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I just speak to a friend, another elephant fan, about Duke's loss. She asked me if he will have any problems without his tusks, but I don't know. Pains because of bare nerves? Loss of respect from other bulls? The "ladies" will not like him anymore?

So my question: is it possible, that Duke could be in trouble for any reason?

There was a post earlier that said he looked to be in good heath at the moment, but their tusks usually start to break in their old age. I think his days with the ladies are probably over

Saw Duke to-day on S28 about 1km below Mac waterhole.This is my 3'rd sighting of Duke and it was 2 year and 2 days ago that i first saw him in this very same area,a lot has happened to him in that time.Would he now have joined up with these other ellies in an effort to get more food?

Hi Nannie

No, they are what you would call askari's.

Younger bulls join up with other bachelor male's. There has been many discussions regarding the use of the so called askari's around Duke, but they are nothing more than other bachelor males that joined him.

Duke is at his last, as it is normally a sign when the tusks start to brittle and break off that he is also on his last set of molar's.

You are indeed fortunate to see him and I hope it was a memorable one

Just on the Askari bit. I've read (in a Wilbur Smith book actually ) that Askari's are the eyes and nose and hears of the older bulls. As an elie get old his sense of sight, hearing and smell is reduced and he teams up with younger bulls. Together they form a unit that protects each other.

Is this true?

Askari is an Arabic, Turkish, Somali, Persian, Tigrinya and Swahili word meaning "soldier" (Arabic: عسكري‎ ‘askarī). It was normally used to describe indigenous troops in East Africa and the Middle East serving in the armies of European colonial powers. The designation can however also describe police, gendarmerie and security guards.[1]

From Wikipedia

All sightings of Duke are memorable,but the first was something.On page 1 of this topic/thread you will see a photo of Duke amongst a herd which was at least 25-30 strong. Duke was sleeping by resting on his tusks in the shade with an askari nearby,the herd was mingling around some 100 meters off.When Duke woke the entire herd came in a single file past the askari, who touched most of the little ones with his trunk.They all mingled around Duke,the little ones walked under him,he smelt and touched them all with his huge trunk,so gentle. It was like watching at family reunion,which carried on for 1 and1/2 hours.Duke started to move off and the herd followed and past him, walking by quite close to us. They all sniffed at a bush,which when Duke got to he just about completely devoured, it was as if the herd had purposely left it for the great-grandad.

Nannie
That was really an unforgettable sighting
lp

Nannie what a special sighting

I've only ever seen Duke once, this year in March....I was staying at a friends place in Marloth Park, and went for a walk along the Crocodile River....A heard of elephant went crazy amongst the reeds, and out popped 3 lioness running for their lives I walked further on, trying to follow the lions along the River...Until I heard a branch Break...Un a clump of Bushes maybe 10 metres from me..was an elephant, and All I could see was its rear...After a few mintues the trunk went up, and I'd been smelt The elephant turned around, to stare me in the face.....It was DUKE... To stand only ten metres from this amazing animal, armed with nothing but a bird book and a thin fence between you and the x largest Tusker....Is a feeling I'll never forget!

Rusty Justy,

That is a very lucky sighting I must say. I did not think that Duke would venture all that far south west from his normal roaming area. Did you get a very good look at him? Did you see whether he had the missing tusk? Could it perhaps have been another big tusker you've discovered?

Hi WTM,

I watched him for 20 minutes feeding only 10 metres or so away He had a missing tusk, and the other wrote names in the sand....lol...It was Definately Duke, and a few of the Marloth residents came down, he drew quite a crowd....Everyone else agreed it was Duke, unfortunately I only went on the walk with binocs and a bird book, Looking for Thick-Billed Cuckoos...So I left the heavy camera equipment behind..Missing photos of the lion aswel as Duke. ..Who actually moved further West along the Crocodile River, towards Malelane..Where he crossed back over the river, Im not to sure.

Justin

Hi...

Look here for info on Duke....

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=16871

and here for a very recent pic!!!

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=25211&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=60

Cheers & welcome!!!

Have just arrived home from KNP today. We saw Duke on S28, 3km from the H42 intersection, on 26/9/2008





Duke had one Askari with him. He was using his right foot to dig the earth.

Congrats gfordyce

Even with out his abnormal teeth, a special boy to see~!

Since DUKE was the biggest Tusker in SA I like to show you a special honour to Duke.
Duke lost one of his tusks in 2007 en the last one in 2008.
Since he became famous you can say , many subjects around him over the last few years I think it is worth to show Duke with both tusks, one tusks and without his big tusks including pics of his tusks which were found by rangers.
A special honour to our Duke for Christmas... sad that he lost his last tusk, happy because he is still with us....
Aat
Happy X-Mas to everyone

http://www.studio-aat.com/tuskers/duke_001.htm

other pics and tuskers pages
http://www.studio-aat.com

A little video of the one and only master "DUKE"