Research

The burgeoning number of elephant is always a controversial and sensitive subject within the conservation community. Control measures have been widely employed to limit the growth of elephant within South Africa, and by 2008 the rapidly growing numbers in the Pongola Game Reserve soon came under the spot light. With the assistance of the ‘Disney Animal Program’ seven elephant underwent vasectomies. Although this team had perfected the procedure there was little investigation into the long-term behavioural implications of this form of contraception.

By Reece Thornley, Operation Wallacea Dissertation Student at Pongola Game Reserve (June to August 2015)

There are many things about Africa that I will never forget, for as long as I live. Many things beautiful, mesmerizing and a few absolutely bewildering!
However, of all the things in Africa, there is one individual in particular that stands out in my mind. This individual makes me long for the windswept floodplains and dense thicket of Pongola more than any other thing in Africa.
He is staggeringly beautiful, and gargantuan in size. His thick grey skin tinged with copper orange soil and wrinkles that crossed his entire body like deep fjords. His eyes are something I will remember always, sparkling and wise, like a great amber sapphires. A tell-tale sign was his wonky left tusk that protruded inwards towards his long serpent like trunk. There has never been a more aptly named creature to grace this earth…Khumbula, Zulu for ‘Remember’. If elephants had second names, his would definitely be Ungakhohlwa…‘Never forget’.

The twins were first sighted in November last year and cause for much excitement. Our White Elephant rangers' first sighting of them was in November on the north/eastern section of Pongola Game Reserve. The twins have to take many little steps to keep up with their Mother, Curve and the rest of the Orphan herd, but they are keeping up and doing well!

Carrying out general field research also involves setting up camera's in the field to monitor what type of animals come past certain watering holes, 'busy' pathways, frequently used midden sites and also for security reasons.