These stunning pictures show a group of young elephants delighting safari-goers with a huge pile-on by the side of a waterhole.

Family herds of elephants were meeting up at the Shindzela Tented Camp in Greater Kruger, South Africa, when the youngsters got together to play.

As amazed tourists watched on the older elephants lay down on the ground and let the younger animals climb on their backs and push playfully at them with their feet.

Photographer Bobby-Jo Vial, 35, was positioned just 25 yards from the ‘family reunion’ and watched the elephants piling riotously on top of each other, as the animals made a ‘great deal of noise’ with their trunks.

She said: ‘This was several different family units meeting together. I think that is why there was so much interaction happening.

‘Elephants have their own immediate family herd and then they often meet up with extended family herds much like our own relatives.

‘This could have been a family reunion. All the cousins playing. The younger elephants are the ones playing and the adults are drinking at the waterhole whilst keeping an eye on the youngsters.’

Young elephants pile on top of each other by a waterhole in stunning pictures captured in a South African animal park

One of the elephants climbs on top of a relative lying on the ground as the family herds meet up in Greater Kruger

A young elephant playfully pushes a fellow animal with his front foot during the pile-on at the South African waterhole

Amazed safari-goers watch as the elephants put on a spectacular display at the Shindzela Tented Camp

One of the elephants lies on the floor while another juvenile strokes its back with his foot during the playful meeting

The photographer described the meeting as a ‘family reunion’ saying that elephants were meeting different family units

The young elephants enjoyed playing by the waterhole with the older juveniles apparently leading the way

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