SANParks.org Forums

This must be the forum's "finest hour". I cannot think of anything that remotely compares to this event - except the snake logo

One very important person got left out in this whole story. Irwing Knight, top guide @ Lower Sabie deserves a helluva recognition in this story. KNPSM, I hope you can get this message thru to Irwing and his team, please.

Without Irwing's help we would never have realized that Duke might have lost a tusk. I also want to thank The deputy camp manager, Pieter as well as Irwing's second rifle for their assistance. It's guys like the three of you that makes SANP rule! Okes who raise the bar, and who go out of their way to make every visit to Kruger a humdinger.

Thanks chaps. You blokes deserve a lot of credit in this story!

Hats off to the "Operation Duke" members, Irwing Knight and team, deputy camp manager Pieter, and anyone else involved in this amazing story !

Awesome story and pics

Well done everyone

I know for sure that a lot of forumites are absolutely

Duke is still a very impressive Big Tusker.And I really hope that we are going to have the chance to see him during one of our trips to Kruger.And that despite being advanced in age and loosing a tusk he still has a few more good years ahead.

Katy

I agree, Katy.
Any sighting of Duke now is really a very special priviledge. As was said earlier, we don't know how much longer he has.
Duke has become very much a part of our forum.

Thanks DB. Sorry I couldn't give a heads-up on the forum about the interview. But I think I got the story across, and Derrich played an excellent and fitting piece of music. It is always great fun talking to him as he is always genuinely interested. He is also a big Kruger fan, BTW.

Hey Bucky and others, I got a message from Neels van Wyk to say that the tusk is 1.7 metres long (measured on the outside of the curve), 49 cm in circ at the base and is "about" 38 kgs (although he suspects his scale's accuracy).

You can take the length and base measurements as "official", I will let you know as soon as the official weight is measured.

Kind regards
KNP Spokesman

I am glad to tell you that i saw duke the other day. He looks healthy. He is eatinjg fine and using his right tusk alot. He pulled grass out of the ground with it while we watched.

I hope he sticks to grass , and leaves the leadwoods alone .

I think we best send op duke members up there for week long turns to look after him .

Do you perhaps have a photo Timbo , It would be nice to see a good shot of him now with 1 tusk .

Take a look at my trip report. I took one with my phone.

Timbo, you lucky thing!!! Seeing the old boy is amazing!

I am going there on the 14th dead set to see & photograph the legend!

Go and read story about Duc's broken tusk in Beeld( page 3) of 5/8/2007. I think I have seen these pic's on the forum. Thanks to all of people involved.

Hans

For those that cannot lay their hands on a physical copy of that paper, here is a link to the article on the website. (In Afrikaans!)

I take it that it is highly unlikely that one of the rangers might find his broken tusk, would they have tried to find it?
I know its a needle in a hay stack!

have a read here debs-from the main news page...

Wow thanks diannet I sure hope the tusk does make it into the Letaba Elephant Hall if it does make it how long before it would be put in there for all to admire?