Baby Elephant Rescue

On February 9, 2026February 9, 2026 By Jon StevensonLeave a comment

In mid January a baby elephant was swept into a river which was swollen from the recent rains. It was quickly washed away from its mother who could not get to it. Fortunately a group of the local villagers were able to pull it from the river but it was exhausted and in bad shape. They immediately contacted Wildlife Action Group who came quickly to take care of the baby. Baby ellies are very hard to raise and Lynn knew they had very limited time to bring it back to health. The first thought was to get it back to the mother as soon as possible but locating the correct herd and mother was not successful. Lynn went into action and immediately contacted several people who had the specific knowledge on what needed to be done. The baby is currently still in poor condition and recovery is far from guaranteed. Following is Lynn’s recent update to us.

HI Dick
Sorry this is a generic update for you as we have so many people wanting to know
At present, the calf remains in a fragile and critical early-stage condition. She is experiencing ongoing difficulty with feeding and has been suffering from episodes of diarrhoea, which have made stabilization challenging. Her condition fluctuates on a daily basis, with periods of improvement followed by setbacks, which is not uncommon in neonate orphan elephants of her estimated age and size.
The previously identified umbilical infection is currently being actively managed and appears to be under control at this time, though continued monitoring remains essential. The calf is notably small and weak and very young, which further complicates her recovery and requires intensive, adaptive care.
To ensure the highest possible standards of welfare and technical guidance, we have secured 24-hour access to expert support from expert and experienced wildlife rescue and elephant rehabilitation specialist Ms. Liz O’Brien, , who is providing continuous remote oversight and guidance. In addition, Game Rangers International(GRI) is available as backup support, including expert input from Dr Amanda Le Salb, should further intervention or consultation be required.
On the ground, Baby Ellie is receiving round-the-clock care from a dedicated team of eight Malawian staff members, operating on a 24-hour rotation. These staff members are undergoing continuous hands-on training and mentorship and have demonstrated exceptional commitment, empathy, and responsiveness to the calf’s needs under difficult and emotionally demanding conditions.
It is important to note that Baby Ellie remains in the very early days of care, and despite all reasonable and appropriate interventions being applied, her prognosis remains guarded. As with all neonatal orphan wildlife cases, particularly elephants, outcomes can be unpredictable, and changes—both positive and negative—can occur rapidly.

All actions taken to date have been guided by animal welfare priorities, professional advice, and the best available knowledge under the circumstances
Lynn

Following are photos of Baby Mwayi, which means ‘Luck” and she certainly needs it. Stay tuned for updates on her condition. If you have not done so scroll down to see our post about our newest fence project.

Fence project 2026

On February 2, 2026 By Jon StevensonLeave a comment

Elefence is sending Wildlife Action Group (WAG) $24,000 for fence construction thanks to a generous donor. The fence will extend the partially erected fence around the Dedza-Salima forest reserve. The fence around the Thuma reserve is complete now due to a previous Elefence contribution.

Constructing a fence is not an easy thing. First it must be approved by the Malawi government departments of forestry and wildlife. The fence line must then be surveyed to determine the exact route. Sometimes the route crosses village boundaries and must then be adjusted to insure that villages are cut off from areas they have used for generations even though they may have no clear title to the property. Negotiations with the village chiefs which border the route are critical to insure their cooperation. After all of these steps construction can begin once the rainy season ends.

WAG had secured funding for purchasing the fence materials but had no money for labor, survey services and the hiring of a qualified construction manager. The local villagers are hired as workers and their wages are a significant source of income in an an area where there is almost no work available. Funds were also required for purchasing food for the workers and paid village women to prepare and serve food to the workers. The fence is solar powered but must be patrolled regularly and maintained. The WAG rangers have other duties so again the villagers are hired for this.

A fence protects both the villages from marauding wildlife as well as defining the border of the forest reserves. A couple of elephants can destroy a farmers entire harvest in one night which often calls for the killing of the elephants. Elephants and cape buffalos are dangerous when the locals attempt to drive them away. In the last three years 5 persons have been killed by elephants in the area of the reserves.

A fence also provides a clear boundary of the reserves. Persons inside the fence without a permit to gather dead wood for cooking and heating or cutting bamboo for construction are usually doing something illegal such as poaching wildlife or cutting trees for making charcoal.

Following are photos from a previous fence construction project.

Villagers preparing for the installation of a new fence

Message from Lynn Clifford, WAG Field Operations Manager

On October 22, 2025 By Jon StevensonLeave a comment

This is a summary of an email we received from Lynn upon returning to Thuma Forest Reserve after a holiday back in her native country of Ireland. We were becoming concerned as we had not heard from her in several weeks.

