THE STORY OF “BEN” THE ELEPHANT

ONE QUIET MORNING AT BUMI HILLS SAFARI LODGE ON LAKE KARIBA, ZIMBABWE…..

THERE APPEARED AT THE STAFF VILLAGE WHAT LOOKED LIKE AN ELEPHANT HAVING DIFFICULTY WALKING AND SEEMED TO BE IN TREMENDOUS PAIN.

ALTHOUGH THERE WAS MORE COMMOTION AS PEOPLE GATHERED TO SEE HIM, HE LAY DOWN AND RESTED.

WITH A DEGREE OF URGENCY, A VETERINARY SURGEON DR RICHARD HOARE WAS CONTACTED, AND WAS FLOWN IN FROM HARARE ON A SMALL BUSH PLANE.

AFTER A BRIEF ASSESSMENT HE ANAESTHETISED THE ELEPHANT, AND GAVE THE WOUND A THOROUGH INSPECTION AND TREATMENT.

IT APPEARED HE HAD A GUNSHOT WOUND ON HIS UPPER SHOULDER

AND TWO HOLES IN HIS EAR, BELIEVED TO BE FROM ANOTHER SHOOTING INCIDENT.

A RADIO COLLAR WAS FITTED TO BE ABLE TO FIND HIM TO MONITOR HIS RECOVERY.

WITH HAVING ADMINISTERED THE NECESSARY DRUGS AND TOPICAL OINTMENTS TO SPEED UP RECOVERY THE REVERSAL DRUG WAS GIVEN.

SINCE TREATMENT BEN HAS NOT STRAYED FAR FROM THE LODGE AND HIS OVERALL LOCOMOTION IS IMPROVING

FOR THE PURPOSE OF IDENTIFICATION THE QUESTION WAS WHAT DO WE NAME HIM?.

WITH THIS IN MIND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE HOUSEKEEPER NAMED BEN GANYA HAD SPOTTED THE ELEPHANT AND HAD REPORTED IT.

BEN GANYA IS FROM MAREMBERA VILLAGE IN MOLA, A SMALL SETTLEMENT WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE BUMI HILLS.

HE HAS BEEN WORKING AT BUMI HILLS SAFARI LODGE SINCE 1979.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The crocodile eating Lion of Bumi Hills

The “Bumi Boys” seen yesterday, along the Bumi Hills Safari lodge shoreline.

Having naturally dispersed from their parent pride in Matusadona national park on lake kariba, these two young males have made it a regular incidence along the Bumi Hills Safari Lodge shoreline, where they frequently kill and eat large crocodile.

“Dinner for two”

Cecil’s pride update, where is Jericho?

 

Cecil’s pride originally consisted of 3 Mature females and 8 cubs born to the pride in February 2015 sired by both Cecil and Jericho, however there currently remain 6 cubs and two mature Lioness. It appears the third Lioness is no longer with the pride.

She has disappeared the circumstances unclear.

They are situated between the area of Kennedy 2 and Mbiza within the eastern boundary of Hwange National Park. Although they are constantly on the move they still infrequently present regular photographic opportunity.

Despite the missing third Lioness, all six cubs are in fantastic condition.

Jericho, unable to hold the territory moved north abandoning the pride and has settled around Kennedy 1 and the area of The Hide Safari Camp and is seen on a regular basis.

He has within the territory he currently holds three Lioness, a collared Lioness named Cathy and her two nieces.

Here Cathy feeding on a young elephant they had just killed. This is a typical behavior of  Lions in the height of the dry season In Hwange.

What we can learn from the African Elephant.

A succession of Bull Elephant at a watering hole.

It is whilst watching elephant within Hwange National Park, one of Southern Africa’s biggest game parks that a certain dynamic is realised to exist between the Old Bull elephant and their young apprentices, friendships which will often span a lifetime.

The Elephant herd consisting of the matriarch, her sisters and daughters, as well as young males under the age of 14.

The young Bull from age 12 comes into must which is a condition of breeding. Both the male and female need to be in season for copulation to occur.

To avoid the young elephant bull from breeding with sisters and aunties he is expelled from the herd from between age’s 14 and 20 and in this condition has a natural inclination to cover tremendous distances moving him away from potential family members.

Elephant bulls when in breeding enter a state of elevated testosterone levels known as musth. During musth the elephant bull dribbles strong smelling urine profusely, discoloring the inside of his legs and penis and secretes from the temporal glands run down the sides of his head. The elephant Bull in Musth also becomes aggressive due to high blood testosterone and will travel long distances taking them away from areas where they may be related to cows, along the way they emit an  infrasonic musth call to attract oestrus cows and will challenge other bulls they may encounter.

In Hwange, In the late dry season when the young bulls are dehydrated, depraved of nutrition and alone will often be preyed upon by the prides of Lion as the young elephant bulls no longer have the protection of the herd. It’s at this time that the young bull elephant needs to join up and become Askari to an older bull who will teach him the natural migratory routes, certain plants to eat at certain times of the year but most importantly the breeding protocol’s and manners.

Although they can breed at a young age the Elephant can only start breeding when he is big bodied enough to be able to challenge the big bulls. Typically this takes place from age 35.

The discipline instilled from the influence of the older bulls is a vital part of maintaining order within the structures of society and definitely something we too should learn from.

Buffalo battle on an african safari

It is said “When southern africa’s Cape Buffalo clash horns, it is the equivalent to a car hitting a brick wall at fifty kilometres an hour”.

 

At the age of ten the Cape Buffalo Bull has an increase in his testosterone which peaks over 300% above normal blood testosterone levels. This enables him to fight for rank and thus gain breeding right’s.

The Buffalo bull within the structure of the herd needs to fight to establish rank within the herd. When on the move the Buffalo Bulls position themselves depending on rank. The Herd Bulls of high rank “Breeding Bulls” will situate at the front and to the side, whilst the subordinate bulls situate at the rear.

There is clear reason for this which is primarily to access the best grazing and thus maintain condition. This is especially relevant during the dry season when there is a drastic shortage of good grazing and browse of good nutritional value.

The high ranking breeding bulls are mainly the older Buffalo, as they will be big bodied enough to win fights. these are typically between the age’s of 10-13 years of age. By walking at the front they get good nutrition and so will maintain a better physical condition.

When the buffalo cow comes into season, she will play “hard to get” so as to ensure that only the Bulls with the best gene’s procreate with her.

While on their african safari, the guests with me never thought they’d get to see something so unique, although neither did I.

Cape Buffalo in the Heat of Battle In Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Bloodied, exhausted and willing to go on.

From the age of 13, the bulls tire physically. Known as “Dagga Boys” they suffer from mite’s, ticks and other infestations so will tend to bathe in mud for relief.

Dagga is an Ndebele name for mud.

They typically leave the herd and thus will live singly or within small batchelor groups. The young herd bulls will often leave the breeding herds from age 8 and will join the Dagga boys to regain physical stength and condition to be able to once again fight for rank as the day to day life continues of a Buffalo Bull in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.