Category — African Stories

Environmentalists are concerned that increased helicopter flights to Victoria Falls will have a negative impact on elephants in Zimbabwe. South Africa hopes that there will be a tourism boom next year when they host the World Cup and more flights to the falls are expected. – BBC NEWS

Lawrence Anthony, head of conservation at Thula Thula reserve in South Africa, discusses how he dealt with an extremely difficult group elephants when he first came to the reserve 10 years ago. He won them over with trust and love. – The Sydney Morning Herald

Lawrence Anthony’s website is available here.

Video of Lawrence Anthony’s Rehabilitation of Elephants.

“DESTROYED mahangu fields left in the wake of stray elephants from Etosha have Onanke villagers, in Oshikoto, blaming Government for their losses.” – allAfrica.com

A review of Africa’s Elephant Kingdom (IMAX) by Big Picture Big Sound.

Africa’s Elephant Kingdom [Blu-ray]
12.95

BigPictureBigSound

A video of elephants from the Elephant Plains Lodge in South Africa. The baby elephant is SO cute acting like he is so tough.

Vietnam plans to auction six tons of elephant tusks smuggled to the country from Tanzania. The ivory was seized by Vietnamese custom officials. Initially the Tanzania government did nothing about the issue but no plans to take action. It is believed that the tusks were enroute to China.

ThisDay

DVD Talk Reviews Africa’s Elephant Kingdon.

Africa’s Elephant Kingdom [Blu-ray]
12.95

DVD Talk

A baby pink elephant was photographed by Michael Holding in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. The baby is probably an albino, which is very rare in African elephants.

Unfortunately, the baby’s chance of survival is not good, since he may suffer from blindness and skin problems.

BBC NEWS

The Amboseli Trust for Elephants has filmed a 13 part series on the Amboseli elephants for Animal Planet. Cynthia Moss reports that some of the dates for broadcast have been announced. She is still waiting to find out when the series will air in the US and the UK.

Elephant Memories: Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family
15.30

ATE

The San Diego is planning on studying the movement of African elephants over a 50,000 square mile area that includes Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Los Angeles Times

An elephant, in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, mourns his deceased friend – he tries to keep vultures and hyenas away and even tries to lift the carcass.

News24

Researchers are attempting to reproduce the rumbling sound made by a female in heat in order to stop rampaging males and keep them from being killed.

BBC NEWS

This is a wonderful interview with the conservationist John Frederick Walker about ivory and protecting African elephants. He also has a new book out called Ivory’s Ghosts: The White Gold of History and the Fate of Elephants

MEDILL Reports

A poacher, suspected of killing a number of elephants was shot and killed my the Kenya Wildlife Services. There as a gun battle in the Tsavo National Park.

Wildlife Extra

Poachers are using automatic weapons to kill entire herds of elephants in the Zakouma National Park in Chad. The elephant population has declined by 99% in the last 20 years!

MediaGlobal

British trophy hunters have been paying Mugabe’s corrupt regime in Zimbabwe to participate in elephant culls. The hunters participate in tracking and killing the elephants and have their photos taken with the dead animals. Not only do I find culling abhorrent but I also find it deplorable that anyone would give Mugabe any money.

The Times of India

A herd of 150 hungry elephants rampage through a village in India. A family of three was killed while sleeping in their hut.

Philadelphia Inquirer

Research shows that it takes 20 years for an elephant family to rebuild after being subjected to the trauma of poaching.

Innovations Report