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Hi Buillas,

I for one would love to see the population being strengthened once again. How awesome would that be?

But on the other hand I have realized something else.

SANP have translocated a group of Kruger elephants to the forest a few years back. Well they've tried I have to say perhaps. The elephants did not enjoy the forest as much as what was hoped for and they continued to slip out of the forest area to venture onto open land and in some instances caused severe damage to neighboring farmers' crops.

This group of Kruger ele's now find themselves in Addo.

To me it signifies an important thing. And the most important is that perhaps the Knysna Elephants were never supposed to have been in the forest in the first place. They were forced in there as a place of refuge as their numbers pummeled to extinction through the art of hunting and as a result adapted to there surroundings in order to survive.

Secondly, now I can't recall the exact details, an article suggested that there were 5 or 6 individuals left in the Knysna forest and that one individual is estimated to be a young calf.

Like I said I would to see the numbers pick up again. But perhaps the lack of elephants in the forest is a great sign that elephant conservation is prolific.

Knysna’s Forest Elephant makes a special appearance just before the holiday season

Thanx WTM

I saw the pictures on news24 this morning, what a sighting

Poor thing, she must be ever so lonely given that female elephants normally live in family groups.

Hi Saraf,

It is a very interesting thought.

My opinion is that everything natural to an elephant was taken away the moment they have decided to flee into the forest. And therefore something like living in a herd gave way to pure survival. I would like to think that she won't be to bothered about her current life, but then again, I am not her and my logical human thoughts and emotions are completely different.

Just something of a personal note: I stood there at the exact same spot last year this time where this elephant was seen now. I would probably have had to wipe my eyes out a few times and empty my stainless steel brandy flask had I seen this sighting.

I am however still surprised that some believe that there is only this one elephant left in the forest. Many articles I have read suggested that there were at least 5 individuals.

Have to say, I’m also a bit confused by the statements that there is only one elephant left…..I cannot remember when and where, but there was a program on scientists doing DNA tests on the dung they found in the forest. Through this they found out that there are more elephants left than what was initially thought….and as far as I can remember, during this they also discovered that there is a baby….

I remembered yesterday that I had read this in one of the Wild card magazines.

Wtm and Jumbo, I read it over here.

Thank you, JenB

Very interesting this article, jenb, thank you to share information with people so far by the distance but so closer by the heart.
Serge

I have just finished reading Garreth Patterson's book "The Secret Elephants of Knysna". Great read! Could not put it down. I thought I would also just say after reading Builla's last post even if it was over a year ago that the central african forest elephants does not have anything to do with the knysna forest elephants. The knysna forest elephants are "recently" adapted forest elphants. Theyre close genetic relatives are actualy the addo elephants and funnily enough the handfull in knysna are more genetically diverse than the whole addo herd of 400 plus. The knysna elephants are then the southern most african bush elephants adapted to the forrests in order to escape the ever destructive humans. This does not mean that they are just normal elephants.

They are very special and in that handfull of elephants their is the closest link to the elephants that once roamed arround Cape town. Who knows and with the distances that elephants travel. Maybe "Strangefoots" great great great grandmother once stood feeding on the slopes of table mountan whith her familly when strange white sails appeared on the horizon. Things would never be the same again from that day.

It is nothing less than a mirracle that there are still elephants close to knysna. They have come so far. It is now our responsiballity to make sure this miracle continues. We may not be able to undo what our great grandfathers have done, but we can do our best to make sure the "matriach's" grand daughters live in peace with our grand children. I am sure some of the addo elephants could be moved to GRNP to help the knysna elepants population growth and secure their genes for the future.

We are guests in a beautifull country that have destroyed for far to long. It is time that we give back. The creation of the GRNP is a dream come true. May elephants roam there forever more. Everyone will be the richer for it.

The BBC posted a story on the ellies: Overhere

I notice in this mornings edition of Die Burger, a Cape Town newspaper, that the elephants in Knysna Forest is alive and well. The article, in Afrikaans, can be found at: http://www.dieburger.com/Suid-Afrika/Nu ... t-20110831.

Between one and five....let's hope it is 5.

When was it that they sent the Young elephants from Kruger to Knysna? I know it was the early 1990's, was there when the little ones were captured. Those ellies have to be around 25 years old now.

I think it will be great if Sanparks can relocate a big bull or two to Knysna. Those females might be ready to breed and build up the population in the forests again.