Elephants of Botswana

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Sep 01 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

Kate Evans is fundraising for Elephants For Africa - JustGiving

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Category: Botswana Elephants, Donors, Fund Raising, Travel | Date: Sep 01 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

Dear Friends,

It has been a while since I contributed to this blog and for that I must apologise - it is not that I have not wanted to it. 2009 has been a busy year for me and one of BIG decisions, mainly as to whether I was able to continue with the reseach.

Thankfully the answer to that is a big loud YES.  It has been a year of ups and downs and heart breaking decisions.

I am currently in Cape Town waiting for the arrival of our Land Cruiser - a 17 year old beauty! We shall then drive up through Namibia to Botswana.

On the way we shall be trying to keep fit…… as Sim (my fiancee and I) got places in the NYC marathon to run as a fundraisier - please check out our funding page. http://www.justgiving.com/KateandSimsMarathonChallenge. This carries on from our successful summit of Kilimanjaro in December last year.

Cheers for now

Kate

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Aug 17 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

Mafunyane is being elusive. The problem is that is collar stopped giving GPS downloads and so we have not been able to find him. Also the plane we use to track the elephants has been out of action, after it was badly damaged in a hail storm so we have not been able to track from him from the air. We have been tracking him from the ground but to no avail. On the 18^th of May 2009 it was a good day as he was spotted again and looked healthy and well, but the bad news is that we could not pick him up on his VHF which means that this has now stopped working too.

Tricky thing is that now we have to rely on visual sightings to re-collar him which is a daunting task. I have been on a mission to locate him, telling everyone to inform the research team if they find Mafunyane. It is a challenge as we are not certain whether he is still in the area or not however ethologically elephants will spend sometime in an area before they transverse to another area therefore my hope is that he is still around camp. Maybe Mafunyane will prove this theory wrong as animal behaviour is a complicated field and its difficult to predict the behaviour of an animal.

The re-collaring of Mafunyane will be a mission accomplished I will keep our readers informed about this mission.

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jun 24 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

With flood Water is at its highest level and delta being a difficult terrain to drive on getting stuck is one of things that one can expect in the area. Firstly driving through deep waters and deep sand and muddy patches in this case the researcher and two guides got stuck in muddy water. The worst thing was that it was in the evening and it got darker and had to jack vehicle up putting some logs and the mosquitoes were biting us all over.

When it got darker that is when most of the predators are active lions, leopards etc. While were still there we heard something splashing water all of us, the guide, Thapelo, a new trainee guide and I went into the vehicle and we realised that it was a hyena having come to investigate what was happening. We never had expected to get stuck on that mud and what I have realised about getting stuck is that it happens when one least expected it.

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: May 05 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

This year the flood water is so high that it has restricted researchers in their quest to find elephants. Most of the crossings have very deep water which is difficult for vehicles to cross. Although elephants are terrestrial animals the researchers now are using a boat to do the surveys. Vehicles can only cover small areas.

Boat used as a mode of transport to look for elephants

The flood water is one of the highest that has been experienced in years. Every now and then after a span of time highest floods are experienced. Globally we are in the era of climate change industrialised countries producing some harmful gases into the environment this having affected the developing countries like Botswana. Drought that has adverse impact on communities floods in some countries that impact negatively in the livelihoods of communities.

However the flood water in Botswana which is a semi-desert brings life sustain the communities residing in close proximity to the Delta.  Botswana and Batswana as a whole have derived benefits being in the form of revenues from the Delta that had seen Batswana being able to go to schools, universities.

The Flood waters

The Delta means a lot to us as a country. Botswana now has a logo that we identify our country with; it reads as follows, Opportunity and tranquillity beckons.

Calmness could be felt in Okavango Delta the sounds of wilderness, birds, frogs etc.

The slogan is mainly based on opportunities that Delta provides for tourism, the calmness that Okavango Delta provides, and the business opportunities that Botswana provides.

As Batswana we believe that we have to set goals for our selves and the country support every aspect being environmental sustainability and we believe that education is an empowerment.

We have seven visions that we embrace

1. A Prosperous, Productive and Innovative Nation

2.  A Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation

3. A Safe and Secure Nation

4.  An Open, Democratic and Accountable Nation

5. A Moral and Tolerant Nation

6. An educated and informed nation

7. A united and proud nation

Okavango Delta, organisms from smallest to biggest organisms like elephant needs consorted efforts as it is clear education is key. People who clearly comprehend how wild species benefit them directly and indirectly revenues from photographic tourism providing free education t o Batswana kids. Non Governmental Organisation like Elephants For Africa which provides education for communities which is an outreach programme. Education has an ability to change perspectives of communities and is in line with the vision of the country. Organisations as Elephants for Africa will play a pivotal role in achieving these goals. Reaching the goals needs to be concerted efforts of private, government, communities and organisation that are owned by government and private sector working together.

