After two productive weeks in Maun, I was really happy to get back to camp on Sunday and eager to be an elephant researcher. Graham was busy getting all his equipment ready for the start of his project and Peter was busy sorting data. Unfortunately field work has been put on hold as our car is not very well. The water pump has broken, which has been replaced but now the pisterns are not rotating - YIKES a ceased engine!!!! Not good news. We all looked with heavy hearts as the mechanics removed the cars innards and hoped that they would sort the problem out quickly. We REALLY cannot do our work with out the car. We manged to borrow a car from Seba Camp (Zena, my old car in fact) and did route 1 up to the picnic site. We only saw 2 elephants, both males. The first one took one look at us and ran for the hills but B175 (Varasha - the Watcher) was less bothered about us and we got a full half hour focal on him before he disappeared into thick terminalia forest. “We are participating in WildlifeDirect’s business strategy. Please help us by taking this user survey, thank you”
Post a comment
|
|
Hi, I am Kate Evans, or more commonly known as Elephant Kate. I am a zoologist whose great love is elephants. Since 2002 I have been living my dream by researching elephants in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. I decided I was going to be an elephant researcher when I was seven. I was living in Asia at the time and visited the elephant orphanage in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It was there that I made up my mind I was going to work for these majestic and intelligent animals. I made a promise to an elephant and we all know an elephant never forgets!!!! It took me 20 years to finally realise my dream and start my life as an elephant researcher. It was 20 years well spent and now I have to pinch myself most days to make sure it is true and I am living my dream.
I now head up a team who are researching the elephants and trying to work out the social and ecological needs of the largest remaining population of the African elephant. From time to time, other team members will add their thoughts and experiences.
I love sharing my experiences - so I hope that this blog is a medium through which you will be able to join the elephants and I on our adventures in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
