TWO bull elephants, originally from Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, have been released into Samara Private Game Reserve – the first bull elephants to return to the plains of Camdeboo in 150 years.
This follows the successful release of six female elephants into the reserve in October 2017 – a historic translocation.
“We have been so pleased with how the founder herd of female elephants have settled at Samara.
“We monitor their behaviour and movements closely, with a full-time monitor provided by the NGO, Elephants, Rhinos & People, who also co-funded the translocation to Samara and the satellite collar on the sub-matriarch,” said Sarah Tompkins of Samara Private Game Reserve, which is located 53km from Graaff-Reinet.
“ERP’s monitor at Samara has been training two interns, graduates of the SACT Tracker Academy, whose knowledge of elephant ecology and behaviour has progressed tremendously over the past year.
“The presence of bulls is likely to bring a new dynamic to the reserve, and one which we are excited to witness as we continue to restore this breathtaking ecosystem.”
Crucially, the translocation of the two bulls will enhance the social structure of Samara’s elephant population.
“We have been monitoring the female elephants at Samara for a year now,” said Ida Hansen, ERP representative.
“It will be very interesting to see how they react to the two bulls and how the bulls settle in at Samara.”
The knowledge that elephant bulls are highly social creatures informed the decision to introduce two bulls so that they could enjoy each other’s company.
Samara’s new bulls both originate from Phinda, where they sometimes moved together.
Kahle is approximately 30 years old, weighing 6.3 tons and Mvula is 20 years old, weighing 5.7 tons. The two bulls arrived at Samara after a 24-hour journey, ably transported by drivers Koos and Skukuza, part of Kester Vickery’s team at Conservation Solutions.
The entire operation was guided and overseen by elephant translocation experts, ERP, who accompanied the elephants on their journey in a support vehicle.
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