Elephant attack on vehicle

[nan]

yes, I saw this one

[Duke]

Ja RP, I remember one of the Kruger pilots, think it was Piet Otto, relating how an ellie tried to take the helicopter out one time. They associated the chopper with culling.

Ellies probably don't worry about other species. Just read BC's link, very interesting read, first time I see that blog.

[Richprins]

Nice one, Duke!

Yes, the story was in CUSTOS, an ellie smashed a mopane tree down hoping it would smack the chopper!

They are very clever, hence the point that SP makes that offenders pose a danger needs to be taken with a lot of salt. However, with more and more tourists in the Park, more and more incidents will occur.

It is interesting that foreigners were involved in all of last year's incidents?

[Dzombo]

In Pilanesburg, there is a bull with a reputation. It has turned over cars more than once.
And in fact, I was charged by him. Luckily I managed to get away, and nothing happened.
But I had my young son with me. I shudder to think what may have happened if he would have made contact with my car.

Now in a way, it is irresponsible for the Pilanesburg managemenet to allow this situatiuon to continue.
Not saying they must shoot the elephant, but....the situation needs to be "managed".

Dzombo, that situation is apparently being managed. There are rangers in the field with that Elephant (Amarula) all the time, making sure that he doesn't get close to vehicles. If people would also keep their distance, none of this would be needed.

This must be a recent developement.
The year I had an incdient (which imo was unprovoked), and the next few years that I saw him, he was there in the road, causing chaos and "playing with cars"

[Dzombo]

Ja, don't know that one either!

The hard copy has another opinion from an MTPA authority suggesting that "the elephant was not provoked enough to attack, as compared to a cow/calf situation". And "What if an elephant attacks a vehicle that doesn't bother it. These animals do not discontinue this behaviour easily"

The last comment is very true, as far as Pilanesberg is concerned, as Dzombo said...but don't know of similar incidences in Kruger?


But agree that too many visitors leads to too many offenders...quite logical!

That is the risk.
Will the repeat the behavior.
If I am in a car with my kids, I would rather not find out.

I am anti killing animals for no reason. Don't get me wrong. But I think with elephants, one has to be cautious.

[Flutterby]

In Pilanesburg, there is a bull with a reputation. It has turned over cars more than once.
And in fact, I was charged by him. Luckily I managed to get away, and nothing happened.
But I had my young son with me. I shudder to think what may have happened if he would have made contact with my car.

Now in a way, it is irresponsible for the Pilanesburg managemenet to allow this situatiuon to continue.
Not saying they must shoot the elephant, but....the situation needs to be "managed".

We've also come across this ellie in Pilanesberg, and he was one of the calmest ellies I have ever seen. We obviously caught him on a good day, but he was not at all interested in us!!

[Richprins]

There was a follow-up in Friday's Lowvelder, with printed replies from their website, public interviews and facebook.

Of 14 replies, all condemned the killing of the ellie.

[Sprocky]

At the local HR meeting last night, a spokesperson from SANParks was defending the killing of both Elephant in Kruger over December, saying that there was no other option.

[Lisbeth]

There was a follow-up in Friday's Lowvelder, with printed replies from their website, public interviews and facebook.

Of 14 replies, all condemned the killing of the ellie.

How many of the 14 do really know the facts: Scientific, biological, logistic etc. facts?

[Richprins]

Most shared their own Kruger ellie experiences, Lis? And virtually all was in response to the video, which is also on their website/page.