“Sorry for the lack of response but my holiday turned into a remote job. Spent 2 weeks fundraising which was good but we did not meet our target for salaries and operations. That along with family sickness and a death in the family consumed all of my time.

I am back 5 days and it has been nonstop trying to resolve urgent things. 3 vehicles off the road with serious issues, 5 serious staff health crisis (one whole day taking them to doctors and hospital but we saved one’s life so it was worth it).

Poaching has risen sharply and we are overrun with wildlife and forest crime. It is scary and we have lost 4 rangers who have resigned as they feared for their lives. (See our earlier post about how being a forest ranger is one of the most dangerous job in the world).

We have a new president and things are changing rapidly. School fees, governance, sugar etc are hit with rapid prices. Fuel alone is up 33%. Beer too for which I am not happy.

The new government is stopping any child who has not done well from going on to high school even if they can afford it. This, however, is giving us an opportunity to promote 2 excellent students to go to a top government school. The drawback is that it is much more expensive but we believe it will be worth the extra cost. Of the 10 students we sponsored last year in secondary school 8 sat for different final exams and all passed. 1 failed and will repeat and one girl has not returned to school.

Fence materials have arrived – yippee – I spent Friday in the city clearing customs and transporting them to HQ. (We will have a report in the future about Elefence’s contribution to the next phase of construction).

We reintroduced Zebras before I left and they are doing great. One herd hangs around the lodge and the other around the HQ camp. Today I saw with my own eyes for the first time eland and nyala …..so exciting. We hope to get new ones reintroduced next month and after that my dream …. leopard.

A critical issue is that fertilizer costs have skyrocketed and we are short $3000 to purchase what is need for many local families. Anything you can do will be much appreciated.” ( Note: Elefence is going to fund $3000 from our generous supporters toward this cost. Planting season begins in December before the rains come. Without adequate fertilizer the yields will fall significantly making starvation a real threat.)

Malawi trip, Part 2

On June 22, 2025June 24, 2025 By Jon StevensonLeave a comment

Our trip to Malawi had several goals. First was to meet Lynn Clifford, Field Operations Manager of Wildlife Action Group (WAG) for the Thuma and Dedza-Salima Forest reserves. We had corresponded with Lynn over two years but not able to travel due to the Covid restrictions.

Second was to review the fence we funded, thanks to a generous donor, which was the last section to encircle the Thuma forest. It is always our policy to make sure the money we send is actually being used as intended. Since the completion of the fence there has been zero human elephant conflict around Thuma much to the delight of the villages in the area. Their crops are now safe from marauding wildlife. It only takes one or two elephants to wipe out and entire harvest and leave a family fighting for survival. Raids by wildlife usually calls for killing the animals.

Solar power supply for the Elefence fence.

A fence also defines a clear boundary around the forest. Persons inside the fence without a permit to harvest bamboo for construction or to gather dead wood were usually doing something illegal such as poaching wildlife or cutting trees for charcoal production. The pictures below were taken of the same hillside inside the fence over three years. The first one shows the land almost completely denuded of vegetation. The second shows how the forest can recover if given the opportunity to regenerate.

Thirdly we wanted to review all the various community and ecological programs established by WAG to see where else we could help. Our primary mission is building solar powered electric fences but it is not possible to build a fence without the cooperation of the local villages surrounding the forest. The villages have had access to the forest for generations and you cannot take that way without providing them with alternatives. We toured the area with Austin Chimbalanga, the WAG Community Outreach Officer.

We visited several villages to see what programs WAG was supporting. WAG employs an agronomist to teach the local people how to grow and improve the yields in their gardens. They also supply poultry and goats which the villages can raise for protein, milk and to sell to provide income. They are taught beekeeping which is another generator of income.

Bee hive. Raised to keep Honey Badgers and other animals out.

One thing three villages requested was a water well or borehole as it is called in Africa. We raised funds which were matched by other donors and the results were reported in a previous post.

We visited an elementary and secondary school, meeting with the staff and visiting the classrooms. Elementary school is mandatory and free for grades 1-8 however it is horribly crowded. The one we visited had 832 students and only 13 teachers. A 64 to 1 ration is not very conducive to learning. The teachers however were dedicated and did their best for the students. High school is optional if the parents can pay for it, about $150/year. Unfortunately even this meager amount is well beyond the means of the average family. About 1 out of 25 children get an education beyond the 8th grade. After learning all this we started a scholarship program and pay for 10 students to attend high school each year.

