“I know I have my critics in town, but no-one will understand how dark and painful this is,” Craig Saunders declared.
“I woke up this morning and prayed it was just a bad dream. Unfortunately it was my very worst nightmare. A burden I will carry for life.”
The conservationist, well-known in wildlife tourism circles throughout Southern Africa, related receiving the devastating news from the Hazyview Elephant Sanctuary that two iconic African bull elephants, known to many as Kasper and Kitso, had died in transit.
Their deaths occurred on Saturday 23 April while under sedation during relocation efforts from the lowveld to Kleinmond Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS). This was overseen by an experienced wildlife veterinarian and team.
Kasper and Kitso had been cared for by Saunders and his family as well as sanctuary carers for 20 years.
“We are absolutely devastated to announce the loss of our two beloved elephant bulls,” he said.
Eight years ago he bought a portion of Lamloch farm, just outside Kleinmond.
It was Saunders’ vision all along to relocate two adult bull elephants from Hazyview to Kleinmond, as their existing habitat had increasingly come under social and environmental pressure.
He invested years in careful planning, with a key focus on clearing alien species and restoring the property to its original pristine condition.
Hence, the creation of the Kleinmond Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS).
“It was always the Kleinmond Wildlife Sanctuary’s objective to ensure the safety and comfort of these two African elephants for the rest of their days,” Saunders said.
He is grateful to those who formed part of the sanctuary’s custodianship of Kasper and Kitso.
