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It is a natural occurrence that a very small percentage of the females of the African elephant do not have tusks.
A small number of elephants were initially saved in Addo Park from which the herd bred and multiplied to the number of elephants in the park today.
In the beginning inbreading naturally took place in this small herd and the tuskless female became a trait in this small genetic pool.
Elephant bulls (males) from Kruger Park were introduced into Addo Park to broaden the genetic pool. Some of the large Addo bulls were relocated from Addo to give the Kruger bull a better chance of breading. The female elephants being born from the Kruger bulls are now showing signs of growing tusks again.

Hi Diesel,
I am pleased to read that you are safely back home and had a wonderful time in Addo and that you are planning to come back.
Thanks also for sharing your link to your photos.
All the best

Thanks Lionspoon,
I can not agree with you more, one has to experience these animals firsthand as you just have on your recent visit to the park to really appreciate the magnificence of them.

In spite of it raining in Port Elizabeth yesterday morning I decided to spend the day in the Park.
Soon after entering the park at gate opening time the rain stopped.
It was cold and there was not much game about.
I stopped my car when I noticed this blackheaded heron next to the road.
It had its eyes fixed on something in the grass.
In a flash the heron shot out its head into the long grass and when it raised its head it had a squeaking mouse impaled on its beak for breakfast.
The squeaking soon ceased and the heron juggled the mouse in its beak and swallowed the mouse head first.
Within thirty seconds the ordeal was over...breakfast was done and dusted..........

Beautiful!!!

And no striped mouse, hey?

superb
bigger than a striped

Hehehe...good one Ronnie !!!

Beautiful ellies, RonnieL.

Love the Black Harrier and the pics of the heron having breakfast is stunning

Welcome Sharifa and thanks for your comment
The heron sure enjoyed his breakfast

Thanks Lionspoon, anna-marie & J.J.
Definitely not a stripped mouse,
Much bigger than a stripped mouse

Brilliant sighting Ronnie
Your special skill of knowing something is about to happen is astounding and wonderful
Thanks for posting these incredible Addo experiences

Thank you Melph
Good to have you back again

Hi Ronnie

We will be staying at Matyolweni on Friday and Monday night and at Addo main camp on Sat and Sun...any suggestions on which routes to concentate on, or should we do all of them (haven't been there since 1981!).

Also, so many people say that the Addo ellies are docile compared to KNP ellies - what is the best way to act around them...give them their space, but don't necessarily need to move away if they approach? How do we know when to move? I have played the reversing game with numerous ellies in other parks.

I am so excited to be visiting Addo at last.

Hi Rookie,

Welcome and welcome back to Addo.

You are not going to believe your eyes for all the changes, expansions and upgrades that have taken place in Addo since your last visit in 1981.

I am pleased that you have split your accommodation between the two camps. This and the amount of time you are staying in the park will give you enough time to cover all the routes in the park plus give you the opportunity to go back to any favorite route or sighting you may have had. Always check the game sighting boards situated outside the shop at the Main Camp and at the toilets at Jack’s Picnic Site for the latest sightings.
Remember the best sightings are often early morning and late afternoon.

The Addo ellies are docile and are accustomed to vehicles. You are correct in saying that one must give them their space, do not block their or any other animal’s route around your car. If you are fortunate to have close sightings of ellies or other animals eg. ellies crossing or feeding next to the road, you can switch off your car, sit quietly and have the ellies come to you rather than you going up to them. Always show more caution to male ellies that are in musth. Personally I am more weary of the misbehavior of some visitors to the park than I am of the ellies and other animals and often I find myself moving away when I notice human behavior that could upset the animals.

I wish you a safe journey to Addo and a memorable and pleasant stay at Addo Park and looking forward to hearing about your visit.

Four in one shot

When I visited the park on Sunday I experienced a very good birding day.
I took this pic at Hapoor Dam and managed to get four different birds into one frame.
From the left at the back along the water’s edge
Blackheaded Heron, Egyptian Goose, Blackwinged Stilt, Egyptian Goose, Blackwinged Stilt and Blackheaded Heron
I the front facing away are a pair of South African Shelduck




This Blackwinged Stilt waded closer