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Aat

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 4:17 pm

Distinguished Virtual Ranger

Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:53 pm
Posts: 1878
Location: Netherlands

Digby wrote:

Hi All,

Digby,
Muliluane is not at my list since I really doubt if this tusker is still alive. Last reported sighting on this forum and to me has been several years ago. He is or was a Big Tusker but living in the southern region it is almost impossible that he hasn't been seen over the last few years. Same for Tsotsi , no pics seen of him for some years now, assuming he died too.
So list is based on tuskers seen and reported in the last few years.
Information at Letaba Hall is outdated. There are names of tuskers who passed away , many tuskers not even mentioned or named yet... like Babalala, Mavatsani, Nkokodzi and others.

Getting back to identifying the new elephant king of Kruger.

My SO and I were staying at Letaba late September and I made my usual visit to the Elephant Hall to spend some time with the great ones.

I was chatting with the lady on duty at the desk and she said that Mililuane seems to be the favourite to be nominated as the new king.

He seems to be carrying heavy ivory yet he doesn't feature on Aat's list of the top ten candidates.

My view is that the new king should be the elephant with the heaviest ivory. If that is indeed Mililuane, then he should be acclaimed as the new king. Would appreciate your views.

Has anyone seen Mililuane recently? His ivory should be even heavier by now.

Regards,

Digby.

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http://www.tuskersofafrica.com

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Bushbuddies

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 8:33 pm

Virtual Ranger

Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:22 pm
Posts: 929
Location: Centurion

Hi Aat and all the other tusker-fans out there! :yaya:

We recently returned from a trip to Northern KNP - and being Tusker country - we met a few of these giants again. Haven't had time to ID them with the new lists yet, Aat - so I thought I'd post them here for your ID (if you don't mind)...

1. Seen at Babalala, peacefully standing under a tree and sleeping during the midday heat:

2. This collared guy (with only 1 tusk) - seen in the Shingwedzi riverbed just outside camp:

3. These two beauties were on the Red Rocks loop - in the riverbed. The one on the Right of the photo is not in the best condition. His hip and shoulder bones were quite prominent...

4. Another collared tusker in the Shingwedzi riverbed just outside camp:

5. And while the above guy was in the riverbed - this guy was munching just on the other side of the main road outside Shingwedzi:

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Aat

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:09 pm

Distinguished Virtual Ranger

Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:53 pm
Posts: 1878
Location: Netherlands

Bushbuddies wowwwwwwwwwww :mrgreen:

ID's
photo 1 = Mavatsani
photo 2 = Mavatsani
photo 3 = Mpenza (lost his other tusk probably october 2011)
photo 4 = front = Riceho and behind him Machachule (looks not very well idd... looks like he used his last set of teeth and not able to eat well anymore ... if that is the case we will not see him that long anymore.. they then normally will stay close to rivers or dams so they can drink )
photo 5 = same as photo 4
photo 6 and 7 = Nkombo (an STE *Save The Elephants* collared tusker)
Photo 8 (last) = Mandzemba

6 named tuskers ... great catch !!
Worried about Machachule ...hope I am wrong :pray:

That means : 6 beers and a kudu :rtm:

[quote="Bushbuddies"]Hi Aat and all the other tusker-fans out there! :yaya:

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Bushbuddies

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:36 pm

Virtual Ranger

Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:22 pm
Posts: 929
Location: Centurion

And such a prompt reply! :clap:

Thanks Aat!

Unfortunately - that was the idea we also got with Machachule...

if you look on the first photo of him - you can actually se his ribs... Not good a good sign if you're an ellie! Actually terrible to die of starvation like that... :cry:

Thanks again Aat! We were really blessed seeing all these guys! :thumbs_up:

I'm getting into some serious debt here with you... :tongue:

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Satara - 15-21 June 2013

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Crested Val

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:41 pm

Senior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 8:49 am
Posts: 5021
Location: Brecon Beacons National Park
FAC Member (2012)

Well done BBs....................what wonderful sightings.
I will look out for them all in November (especially Machachule!! :cry:

)

Well done Aat again....what would we do without you? :clap:

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In the North in Search of Cheetahs and Painted Dogs - TR 2012/2013

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Pumbaa

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 11:36 pm

Senior Virtual Ranger

Award: Birder of the Year (2011)
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2005 4:43 pm
Posts: 3756
Location: Enjoying Springtime!

WoW BB - What amazing sightings and pictures :thumbs_up:

Thanks so much for sharing :gflower:

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KNP 08.02. - 24.02.13

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100ponder

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:38 pm

Junior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:47 am
Posts: 172
Location: Amanzimtoti, KZN, RSA.

Wonderful sightings Bushbuddies.

Looks like Mavatsani's tusks are growing rapidly !

Your photo of Riceho reminded me of a elephant we encountered just outside Shingwedzi's gate in early June.
[ I am posting a photo of this tusker below.]

The LH tusk has a splinter off the top of it's tip just like Riceho.
The RH tusk has a splinter off the lower side of it's tip just like Riceho.
The RH tusk tip show a slight grass notch just like Riceho.

Aat, could this have been Riceho ?

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Aat

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:58 am

Distinguished Virtual Ranger

Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:53 pm
Posts: 1878
Location: Netherlands

[quote="100ponder"]Wonderful sightings Bushbuddies.

Hi my friend,
Yes IDD that is Riceho , no doubt.
I added him since he has very thick tusks , not yet that long but very promising

Looks like Mavatsani's tusks are growing rapidly !

