AN ELEPHANT poops on her baby’s head — and seems to know what she’s doo-dooing.

Locals in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park told wildlife snapper Jens Cullman it is a bonding ritual that helps boost the little-uns’ immune system.

6 An elephant was pictured pooping on her baby's head Credit: Jens Cullmann/Kennedy News

6 The pictures were taken at Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park Credit: Jens Cullmann/Kennedy News

6 But locals say it is a bonding ritual that helps boost the little-uns’ immune system Credit: Jens Cullmann/Kennedy News

German Jens, 50, said: “What I’ve heard is that when the baby get dung on it, it helps boost the baby’s immune system and maybe it’s some kind of bonding with the mother as well.

“I got photos of the calf looking towards me and then it gets up and the mum turns around and the calf follows her and then she drops her dung on him.

“The photos were exciting for me, I have to admit. Friends and family I’ve shown them to think they’re hilarious.

"Everyone was just ‘wow wow wow’.”

But in a heartbreaking revelation Jens said the mother elephant was ‘very skinny’ because of a bad dry season in the park in which a lot of elephants died and other animals suffered.

He said the mother and baby would have had to spend the whole day in search of any food they could find.

Jens said: “In Mana Pools this year it was very dry and a lot of animals suffered.

“The mother was a very skinny elephant as well. A lot of elephants and baby elephants died because of the drought.

MOST READ IN WORLD NEWS SHORT SHARP LOCK Pubs & restaurants could shut completely within days in two-week lockdown SEE YOU IN SPRING 6 months of on-off lockdown as Boris to declare 'circuit breaker' in days Exclusive CARROT AND STICK Workers told to isolate with Covid symptoms will be given cash lump sum Latest HOME-TIME HORROR Girl, 11, fighting for life after she was hit by bus near grammar school MASK MAYHEM Anti-mask mob clashes with cops at huge demo against vaccine and lockdown KILLER HUSBAND NABBED Moment husband who murdered wife before going to the pub is caught

“I saw this little cute baby elephant and stopped the car and walked a little bit towards them and took the shot.

“They were eating. It was the end of the dry season and they really have to go the whole day through the park and look for what they can get.

“I followed them because I like these two elephants. I got these cute shots of the calf next to the big foot of the mum.”

6 Photographer Jens explained: 'when the baby get dung on it, it helps boost the baby’s immune system and maybe it’s some kind of bonding with the mother as well' Credit: Jens Cullmann/Kennedy News

6 In a heartbreaking revelation Jens said the mother elephant was ‘very skinny’ because of a bad dry season in the park Credit: Jens Cullmann/Kennedy News

6 The mother and baby would have had to spend the whole day in search of any food they could find Credit: Jens Cullmann/Kennedy News

Tiny baby elephant KICKED to the floor by giant mamma who didn’t want it playing her child