elephants cooling off and having a drink at a swimming pool in sweltering 38C heat.

The jaw-dropping snaps were taken by Paul Andrew Schofield, 34, at the Bukela Game lodge on the Amakhala Game Reserve, Africa.

After working on the lodge for ten years the elephants now trust Paul enough to bring their calf's close to the pool.

And let him take the jaw-dropping images – including a huge bull elephant emerging from the bush to enjoy the cool pool water.

He explained: “I felt quite touched that the herd felt safe enough to bring the youngsters so close to the pool while I was there, normally they are very protective and will keep youngsters away from any strange figure or being.

“They thoroughly enjoyed the refreshment as it was a good 38 degrees Celsius, I feel they felt quite safe and where very relaxed drinking with my presence right there, almost to the point that they felt I had given them permission to do so.

“I loved every minute of the behaviour they were exhibiting, full-on playing and elation is what I was experiencing whilst laying on the opposite side of the pool.”

Before Paul started getting to work with the elephants, their behaviour was very different.

He said: “I have been working closely with this herd for the past decade as they had been behaving badly around the lodge and guests.

“Not in any life-threatening way, just quite destructive due to their large proportions.

“I have been instilling social ques and installing boundaries for the herd, just by being present and communicating our boundaries in a respectful manner.

"Especially around the pools, I make sure I am around when they are there, to educate our guests but to also interact with the herd and showing them when and how it's okay to drink the water from the pools safely.”

Incredibly the elephants are spotted at the lodge every three to four days, enjoying their fill of water from the pool which is believed to be their best source of water in the area.

Paul said: “The chlorine does not harm the elephants in any way. 

“They have a poor digestive system to start with and require a fair amount of water daily. 

“So, any unnatural solutions in the pool water basically passes through its system without absorption.”

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