Mystery of the constantly-draining hot tub solved as elephant is caught on camera DRINKING it



Staff at the safari park were baffled by the mystery of the disappearing whirlpool bath.

Every morning they filled the open-air bath outside one of the guest lodges, and every night it was empty - even though no leak could be found.



It was only when a guest heard a mighty slurping and went outside with a camera that the culprit was discovered in the shape of Troublesome the elephant.

I'm sorry, did you want some? Troublesome the elephant is caught on camera sneaking a drink from a whirlpool bath at a South African resort

The elephant - nicknamed 'Troublesome' - is well known to rangers at the reserve for her inquisitive nature.

But no-one realised she was behind the 'leak' at the Jacuzzi-style hot tub outside one of the £400-a-night lodges.

Susan Potgieter, owner of Etali Safari Lodge, in North West Province, South Africa, said elephants could drink more than 200 litres of water a day so drinking a whole whirlpool bath was no problem.

She said: 'When I first saw the photograph of her drinking I couldn't believe it. And then it dawned on me of course an elephant was drinking it.

'It was something of a relief because we had been trying to work out why the pool had been draining so quickly for weeks but couldn't find a leak anywhere.

Another view of the Etali Safari Lodge, where Troublesome is well known to rangers for her inquisitive nature

'When it was empty in the morning we first called a plumber, but they could not work out why it was draining either.

'Troublesome was caught in the act by a guest at the lodge who just came outside to have some tea on the decking.

'They were quite surprised to see an elephant taking a drink of her own too, and quickly grabbed a camera.

'We've seen this elephant a lot before and by the lodge, the rangers call her 'Troublesome' not because she causes trouble but because she comes so close to their vehicles.'

Ms Potgieter said Troublesome probably preferred the water of the whirlpool bath because it was clean.

She said: 'Now that we know what was going on we have tried to provide her an alternative source of water. But sometimes it's hard to get an elephant to change her ways.