We were honored to attend a council of village chiefs with Lynn. The group discussed the problems they were facing and various solutions. We could not understand the discussions but Lynn told us one of the main concerns was the threat from local gangs who poached wildlife and cut trees for charcoal production. These are not individuals feeding their family but rather organized gangs who routinely were a danger to the locals as well as the rangers who patrol the forest. Rangers have been injured and even killed by these gangs. Lynn emphasized that the villages had to work together to support each other and report illegal activity to WAG or the local authorities. Elefence supports the rangers by awarding a small cash bonus of $3 for every successful apprehension and conviction of a criminal. Note that two of the chiefs were women. Transfer of power to a new chief passes through the mother and sometimes there is no male heir so it will go to the next female in line.

We visited what Lynn called “An end of life clinic” which is what we refer to as a hospice center. The clinic is funded by a charity from Ireland and Lynn sits on their board. They dispense pain and other medication to ease a person’s exit from life on earth. They also provide food for patients and their families since most of the patients cannot work. Most of the people in the photo have some kind of terminal disease and the clinic nurse told us that 90% the women which need the clinic’s services have cervical cancer. Lynn pays a nurse to make monthly visits to the local villages to educate women and urge them to come to the clinic to get tested before it is too late.

Part 3 of our trip will follow soon

Elephant Trivia Part 2

On June 6, 2025June 6, 2025 By Jon StevensonLeave a comment

Elephants have some unique and interesting physical properties in addition to their immense size. These properties have evolved over millions of years into the amazing creature we know today. Consider the following:

Look at the large pad on the bottom of their front leg. This feature serves to distribute their weight so they do not sink in soft ground and provides a cushion as they walk. It will retract somewhat when they lift their leg so it breaks the suction from walking on muddy ground.

An elephants ears do much more than detect sounds. Their primary function is to radiate heat from their body. The ears are filled with capillaries which carry heat from the body so it is dispelled into the air. The ears also give evidence as to the elephants state of agitation. A nervous elephant will shake its head or rapidly flap their ears if they are apprehensive about something. They will also hold their ears out wide to make themselves look larger.

Certainly one of the most striking features are the tusks which protrude from their face. They are both a tool and a weapon. A tusk is a modified incisor tooth and grows throughout their life although it can be worn down from use. Elephants are right or left handed just like humans and the worn tusks tells you which. Unfortunately they are also the cause of hundreds of thousands of elephant being slaughtered for their ivory in order to be sold into the Asian market to make trinkets, jewelry and statues. The poaching of elephants for their ivory is responsible for the fact that there are less than 50 old ‘Tuskers’ left with massive tusks which were once a common sight in Africa.

The trunk is a most useful appendage for an elephant. They eat with it, drink with it, smell with it, trumpet with it, and greet other elephants with it. Their sense of smell is four times greater than that of a bloodhound. They will use it to siphon up water to spray over their body or to give themselves a dust bath to protect their sensitive skin. It contains over 100,000 individual muscles which makes it both very strong and yet flexible. The prehensile tip can pick up something as small as a peanut and are able to crack the shell without breaking the nut inside.

ELEPHANT TRIVIA

On April 26, 2025April 27, 2025 By Jon StevensonLeave a comment

There are two species of elephants on earth today. The African elephant and the Asian elephant. They are genetically different but easy to identify just by looking at their head and ears. For the most part however they share the same traits and abilities so we can consider them as one species. Zoologists break down the African elephant into two sub species, the bush or savannah elephant which lives in more open areas and the forest elephant which lives in jungle or wooded locations. Once again however we can really consider them as one species.

Elephants are the largest land animals alive on earth today. A mature African bull elephant can stand 13 ft tall at the shoulder and weigh upwards of 7 tons. It is difficult to appreciate just how big they are unless you are up close to them or you see them next to a familiar object.

Elephants live on average to between 60 and 70 years of age. They have 5 to 6 sets of molars in their jaws with which they use to grind their food. As the ones in the front wear down and fall out the ones in the rear move forward to replace them. When the last set is gone they can no longer properly feed themselves and basically die of starvation. Sadly elephants kept in zoos die at around 40 years of age. Elephants are hard wired to move about and travel freely and they need the social interaction with other elephants. The stress of captivity significantly shortens their life. Remember this when you see an elephant at a zoo.

