Blog #11: Charging elephants!
Sri Lanka. I have been charged by elephants three times in my life. The first and, it turns out, the most serious time was in Sri Lanka. That occurred while going on a road through Gal Oya National Park with a driver in his small car. Spotting a solitary elephant browsing by the side of the road, we stopped a safe distance away and waited about ten minutes, but the elephant remained in the same position only 5 yards from the road. That was when I first learned from the driver something about elephants that I’ve observed subsequently in Africa.
A single elephant is often dangerous because it is insecure. Three elephants also pose a danger because one is typically the “baby” even if it is approaching the size of its parents and may be a few years old. Two elephants are not dangerous because each feels secure with the other present. Four or more elephants are usually not so dangerous if adults outnumber young elephants, as they again feel secure in their numbers. If young ones are separated in the least from the rest of the herd, some adults may be quite skittish though.
In Gal Oya it would be a very long detour if we returned and drove another way so, when the elephant turned its back on us and moved more than ten yards from the road, we drove as quickly as possible to pass him. However, he heard us coming and turned to charge us with ears laid back (sign of a serious charge). By swerving to the far side of the road, we managed to avoid the charging elephant. It was truly scary. Regrettably, I was unable to obtain a photo of our “adventure” for a multitude of reasons.
Charging through the bush towards us in Kruger National Park, South Africa (1997)
Elephants in Africa. The last two elephant charges I experienced were “false” charges. One time after spotting an elephant in Kruger National Park in South Africa, the quickly applied brakes of our rental car squealed. This startled the solitary elephant who then charged. This convinced us to depart in a hurry. However, the elephant’s ears were protruding and waving, a sign that the elephant would likely pull up after initiating the charge; it did exactly that. I wasn’t driving, so I could grab the quick (but not especially good) shot shown here.
I also include here a picture of one of the Magnificent Seven standing in a slow-moving stream. The authorities of Kruger National Park had so-named these seven elephants for their great age and size. We encountered him by taking a little-used side road, and we identified him from pictures posted at the Park Headquarters.
One of the Magnificent Seven elephants of Kruger National Park, South Africa.
The last elephant charge toward us (in Loango National Park, Gabon) was very short, from a matriarch protecting young ones by scaring us off; of course, she stomped her feet and flapped her ears to appear large and fierce. She charged less than ten yards and then stopped and began to flap her ears and stomp her feet again. With respect for her consternation, we moved away. Her picture with part of her family is shown here. A picture from the initial part of her charge is also shown.
Forest elephant matriarch in midst of a false charge, Tassi Camp, Loango Natl Park, Gabon (2008)
Note that elephants in Gabon are forest elephants. They are not as large as elephants of the savanna, but they are reputed to have short tempers and are responsible for numerous deaths every year to locals who may not see them quickly enough as they walk through a forest. Needless to say my wife and I hiked in Gabon’s forests only with local guides, who all seemed quite wary of elephants.
Forest elephants near Tassi Camp, Loango National Park, Gabon (2008)
Another forest elephant female with baby near Tassi Camp, Loango National Park, Gabon
In Blog #10, I noted that we spent a few days at Langoué Bai, Gabon. As we saw dozens of elephants there, many interacting with one another, it became clear that a couple were quite aggressive while the majority were not. Humans who came across those aggressive elephants could readily suffer ill consequences even if they had safely encountered many other elephants previously.