African Elephant

[Lisbeth]

A jumbo operation to test Kruger Park elephant for TB


Kruger Park veterinary senior manager Dr Peter Buss darts an elephant to be tested for TB from the SANParks helicopter piloted by David Simelane. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)

By Shiraaz Mohamed | 12 Jul 2022

IN PICTURES and words: Click on the title

Also read Kruger Park elephant that died of human TB still a puzzle for vets

[Richprins]

3-legged elephant spotted at Kruger National Park





Vutomi the 3-legged elephant. picture: Cathan Moore

Published Sep 28, 2022


Durban - Despite weighing close to three tons, a female elephant was spotted walking on three legs in a section of the Kruger National Park.

The elephant, Vutomi, was spotted by Cathan Moore walking with its herd at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga.

Moore, a wildlife photographer, said he only heard reports of Vutomi and was surprised to have spotted her.

“The aim of this morning's drive was to make it to the wild dog den and spend time with their new pups, but like everything in the bush, nature has its own plan and so just as we were about to reach the den – we drove slap bang into this large herd of elephants.

“To my amazement, I noticed an elephant with a very unorthodox walk in between the mass of grey bodies and on closer approach, realised it was Vutomi, the 3-legged elephant! Her story has an element of mystery, however, we believe that her amputation was the result of either a landmine from the Mozambique civil war or a gin trap set by poachers.

“It is very easy to allow your spirit to be overwhelmed by sorrow, but it’s important to also see her as a testament to nature's resilience! Give nature the opportunity to, and she will bounce back!” he said.

IOL

https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa ... a7aa4663ff

[Lisbeth]

Could she have been born like that

[Richprins]

They say landmine or snare, Lis?

[Lisbeth]

I know, but has a vet looked at it?

Maybe it happened when she was very young and it is true that animals adapt much better than humans ....and without physiotherapy

[Richprins]

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/sout ... -sighting/

[Lisbeth]

Wow! All very excited. All that soil risks suffocating the tinyphant

[Richprins]

phpBB [video]

[Lisbeth]

Cute!

[Lisbeth]

Did you know that elephant calves are born with tusks? They are deciduous teeth (“milk teeth”) that grow to around 5cm and then fall out when the elephant is about a year old, to be replaced by a permanent set. This adorable fact often goes unnoticed because they are small and difficult to see for the first few months. But if you look closely at a particularly touching image from this week’s Photographer of the Year gallery, you may just glimpse some tiny tusks peeping out beneath the trunk of a genuinely delightful baby forest elephant.