Close up of an wide open elephant mouth. It shows anatomic details of the elephant throat like its teeth, tongue and the roof of the mouth

Elephants are right or left handed just like humans. You can tell by observing which tusk is worn down more than the other.

The saying that ‘An elephant never forgets’ is very true as they have amazing memories. Their brain is 4-5 times larger than a human’s, is very similar in construction and much of it is dedicated to memory. They navigate long distances by remembering the directions and trails they have taken in the past. They remember the location of waterholes and can recognize individual elephants they’ve had a relationship with in the past.

They can remember the location of fruit trees and when the fruit will ripen and fall to the ground. Elephants routinely push over small trees to get at the tops to eat the leaves. They don’t do this with fruit trees however, as they have learned that if they do that the tree will never again bear fruit again. So they butt the tree with their head or grab it with their trunk and shake the fruit loose. They eat what falls to the ground and return later to do it again.

Elephants don’t sweat but need to disperse heat from their large bodies. An elephant’s ears are filled with many blood vessels and act as radiators to keep the elephant cool.

Stay tuned for a post about some of the elephant’s physical properties.

Dame Daphne Sheldrick, naturalist extraordinaire

On March 11, 2025 By Jon StevensonLeave a comment

By Dick Houston & Jon Stevenson

Daphne Sheldrick was a remarkable individual. Born in 1934 in Kenya to British parents she became interested in animals at a young age and maintained that interest throughout her life. She is an author, an expert in animal husbandry and is particularly noted for the raising and reintegrating of orphaned elephants back into the wild. She along with her husband, David Sheldrick, was co-warden of Tsavo National Park for 21 years. She is the founder of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, (SWT) one of the oldest and most respected conservation organization. SWT is dedicated to the conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife.

Baby elephants are particularly hard to raise. They are usually orphaned because the mother has been killed by poachers for its ivory. They are often so traumatized they refuse to eat or drink and will die mainly from grief and loneliness. If they can get them to feed they have to be bottle fed a special formula every 3 hours round the clock. For years no one knew what to feed them as they could not process cow’s milk. It was Daphne who discovered that coconut milk is most like that from a female elephant and mixed with baby formula baby elephants could digest it properly. Her discovery is credited with saving thousands of baby elephants who would otherwise starve to death.

Sheldrick was a recognized authority on the rearing and rehabilitation of many wild creatures, including not only elephants but black rhinos, buffalos, zebras, elands, kudus, warthogs to name a few. For her work as a conservationist she was awarded an MBE, Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, by Queen Elizabeth and separately elevated to UNEP’s Global 500 Roll of Honor. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine by Glasgow University along with several other prestigious recognitions from Kenyon, British and conservation organizations.

The page below is from an interview down by Time magazine in 2012. Daphne died in 2018 after a battle with breast cancer but her legacy will be felt for generations to come. Elefence recommends reading her book, “Love, Life, and Elephants: An African Love Story”.

