Living and working in protected conservation areas tends to give one a different perspective on wildlife and management activities.
What appears extraordinary to casual observers becomes commonplace to us.
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Not so elephant capture and trans-locations. Every time an animal weighing around six tons is moved, it’s a big deal. (Literally).
It is a plus-sized, awe-inspiring task that beggars belief.
Of all wild animals, the elephant is usually the one that elicits most empathy of all in sensitised humans.
There is something amazingly spiritual in the bond with these sentient beings that form strong family bonds over generations and display such a range of intelligent responses.
And yet… we are their worst enemy.
PHOTOS: Debbie Cooper
In a world where suitable, safe habitat for wildlife – especially animals that eat well over 100kg of vegetation and need 200 litres of water each day – is becoming increasingly scarce and under pressure, finding areas to take additional elephants is a challenge.
Most South African areas with boundary fences are near carrying capacity already and the smaller reserves implement contraception programmes to slow population growth.
So, when it happens that other reserves with space for elephants seek to introduce new genes into their breeding herds, this is a great thing for conservation!
In recent weeks, several such projects took place, with the removal of a few bulls from the Tembe Elephant Park in far northern KZN to Addo Elephant Park (Eastern Cape), Somkhanda Game Reserve (northern KZN) and Buffalo Kloof Private Game Reserve (Eastern Cape), respectively.
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Tembe has some of the world’s finest elephants roaming their extensive sand forest and swamps, but even here, numbers must be carefully managed to maintain a healthy ecological balance.
Regular contraception has been employed for many years but there is a skewed population of males too – so the donation of a few mature bulls is considered a winning outcome for all concerned.
Which brings us to the mammoth operation of actually moving them.
Elephant trans-location is extremely specialised. When handled by consummate professionals, it looks relatively straightforward, but the detailed planning and vast amount of experience behind a smooth operation is critical.
Once the selected bull has been darted by the vet from a helicopter hovering metres above dense vegetation, the team on the ground waits tensely for the animal to go to sleep.
Minutes pass, as the elephant instinctively heads for cover but is coaxed towards an open area.
Soon he sinks to the ground and the race begins – health checks, measurements, samples, collaring, positioning, strapping… through it all he sleeps and snores his deep, sonorous rumbling, blissfully unaware of the frenzied activity.
His massive, thickly wrinkled torso rises and falls rhythmically as he slumbers on.
As quickly as possible, he is expertly raised on hoists capable of lifting several tons and gently lowered into a reclining position on a flat-bed truck.
A few kilometres away, his sleeping bulk is moved again by sliding pulley into the ‘wake-up box’.
Here the immobilising drugs are reversed – almost instantly – and he is finally enticed to walk into the massive transporter that will drive him halfway across the country for almost a full night and day… to arrive, safe and sound in new territory and begin a new cycle of life.
(Elephants travel remarkably well without any anxiety – do they know that they are in the hands of those who seek only to protect them?)
Years from now, baby elephants will be born of these gentle giants.
Fiercely protected against poachers and human-wildlife conflict situations, our grandchildren will see them in places far from here, safely continuing the legacy.
In the minefield that is 21st-century African conservation, what a privileged and wonderful thing to be part of!
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