Female elephant with four calves, Kenya

Saturn, an elderly mother herself, cares for two calves orphaned by the deaths of their mothers, who were her adult daughters. The extended family structure helps groups cope with such losses. At sunset along a river channel Saturn oversees the play of her own two calves and the orphans. From her behavior alone, uniformly doting, you couldn't know which was which.

See more photographs from the September 2008 feature story "The Elephants of Samburu."

摄影者：Michael Nichols
雌象和四只幼象，肯尼亚
赛特姆自己就是一位年迈的象妈妈，还在照顾自己死去女儿们的遗孤。这个三世同堂的家庭构成帮助它们共赴艰难。日落时分，赛特姆悉心的照看着亲生的两头幼象和遗孤们沿着河槽玩耍。她对每一只幼象都关怀备至，就像每一只都是她的亲生骨肉。