To celebrate our 29th Wedding anniversary I arranged a trip to visit Bayette Zulu Elephant interaction as the SO had always wanted to be up close to a elephant and this seemed to be a reputable encounter not a ride an elephant type of outfit .I also booked and overnight stop at Hilltop camp so we could break up the drive over two days .
On the first day we arrived at Bayette and met Rambo and Rachele both had been survivors of a culling operation that missed them during the cull and the team could then not bring themselves to cull them and their other brother .They were kept somewhere in kruger for a number of years before being relocated to another reserve .Unfortunately their brother eventually became a bit rouge at the first reserve they were on and pushed a OSV into the dam with guests on .He also decided that fenced were not there to stop him and eventually was put down . Rambo and Rachele were then moved to Bayette and live a life in the wild with two human keepers as they are used to human contact but they roam the reserve freely and also look after their keepers by keeping the wild Elephants and lions from them at times .
Some pics of the interaction
Rachelle is not as accommodating as Rambo so you get to place food in her trunk at a safe distance from the tusks .She gets quite pushy if there isnt enough food loaded into her trunk
After leaving the experience we entered the park at the gate very quiet considering it was a Monday during school holidays .
some of the sightings from the first drive to camp.
A "twofer" one
We checked in to camp and made some sandwiches for lunch ....
A brief bush anniversary trip.
- RogerFraser
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
Too close for comfort
Next trip to the bush??
Let me think......................
Let me think......................
- Richprins
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
Rog!
Those ellies are amazing up close!
A big 5 trip so far...
Those ellies are amazing up close!
A big 5 trip so far...
Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
It must be a bit of a nuisance to have the tusks crossed like that but I suppose that he has got accustomed to it
Big rhinos and a mini tusker
Big rhinos and a mini tusker
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The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
That keeper is worth zip if the ellies started funny business
Quite amazing to see that African elephants can be so placid. But I would never have been that brave to get so close.
Quite amazing to see that African elephants can be so placid. But I would never have been that brave to get so close.
God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
- RogerFraser
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
yip but that is the idea of the experience .
and surprisingly softish flesh .You kind of expect it to feel like a solid surface .
Yes they think his tusks are about 45kg .Scary is they expect he will still grow and put on another 1.5 tons in the next decade At the moment he still sleeps lying down in a boma at night but they think he will soon be too big to do this and then will sleep standing .
The keeper is more to provide human company to the Ellies as they have a need to have human contact they found without it the Ellies tend to try break out to look for humans .
- RogerFraser
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
Later the afternoon we left for a drive .
Our first sighting just outside camp was this Buzzard
Further down a hill we came across a grumpy Buf .He was not a happy camper with the car and every time we moved he got quite a look that said to us you shall not pass .
eventually he moved far enough from the road that I could pass by without upsetting him
Although it was green and there were some muddy puddles around the river was not flowing strongly yet .
And we spotted a Nyala crossing the road .
On this side of the park we saw many Nyala in most of the different areas we drove .
We found a lonely waterbuck .
and some of the clean up crew starting their summer jobs
Close to camp we found more Nyala
That evening after our Braai I had a quick look around the unit with a torch and found a little visitor
Our first sighting just outside camp was this Buzzard
Further down a hill we came across a grumpy Buf .He was not a happy camper with the car and every time we moved he got quite a look that said to us you shall not pass .
eventually he moved far enough from the road that I could pass by without upsetting him
Although it was green and there were some muddy puddles around the river was not flowing strongly yet .
And we spotted a Nyala crossing the road .
On this side of the park we saw many Nyala in most of the different areas we drove .
We found a lonely waterbuck .
and some of the clean up crew starting their summer jobs
Close to camp we found more Nyala
That evening after our Braai I had a quick look around the unit with a torch and found a little visitor
- Lisbeth
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
The "buzzard" looks like a long-crested eagle
Lovely pic of the nyalas
Cute night visitor
Lovely pic of the nyalas
Cute night visitor
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
Love the buzzard
The buff looks a bit on the thin side?
The buff looks a bit on the thin side?
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Re: A brief bush anniversary trip.
Wow, what an amazing experience to be so close to the ellies!
I think your Buzzard is a Crested Eagle.
I think your Buzzard is a Crested Eagle.