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Is it possible for someone to let me know how old this huge elephant is? I have a few friends and guests who ask and I would also like to know!
Thanks

Hi Apple,
We don't have an exact age for Valli because he is one of the bulls that was translocated here from Kruger, but our best estimates are that he is about 45 years old.

How long do elephants live???

Elephants can live to about 60 years old, joanm456. Elephant cows tend to live a bit longer than the bulls because bulls have more opportunity to get injured in fights with rival bulls.

Elephants have only 6 sets of teeth in their mouth. The set in the front gets worn down by grinding the rough vegetation they eat and then the next set moves forward, and so on. Once the last set of teeth has been worn down, the old elephant cannot eat the usual rough vegetation and tends to stick to an area where they can eat soft vegetation like grass and get water. They gradually become weaker and then die.

Wow, that's a long life. And six sets of teeth. Some of us could use an extra set that moved forward.

Last Saturday at Hapoor dam...

Our Cammers might have captured Valli today too

@ J.J. that is a great pic, thanks for sharing

@ MATTHYS Thanks for posting the webcam image, it makes a very good comparison

Hi,

We were in Addo on June 4 and on the way back to camp before gate closing we encountered an elephant with the biggest tusks I have ever seen in the middle of the gravel road between Hapoor Dam and Rooldam. I think this isValli Moosa, can someone confirm ? We were keeping a safe distance behind him for quite some time and he had no intentions of getting out of the road and it was getting later and later, we knew we wouldn't get back to camp in time. We debated back and forth about what to do, just wait it out or try and get past him. Eventually a car behind us went past him at a very close distance and he didn't seem bothered at all. We waited a bit more, there was another car behind us as well and finally we decided to go. I think we passed him with about a meters distance. I was terrified he was going to either turn the car over with those tusks or stick one through the car. We were late getting back anyways (2 other cars too) and got locked out. Someone called the guard and explained the situation, he was not happy but let us all in. What should we have done ? I have now read since being home that the Addo elephants are quite docile but I dont think we should have risked it. It was quite the adventure. So here he is :

Ellies, especially tuskers, are usually very docile, well, good humoured. Don't get on their bad side though, that is not smart.

When they block a road just look at what they are doing, and what they look like.
If they are in musth give them room, they can be rather capricious. Just back up a ways, out of their comfortzone, and wait. That zone is less than 100 meters, no need to go halfway back the road. You will see when you are far enough easily, when the ellie starts eating it is relaxed. Wait a bit, and it will wander off in search for more food, and you can pass.

If they are young bulls they can be like kittens, wanting to ambush you, or simply stand in the road and not letting a single car go past. Total fun really. Again, just back off a bit, hunger will strike, and you can pass.

Tuskers are often accompanied by guards, called askari's. Those will simply stand in the road and signal you that his highness is about to pass. And will not go out of the way. If you press them you will get trouble, just like with the Secret Service protecting the president of the US.

So in general, just give them space, but don't be scared of them. I have been almost close enough to them to touch (Eh... Do resist that urge! ) but always remember that they do weigh 5~6 tonnes, and easily reach 40 km/h. A feeding ellie is mostly a safe ellie.

Thanks so much DuQues for all of this very interesting info good to know. We were mocked charged in Sabi last year and I sure don't want to experience a real one. Such fascinating creatures with their social structure.

Kelly
Addo elephants are not docile they are just used to cars, you are right to be careful but I have found if I come across elephants they move to the side of the road to let me pass. and I have had a huge herd come towards me and no where for me to go and they passed by very close to the car but not one seemed to be bothered about me being there. I have often come across a loner standing in the road so I could not pass I think they do it to mess us around. I have never heard of anyone being attacked by an elephant maybe someone else has.

That bull looks in musth to me, check out all of the black secretions coming out of his facial gland. Wow. I would definitely have been scared if I was there, but I agree with everyone who said most elephants are quite docile and used to seeing cars.



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