FROM THE FRONT LINES

On January 29, 2025January 29, 2025 By Jon Stevenson1 Comment

Contributed by Erin and Marianna B., Elefence supporters

In an exclusive interview, brave canine cadet in the combat on poaching, Tarik, tells us about the dangers of life in the African bush–and why it’s worth the risk.
After a concerning announcement was made by Wildlife Action Group and its partner organization, Elefence, on the rise of poaching in Malawi, we caught up with Tarik, one of WAG’s most devoted staff members, to learn more about the crisis.
EB&MB: Tarik, thank you for taking the time to speak with the us about your mission in Malawi. After reading our interview with Dick Houston and Jon Stevenson of Elefence International last year, our readers may already be familiar with the work of Elefence and Wildlife Action Group in attempting to heal the poverty and poaching crisis which affects the lives of both people and animals in Africa today. However, we’d like to learn more from you about what life is really like on the ground for a WAG officer. Could you tell us a bit more about yourself?
TARIK: “I’m a Rhodesian ridgeback, and my name means ‘Star,’ as I have a white 4 pointed patch on my chest which is somewhat typical of my breed. My sidekick, Lynn Clifford, is Field Manager for Wildlife Action Group, which is a Malawian non-profit conservation NGO. Our mission is to protect and restore Thuma and Dedza-Salima Escarpment Forest Reserves.”
So how does your specific breed help you to carry out this mission?
TARIK: “Well, my breed was originally developed in Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe, where we were trained to hunt lions. So we can be really brave on the job. But actually, I myself had a very close call with a warthog. It was the last time Dick and Jon of Elefence were out here, and I can tell you, I learned a lesson the hard way.
I took off chasing a warthog–because, you know, I can’t help myself–and unfortunately I came back with a large gash on my hindquarters. And that wasn’t my only close call. Here in Malawi, there are a couple of diseases carried by flies that are usually fatal to dogs. I barely survived one just before Dick and Jon arrived at the WAG base camp. The cure is almost as bad as the disease as they administer what is basically a poison to kill off the infection and many times the medicine kills the dog…but not me! Life is dangerous for a dog in the African bush, so I have to be brave, but my friend Jon says I’m just a big friendly puppy.”
And as we’ve recently heard, life isn’t just dangerous for the dogs. Can you tell us about WAG Rangers’ recent encounter with poachers?
TARIK: “Sadly, poaching is on the increase in Malawi and that keeps me and my co-worker, Lynn, busy on the job, trying to protect the special animals who live here and the forest they inhabit. It’s important to note that these poachers don’t hunt game for subsistence–no–it’s greed for profit. As Jon has told you before, pangolins, for instance, can be poached and sent as far away as China just to make a profit on the market for animal parts. And like pangolins, many of these animals–elephants, warthogs, kudus, duikers, and more —are threatened species, and on average a team of poachers can kill up to three animals each time they hunt! A huge loss for the Malawian government and the country’s prospects of being a tourism destination! It also touches me personally, because the poachers use dogs. The dogs track, hunt and catch the animal quickly which is then hacked and or speared to death by the poachers. I’m here to show that dogs can play a positive role in conservation. Between September and December 2024, our dedicated WAG rangers caught eleven dog poaching teams. I want to show that dogs can be on the right side of this war on wild animals.”
And how do you help to play a positive role in supporting your fellow soldiers, Tarik?
TARIK: “Well, I’m Field Manager Lynn’s constant companion. Basically, I’m her First Lieutenant. Together we make sure base camp is supplied and our rangers are supported. Poachers are aggressive and rangers are assaulted in the course of their duty! These rangers only make $3 bucks a day. That is why we rely on generous donors to keep these men in the field. Otherwise poachers would overrun the forest and kill more and more wild animals to oblivion.”
WAG Rangers recently made several important arrests. Were any rangers injured in the line of duty?
TARIK: “Yes, one of my ranger friends was badly injured, and I’m including a picture of him here just to show how brave he was. I knew how much that must hurt when I thought about my warthog gash. And poachers are scarier than warthogs. They go armed into the forest with dogs, bows, arrows and spears!
They don’t understand what we’re trying to protect–but, like Nelson Mandela said, “If we do not do something to prevent it, Africa’s animals and the places in which they live will be lost to our world and her children forever.” So we are here taking these risks. Last week two suspects were arrested and this morning our brave anti-poaching rangers arrested 3 more, one being one of the most notorious poachers from Dedza who has been a very large thorn in our side all of this year! A second offender! All suspects have been handed over to the police for prosecution. Another win for our rangers!!”
Tarik, our Head Biologist, who is both a dog lover and passionate conservationist, is concerned about the fate of the dogs involved in the poaching. What happens to them when the poachers get arrested?
TARIK: “Many times the dogs escape when the owners are caught and run loose to kill again. Sadly the dogs that are caught must be euthanized. They have been trained to hunt and bring down game and are loyal to only one master. Lynn is a dedicated dog lover, and she and I are heartbroken that this step has to be taken but there is no hope of rehabilitating these dogs. It is our goal to make poaching with dogs so unprofitable and have such strict penalties that the practice will stop. Life is hard in the African bush–but it’s worth it.”

Interview conducted by Erin B. and Marianna B.,
with the assistance of Lynn Clifford of WAG and Jon Stevenson of Elefence.

One of the Most Dangerous Jobs in the World!

On December 22, 2024December 23, 2024 By Jon Stevenson2 Comments

By Dick Houston

A wounded ranger is pictured after a recent encounter with a gang of poachers. Fortunately it was only a flesh wound. But a WAG ranger was killed by a poacher a few years ago and another ranger was recently killed by an elephant while a third was gored by a cape buffalo. A forest ranger’s job is one of the most dangerous in the world. About 150 rangers worldwide die each year protecting wildlife according to the Thin Green Line (TGL) Foundation, an international charity.

Conflicts with poachers are responsible for 50 to 70% of ranger deaths on the job, according to data from TGL. The rest are attributed to daily challenges such as hazardous environments and dangerous animals – especially elephants and Cape buffalos.

