Can you make the frame standing in the sand so that we can't see it's lower part? I think it would look better and save you some blending issues.
If you're not sure how it should look, take a small frame, in real life ( you can make one from paper, cardboard, and put it in a bowl of sugar, flour or something similar to sand. There you have your reference!

I would suggest you keep this entry on daylight and make some shadows to the animals, frame & tree. GL.

Thanks Greymval for the suggestion....I was on the fence about leaving the frame out of the sand and was hoping to get some feedback about it..I like it better in the sand now that I have redone it....I'm pretty pleased with the outcome but welcome any and all suggestions for improvements

I'm not eager to make future comments on this, cause i don't wanna get you discouraged , so if you like it this way, i won't judge Instead, this is...
What I would do:
1. Make desert opaque, so that the bottom of the frame cannot be seen any more - use plants to cover up where it goes in the ground if blending is not convincing.
2.Make the foreground Daylight and keep the sky in the frame, night time. Instead of that unconvincing green stuff I would search on sxc.hu "desert grass" I"ll find at least 3 usable sources that I can also use for step 1.
3. Make shadows for elephant,maybe tree as well- use displace map if necessary . Fix the cutout of that frame we can stil see white spots in Hi-res.
4.Wait for other comments if I don't agree with Greymval, lol.
Good luck.

Greymval it's never discouraging to get helpful input!! That's why I'm here...to learn and get suggestions so please don't stop your comments....I was already working on something close to what you were suggesting...I have a feeling this is gonna be a work in progress but that's how I get better so thanks for all your suggestions

Great attitude ... and you have done well with the picture. I have never been able to do these out-of-frame images ... the perspective is always so hard to get right.

very nice composition and good blending of different sources...i like the overall mood and giraffe is hard to find...well done