Tags: botswana, elephants, flood. delta

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Category: Botswana Elephants | Date: Apr 21 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

Its 12:30 in the afternoon when the radio call comes in.  There is a baby elephant just outside of Seba camp towards the airstrip.  It is being attacked by two hyenas.  Given normal circumstances a baby elephant is so well protected by the adults of the herd, any predator would never get anywhere near it.  However, for this little one there is no protective herd or even elephant in sight, only the safari car. 

For a two month old, she puts up a valiant fight against its two aggressors, sending them flying with its ears out and trumpeting loudly but as soon as she tries to put some ground between herself and the hyena, they soon catch up nipping and biting the rear end and legs of the elephant, pulling her down.  Upon seeing the car and possibly even attracted by the low rumble of the engine, the elephant seeks refuge in its shade leaving the hyena to circle at a distance. 

This now leaves a bit of a dilemma as out here nature must take its course.  The car moves away and the baby elephant starts to follow.  The hyena are following she tries chase them away.  In the confusion and the thick bush she looses the car close to the outskirts of Seba camp.  The next thing we hear in camp is a radio call: an elephant has found its way into the generator room of Seba Camp. 

Now we must intervene.  The cuts to her legs and rear are deep, the baby is obviously traumatized.  She is shaking but can walk which leads us to believe that she can’t have been separated from her own herd for more than a couple of days and is not too weak.  By keeping the gathering crowd calm and quiet the baby begins to relax and explore her surroundings.  We bring in water to begin cooling her but being too young to know how to use her trunk, she is unable to drink.  When a mahout arrives in another safari car she runs over to it, seemingly to have associated the car with safety and security she begins to follow it. 

Using the car as the surrogate mother we lead her to the far side of camp where the flood waters have created a shallow pan.  As soon as she is there she is face first into the water and drinking deep, gurgling mouthfuls.  Ten minutes later, once she has had her fill, she is looking a lot calmer but still unsure about this new ‘herd’ that she has joined.  More mahouts arrive to assess her age and wounds, administering antiseptic spray where they can.  A report is given to Maun office and the Vet, Rob Jackson is called in. 

The baby is young, somewhere between 6-12 weeks old.  If she doesn’t get some milk soon, together with the trauma she has suffered, she is unlikely to survive.  The Abu herd is close by and have two lactating mothers in their midst.  We decide to try and introduce her to the herd in the hope that one of them may be able to feed her. 

Using the safari car ‘matriarch’, we lead her down to the Abu herd.  It’s a tense time now as the baby’s survival rests on her acceptance into the Abu herd.  The first mother, Kitumetse, is brought out.  Kiti herself could relate to this as she was found in very similar circumstances, alone, injured from a crocodile attack she had been separated from her herd and had been found down in the south of the concession by a neighboring camp.  With permission from the DWNP (Department of Wildlife and National Parks) we adopted her and she has been doing very well.  So well, in fact she has given birth to her first calf, Lorato, last year. 

However, this introduction did not go too well, the prospect of taking on another calf so soon after her first seemed to prove too much for her and she backed away from it trumpeting loudly.  The baby elephant is now frantic to join this herd, the herd at least being recognizable compared to its safari car/human herd from an hour previously.  We corral the baby to protect it from running into the middle of the Abu herd.  An unwelcome introduction could turn tragic. 

The second lactating female, Sherini, is brought out.  Sherini is a more experienced mother with her latest addition to the herd, Abu, being nearly 3 years old.  On seeing the baby there is huge excitement, ears out, trumpeting and rumbling loudly with temporal secretions flowing profusely.  She seems to be more tolerant of the baby that is now harassing her for milk but she still seems somewhat reluctant. 

After a few minutes of coaxing them together one of the mahouts suggests to bring Cathy, the matriarch of the herd across.  Cathy who had been looking on excitedly is brought over.  There is another tense moment as the exchange of trumpets and rumbles between Sherini and Cathy becomes intense, the baby between them constantly begging for milk.  Then, as if she had got the go ahead from the herd leader to accept her, Sherini lets her feed.  She feeds for a full 20 minutes before we lead them back in to the shade of the trees for the remainder of this hot Easter Sunday afternoon.  And for her name, Paseka (pronounced pah-SEH-ka) means Easter in Setswana. 

