The African Elephant; Five Ton Giant
...
Ranger killed by elephant in Kruger
National Park Feb 2005 ...
see below
Interesting Information on the African
Elephant... The 2004 census was completed in November 2004
Dr Ian Whyte reported that 11,454 elephants were counted
this year in the
Kruger Park compared to 11,672 elephants in 2003. It was suspected that some
elephants were moving into Mozambique. It took two weeks in August to count the
Elephants
Weight of the African Elephant:
Male:5000-7000 kg.
Female: 3000-5000kg.
Life Expectancy of The African Elephant:
55-75 years. On November 11th 2004 one of the largest
"Tuskers" in the Kruger National Park was found dead by ranges (died of natural
causes) .... this elephant was named Mabarule meaning "Big Foot" in Tsonga
language. He was often seen close to the picnic spot called Makhadzi not far
from Letaba camp.
Food Eaten by The African Elephant:
The African Elephant is a grazer and a browser. The
African Elephant will eat grass, roots, tree bark, leaved
branches and fruits.
Predators:
The young Elephants will often fall prey to
African Lion but otherwise the
African Elephant has no predators.
Habitat of The African Elephant:
The African Elephant is very adaptable but prefers areas with
clean drinking water, leafy vegetation and enough grass. They also prefer areas with shade. African Elephant, When Active:
The African Elephant is diurnal and nocturnal and feeds long into the night.
Special Information on The African
Elephant:
The African Elephant is found in breeding herds that consist of 6-300+ Individuals. A female Matriaque leads the herd that is made up of juveniles, sub-adults and females. The male bull African Elephant is normally solitary or found in small bachelor herds.
The record weight of an African Elephants tusk is 103kg, and the record length of a tusk is 3.5 meters.
An African Elephants gestation period is about 20-24 months long, and a mother will give birth to one calf (occasionally two) throughout the year. The mother of the new born calf will often still have juvenile or sub-adult calves to look after. African Elephant have a good sense of smell but the same cannot be said for their eyesight and hearing. The African Elephant can't tolerate the
presence of any predators in the area and will chase them away even if they are no threat to them. This is also the case when the African Elephant is drinking at a waterhole, the whole herd will chase away any other mammals drinking. They can't stand other herbivores around when they want to drink. The African Elephant has also been known to chase away
Buffalo that have been wallowing in the mud.
See these interesting
African Elephant photos.
The African Elephant is also known as the African Savanna
Elephant.
Media Release: Elephant Tragedy In Kruger National Park... Ranger Attacked By Elephant In KNP Date: 2005-02-24
A field ranger, Lance Corporal Wilson Ndlovu, was attacked and killed
by an elephant while he was on normal patrol in the Stoltznek Section of
the Kruger National Park yesterday morning.
The ranger, and his colleague, Field Ranger Raymond Nkuna, were busy
with a bicycle patrol and were cycling 15 metres apart when the incident
happened yesterday morning at around 07:30.
According to KNP investigators, who were on the scene soon after the
incident happened, the area is surrounded by two-metre-high grass and
the rangers wouldnt have seen the elephants until the last possible
moment.
Field Ranger Nkuna survived the incident.
We would like to pass on our sincere condolences to the Ndlovu
family on their loss. Lance /Corporal Ndlovu was said to be one of the
finest and most experienced field rangers in the KNP and we will mourn
his loss for a long time, said the KNPs Executive Director, Dr Bandile
Mkhize.
Lance Corporal Ndlovu is survived by three brothers (two of them work
in the KNP and the oldest retired from KNP service recently), his wife
and children, who live in the Mkhuhlu area. Media Release: Elephant
Overturns Tourist Vehicle in the Kruger National Park:
Date: 2006-04-11
An elephant bull overturned a tourist vehicle in the Kruger National
Park (KNP) between Phalaborwa Entrance Gate and Letaba Rest Camp at
about 10:45 this morning (Friday April 7, 2006). The vehicle had four passengers, the 40-year old driver and three
children who all sustained minor injuries and were transported to
Phalaborwa after the incident. According to an eyewitness, the occupants of the vehicle were
looking at the elephant from a distance but, unfortunately, when the
elephant advanced towards the vehicle, the driver could not drive
off immediately as the engine was switched off. The elephant attacked the vehicle on the driver’s side, between the
driver’s door and the bonnet, and overturned it. Other tourists
hooted to scare the elephant away. “A few incidences of elephant aggression have been reported recently
in the Park and we would like to advise tourists to be extra careful
when they are at an elephant sighting in order to avoid incidents
such as this unfortunate occurrence,” said Dr Bandile Mkhize, the
Executive Director of the KNP. The family of the victims has been contacted and informed about the
incident. KNP Rangers tried to track down the elephant with a
helicopter but unfortunately it could not be found. |