Natural hairness, plus a good dollop of sand. Now that the entire paddock has a sand substrate, the elephants tend to be covered in the stuff. It actually makes them look quite rusty in appearance, and when the new calf was born, until she went outside she looked really grey in comparison.
Thanks , I can see better on the photo of Sheba with a very small Nayan , it is what looks like an edge of something at the back of her head that confused me .