It’s the following morning.  Rob, the Vet, and Randall Moore arrived the previous evening when the herd had returned to the boma.  Paseka had followed Sherini all the way home through the deep river channel under the careful watch of the mahouts and guides.  On inspecting the wounds, Rob cleaned them and with a shot of antibiotics and painkillers, allowed them to heal naturally. 

Mother and adopted baby had spent the night in the nursing pen to keep Paseka from running into any more trouble, but now she was looking a lot happier.  The swelling around her rear had gone down and the wounds were looking a lot better.  Sherini was doing an excellent job as mother even though Abu was still a little unsure about being ousted from his centre-of-attention spot by this unexpected arrival!!!!

Tags: abandoned, adopted, elephant, hyaena, orphan

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Category: Botswana Elephants, Donors, Fund Raising | Date: Apr 17 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

An old School Friend, Felix Jaffe, is running the London Marathon on the 26th April and has decided to support the charity and is looking for sponsorship to help him around the gruelling course. Visit http://www.justgiving.com/felixjaffe to donate, support Felix and the elephants.

Tags: Felix Jaffe, fundraising, London Marathon

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Category: Botswana Elephants, Donors, Fund Raising | Date: Mar 20 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

The arrival of floods in our camp and seeing how much distance the water covers of the dry desert has left me wondering how much the Delta is worth.

It has brought life to a desert, some would say a miracle in itself and can we put a price on that?.

The arrival of so much fresh, water giving water into the Okavango Delta led me to question how much the Okavango Delta is worth. Economists may well have an answer to that, if they took on board the revenue it brings in from tourism, the  jobs that it creates, and calculates how many people it supports and what it would cost the government to support if it was not there.  But is worth really just down to money?

Let’s look at the role of the Okavango Delta.

Its support a lot of species including the elephants, purification of the water biologically as the water seeps through the deep Kalahari sands and the reeds that clean the water at no cost. Here, no man-made machinery is needed to purify the water it is a natural endowment. So the question that I pose to our lovely blog readers is in monetary terms how much is the Okavango Delta?

The role that the Okavango Delta plays is priceless when I look at the abundant species it supports. Botswana as a country benefiting immensely from the Okavango Delta, it has supported people adjacent to it for many years. Elephants have benefited from the vast land of delta and it supports a high biodiversity. Medicinal plants that Delta provides help local communities, palatable fruits of delta, oh the list is endless. How much is this Delta worth?

For me it is priceless, and that is why I have dedicated my life it to. But is it safe? No. Conservation is not a business, it does not give a return in monetary terms but it does give - it gives the knowledge that wilderness, such as the Okavango Delta, which are the lungs of the world are safe….. how much is that worth to you?

Tags: conservation, delta, donation, risk

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Category: Botswana Elephants | Date: Mar 16 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

On the 5^th of March we headed out to the Northern side up on the quest to sight some elephants. We were wondering where the elephants were at so we decided to look for them out in the bush where there are no roads. Guess what we got stuck right in the middle of the bush. However our mission was accomplished as we managed to see three male elephants. This was an adventure as is now rare to spot elephants.  Female breeding herds are not around as so we are mainly spotting males at the moment.  We are waiting for the arrival of floods which will bring more life to the Delta.

Tags: 4x4, botswana, elephants, okavango delta, stuck

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Category: Botswana Elephants | Date: Mar 13 2009 | By: elephantsofbotswana

The annual floods have reached our camp a little earlier than last year. This year it is feasible that they will be more flood water, making it even harder for us to get around. It has been raining since the beginning of March and we had grey sky since then. In Botswana water is an important resource. When there is a good rain in a certain year in Botswana the year is referred to as a female year. Batswana are farmers mainly and good rains mean good harvest water for the livestock. The farming that they do is not commercial but it’s for subsistent purposes. Even though the country is a semi-desert they rely mainly on rain water for watering of their crops and livestock. In some years when rains are not enough the Tswana people loose a lot of their livestock.

The flood has brought a lot of life into the Delta with fish eagles being heard often with their typical vocalisation. We are seeing more of the lions as the floods have pushed them from flood pains into the islands. Kingfishers are seen hovering waiting to catch a meal for the day. It really is buzzing here in camp.

Okavango Delta is an oasis it brings live in the middle of Kalahari and is a delta of life.

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