Elephant Sanctuary

Hi All

Thought I would share a quick post with you regarding our visit to an Elephant sanctuary outside Plettenburg Bay. There are only 6 elephants there but they now have a great life. One of the elephants used to be kept as a pet! Inevitably when she got older and BIGGER her owners lost interest in her - the elephant became bored and naughty and so it was time to find a solution. The other elephants there are orphans from poaching or culling.

At this sanctuary we got up and close with the elephants. We learnt about their backgrounds, their personalities and their ages. We got to 'lead' them into the forest, we touched, stroked and fed them and lastly and most fun, we got to ride them. All in all a great tour and the money we spent goes on the elephants.

One of the elephants (the one I led was called Mopane - not sure if that is how you spell it) had no tusks. When questioned about this the guide explained that this was not unusual nowadays. The reason? So many elephants with big impressive tusks have been hunted for their ivory that the gene has been weakened throughout the elephant popuation. It stands to reason, if we kill all the elephants with great tusks how can their genes be passed on to future generations - another side effect of our greed for ivory. Apparently it will take generations for this to be reversed, if ever as the illegal ivory trade is still alive and kicking. Apparently elephants with no tusks can survive well enough in the wild but they don't have their tusks to knock off food from tree tops or to dig with to find roots or water. The plus side is that the poachers have no need to kill them.
Still want that ivory ornament?

A few of the elephants have damaged trunks. The sensitive end which is used to pick things up has been cut off. How? They have accidentally set off illegal traps for other wildlife which have sliced off the end of their trunks. Nice huh?

I have to say - I am a big fan of elephants, now even more so.