Africa is know for its vast nature reserves, ecotourism and educational approach to conservation. Unfortunately, armed poachers and militant gangs are targeting African rangers. In Africa, an astounding 82% of rangers said they have faced a life-threatening situation in the line of duty.

WOULD YOU TAKE ON THIS JOB FOR $3 A DAY? This is why Elefence, in partnership with Malawi’s Wildlife Action Group (WAG), works to find financial support for the 51-man strong team of rangers. Elefence and WAG initiated a Ranger Cash Reward Program for various rangers who’ve shown meritorious work in the field protecting elephants and other highly endangered wild animals.

Keep in mind, these men struggle to feed their families while they are on patrol in the forest 25 days a month living in primitive conditions with no access to emergency medical care. If badly wounded in the field their chances of survival are slim. There are no medics on the patrol teams. ( Our pioneer Elefence trustee, Max Seymour, was a battlefield medic in Viet Nam, and knows well how crucial immediate emergency care is in the field.) {see Elefence team bios on our website, http://www.elefence.org.}

Elefence has just given the 51 rangers Christmas bonuses of $10 each. It is humbling and emotionally gripping to see these men so thrilled to receive such a modest amount. We wish it could be more , but we can only give what is contributed since Elefence and WAG are small organizations, continually and frustratingly, challenged to find funding. Sad that in a world run by billionaires these brave rangers who work to save fragile ecosystems and wildlife for the world’s future, scramble for crumbs.

Without funding, the rangers of Thuma and Dedza-Salima forest reserves will not be able to continue their work. If you are interested in helping these brave men, please contact us directly or make a contribution directly on the Elefence website. If you have donated recently we thank you -and be assured that donations go directly to our efforts in Malawi. Elefence International Inc. is a USA registered 501(c)3 charity and all contributions are tax-exempt.

Please remember to frequently check our blog for more stories about the rangers and their ongoing work to protect the forest and its wildlife

Merry Christmas everyone from ELEFENCE and WAG. Thank you for reading.

Lynn Clifford, WAG Field Officer Of Thuma and Dezdza-Salima Forest Reserves, is seen surrounded by her brave anti-poaching rangers who have recently expanded to 51 members. Thanks to Lynn and her team the Thuma Forest Reserve is now the most protected forest in Malawi. Work continues in the Dedza-Salima Reserve.

TOAST

On November 5, 2024 By Jon StevensonLeave a comment

By Nic Polenakis

There are few places on earth where one can walk with wild elephants. Mana Pools in northern Zimbabwe is one such place.

When approaching elephant bulls while walking, it is important to remain downwind undetected (the elephant’s scent is blowing towards you) as most animals are instinctively fearful of man on foot.

Some bulls in Mana Pools can be extremely relaxed and accepting of humans. The trick is finding out which ones are ‘friendly’!

I was walking with some of my guests when I spotted this young elephant bull eating fallen pods from a winter thorn tree. This tree has extremely nutritious, protein-rich pods and are sought after by many animals in Mana, especially elephant.

We slowly approached to within a safe distance, where I purposely now allowed our scent to waft upwind toward the elephant! I didn’t want to surprise him. Elephants have an incredible sense of smell and could have picked up our scent from a huge distance away. I watched for his reaction. This is a simple way of gauging how receptive an elephant is to one’s presence.

It was at this time that I recognized the young bull as an elephant we called Toast — named after his habit of stealing toast off the camps’ breakfast tables! And I knew him well as a very calm bull.

I decided it was safe for us to edge ever closer to him. It was breathtaking as we stood under a tree and watched as he calmly walked around picking up the pods unperturbed by our presence.

As he ambled around the tree he slowly made his way towards us. This is when I placed myself in front of my guests. I then stood next to some of the delicious pods and knew he would soon approach, of which he did not disappoint!

Toast walked closer and closer and looked at me carefully, trying to ensure I was a friend and not a foe. After a few tense moments, he walked even closer till he stood right in front of me! Then he continued eating the pods.

He stood with me for some time investigating my scent with his trunk — and then suddenly turned and continued his search for more pods.

You can see why I love elephants. Their intelligence for sizing up a situation never ceases to amaze me.

Nic Polenakis
Safari Guide and Elefence trustee

Elefence addendum: Nic is a certified professional guide who was named by National geographic as one of the top ten safari guides in Africa. He has the uncanny ability to read wildlife, especially elephants, which is how he is able to get so close as pictured above. He is not a hunter, but is required to carry a rifle in order to protect his clients in an emergency. Check his website http://www.myprivateafrica.com

Elefence International, Inc.

Tag: wildlife