Your photo of Riceho reminded me of a elephant we encountered just outside Shingwedzi's gate in early June.
[ I am posting a photo of this tusker below.]

The LH tusk has a splinter off the top of it's tip just like Riceho.
The RH tusk has a splinter off the lower side of it's tip just like Riceho.
The RH tusk tip show a slight grass notch just like Riceho.

Aat, could this have been Riceho ?

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http://www.tuskersofafrica.com

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100ponder

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:47 pm

Junior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:47 am
Posts: 172
Location: Amanzimtoti, KZN, RSA.

During our June visit to northern KNP we also saw this very old
"ballie" in his twighlight years.
[ Ballie = old man ]
He was quietly feeding and dozing a hundred meters upstream
from the Shingwedzi main gate.

He will not qualify as a TUSKER based on his current tusk
length but. . . . .

His tusks are currently protruding approx a meter from the lip, plus
another approx 0.75 meter under the lip makes each of his tusks
about 1.75 meter long.

His tusks are also more or less even in thickness from lip to tip
excluding the obvious tip tapering from years of wear. This indicates
that appox a meter [ or more ] of ivory had been lost on each tusk.

Keeping this in mind indicates that this bull had grown 2,75 to 3 meter
long tusks in his life !

Also, most really old bulls have the nerve cavity shortening in their old
age making for heavier weight for meter of length - now this bull have
moderately thick tusks which could have weighed around 120 lb each.

Today, in his old age his tusks will weigh around 90 lb each.
A tapering un-damaged tusk of the same length from a younger bull,
[ protruding a meter from under the lip ] will weigh approx 70lb.

So, I bow to this old bull having lived out most of a full span of years,
may your last days be kind to you as your children walks the bush
around you. . . .

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onewithnature

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:29 am

Distinguished Virtual Ranger

Award: Musketeer of the Year, Quiz Whiz of the Year (2011)
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 am
Posts: 19081
Location: Midway between the infinite and the infinitesimal!
Award: Musketeer of the Year, Quiz Whiz of the Year (2012)

Fantastic how you derive all that information just from a pic, 100Ponder!! :clap:

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Janeli

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:50 am

Junior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:11 pm
Posts: 1701
Location: Strand, South Africa

I have seen this beautiful tusker about 4km from Letaba on the H9.
I would love to know if he is a known tusker.

These two tuskers were grazing in the riverbed at Letaba. Wonderful to watch them grazing so peacefully.

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Kruger: August - September 2013
Skukuza, Satara, Lower-Sabie.
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Aat

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:48 am

Distinguished Virtual Ranger

Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:53 pm
Posts: 1878
Location: Netherlands

Janeli,
You have seen Masthulele , one of the biggest tuskers at the moment in Kruger
the other ones are no tuskers...nice bulls...

[quote="Janeli"]

I have seen this beautiful tusker about 4km from Letaba on the H9.
I would love to know if he is a known tusker.

These two tuskers were grazing in the riverbed at Letaba. Wonderful to watch them grazing so peacefully.

_________________
Tuskers of Kruger & Africa
http://www.tuskersofafrica.com

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Aat

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:51 am

Distinguished Virtual Ranger

Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:53 pm
Posts: 1878
Location: Netherlands

Bushbuddies,
If you find some spare minutes please send the pics to me...should be nice for some updates...

Bushbuddies wrote:

And such a prompt reply! :clap:

Thanks Aat!

Unfortunately - that was the idea we also got with Machachule...

if you look on the first photo of him - you can actually se his ribs... Not good a good sign if you're an ellie! Actually terrible to die of starvation like that... :cry:

Thanks again Aat! We were really blessed seeing all these guys! :thumbs_up:

I'm getting into some serious debt here with you... :tongue:

_________________
Tuskers of Kruger & Africa
http://www.tuskersofafrica.com

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Janeli

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:59 pm

Junior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:11 pm
Posts: 1701
Location: Strand, South Africa

Thank you very much, Aat!!! I am so glad that we at least have seen one big tusker!!!

I would like to show you 2 other ellies we saw ... just in case we have missed something!

This one near the Nwanetsi Dam on 23 May 2012

This one on 15 May 2012 on the Mlondozi Road

And this one near the N'wagovilla Hill on 17 May 2012
(I think it may be the same ellie???)

Thanks again!!!!! :thumbs_up:

_________________
Kruger: August - September 2013
Skukuza, Satara, Lower-Sabie.
To be able to look back upon one's past life with satisfaction is to live twice.

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Aat

Post subject: Re: Big Tuskers

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:35 am

Distinguished Virtual Ranger

Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:53 pm
Posts: 1878
Location: Netherlands

Janeli... will be back on these pictures later... spent time with something else about the tuskers...

@ All

Like to do what I promised.... at the forum thread for Duke but related to Tuskers

So... Just launched the new section at my Tusker website with LEGENDARY TUSKERS of KRUGER NP

included 5 tuskers where I think they belong in this section... more to add and advise / requests are welcome

One of them is DUKE and since it is just a year ago he died I modified his pages to have a photographic story of his life including new pictures
Oldest picture back to 1991 and latest from 2011 a few months before he died...

Hope you like the new section and Duke's story

links:
Duke
http://www.tuskersofafrica.com/tuskers/duke_001.htm

new section Legendary tuskers
http://www.tuskersofafrica.com/tskmain/tsklgnd.htm

it became nightwork ...but worth to do it... :tongue:

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