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Hi Aat,

Thanks for trying to ID these elephants It's a pity they aren't known tuskers, aside from MaTrix but I'm really happy to have finally seen one of the rare female tuskers

If you want me to send you any of these pictures with better resolution, just let me know.

Hi all with your Big Tuskers, thanks for sharing. I am learning slowly but will get there
A person do not realise how many of them roam in the Park, always just see another Ellie

On our very last day in the park on 26.02.2012 on the tar road shortly before the main entrance of Shingwedzi camp we had the honour in spotting Mavatsani and one askari - In the following a short part out of my trip report

so we started to absorb everything and whilst looking around I realized in the distance in the river bed a huge elephant with long tusks and same was moving into the direction of the road and so we decided to hurry on as maybe from one of the many view points on the tar road leading to Shingewdzi camp we might have the possibility in seeing him a bit closer but gladly it came even better as first his askari popped out of the bushes and crossed the road in front of us



and after quite a while with some pictures with only a bush in front of his head he followed his friend with a large amount of remaining breakfast in his mouth



and demonstrating who the boss is!



Not only that he was wearing a nice pair of tusks he is also one of the larger ones and quite an impressive appearance





but was not in all interested in any way in us - He simply wanted to follow his friend.





On the other side of the road both walked still parallel to us and from time to time between one of the many bushes we got nice views onto him again and due to the remarkable V-shape in his left ear I could recognize him as Mavatsani - a known tusker!



The two of them removed more and more deeper into the bush and with this very last picture to also demonstrate the largeness of Mavatsani's tusks compared to his friend



A pity was the we only got side views of his head and not a frontal view but hey you cannot have everything.

Philip,
Nice comment... and I ask myself sometimes the question: "how many people visiting the Park today do pay more attention to these big guys then some years ago" ?. It was funny to hear and see during my last trip hoew many do carry the tusker documents printed and/or on their laptop... Well, the more the better, so we can expect more posts here...like the one below....

Pumbaa,
Great shots of Mavatsani !!
I recognize the feeling of looking at a named big tusker for some time and waiting he will show his face...
I waited for Mandzemba while he was socializing and eating and "removing" small trees... it took 1 1/2 hour before he finally showed himself completely and even crossed the road for me ...
Difference is... I am a tusker whisperer

It's great to see that Mavatsani is around and doing well.... Hope to see or hear something about Machachule too soon... last pics I got did not promise a good future.

Pumbaa, hope to see Mavatsani's pics soon if you can find a minute to send them

Wonderful sighting and great pics of Mavatsani Pumbaa!

Thanks Aat & Elsa,

it is indeed always a great and thrilling experience to have the honour in meeting so many tuskers and hopefully there are many more awaiting us in a couple of weeks

The pictures should already be with you, Aat

@ ALL,

Thanks to the tuskermites and other tusker friends, I just updated the tuskersite with new pictures of :
Mavatsani, Mandzemba, Ngodzi, Mune (STE), Masasana and MaTrix

Good start of 2013 , hoping much more to update this year

Pumbaa , thank you for sharing your pics of Mavatsani .
You know , I first spotted him in October 2010 at Babalala , and sent his pics to Aat , which was when he then first named him , so I always like to consider Mavatsani " as mine " .Unfortunately I have not seen him again since that first time , but certainly I have a soft spot for him .
Good to see this magnificent tusker still well and thriving

Always a pleasure okie and indeed I can imagine how lucky you was to know that he is doing well - Especially when we meet such tuskers it is always great to know from other mities that same are still roaming the area

Awesome tusks Pumbaa, thanx for sharing!

Thanx for your hard work on the tuskersite Aat, we DO appreciate it big time!!! - yes, it also goes with on our trips.....

What Super Ellies....oops, mean Tuskers

I like to present you the first 2 named tuskers I met during my last trip to Kruger (nov-dec 2012)
More to come ……..

First one I like to show is RICEHO
Very nice tusker with very promising tusks, growing well and both tusks are thick
I could get close to him, he was very relaxed and friendly. A bit of “whispering” and he was posing as it should be.

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Second one just about 5km away of Riceho I found MANDZEMBA
Great to see him again, I remember I found him in february 2009 and decided to name him, convinced he would be a big tusker in near future. See what happens… his tusks are growing fast. Also “whispered” with and to him for some time before he came out of the bush (waited for almost an hour) He came on the road, took his time for posing and then disappeared again into the bush…. Funny to add… next day almost same place he showed himself one more time for me.

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Updated site with pics of Mandzemba, Riceho, Hlahleni, Kaleka and Kumana

Great photos of RICEHO & MANDZEMBA.

.........no wonder that that they are also known as "Gentle Giants"

Hey Aat, glad you enjoyed your trip and were reunited with some big old friends...

Love the photos! They are all HUGE and posing just nicely for the ellie whisperer....

Thanx for sharing and updating the tusker site!