An elephant in reception!
December 3, 2008
A few days before I left the Valley I spent a morning at Mfuwe lodge photographing elephants walking in and out of their reception area. There is a wild mango tree fruiting at the moment in the courtyard of the lodge and the only way to it is through reception! Although they are wild elephants they have been doing it for many years now and seem quite relaxed with people watching and photographing them…
Content Copyright Patrick Bentley Photography
Elephant feeding
October 4, 2008
At this time of year there is very little that is green left for the elephants to eat. I photographed this young bull feeding on lion plain this morning and it didn’t look very appetizing! The lushness of the rains is just around the corner - only a month to go..
Content Copyright Patrick Bentley Photography
Elephant chases Leopard
July 10, 2008
Despite all the Lion activity in the area we are still seeing leopards fairly often. I came across this interesting encounter as I was following a lovely female walking slowly around her territory. She approached this elephant very confidently but the elephant obviously didn’t like her nearby and gave a loud trumpet and then a mock charge. The Leopard seemed to be taken completely by surprise and streaked off into the bushes!
Content Copyright Patrick Bentley Photography
Conservation page added
April 3, 2008
A few weeks ago, on a trip down the river to Mfuwe, we came across an elephant stuck up against a tree in the middle of the river. She was already dead and her skin was peeling in great strips from her head and back. The river is very low at the moment and as elephants are good swimmers it is unlikely that she simply drowned. It is more likely that she was shot by poachers and was trying to escape but was too weak to make it across the river.
Living in this remote part of the valley during the rains has made me much more aware of the problem of poaching here. The Park is extremely difficult to patrol at this time of year and poaching increases dramatically. It is not uncommon to hear reports of gunshots on the radio or of drying racks (for meat) discovered. Snaring in the Park and surrounding areas is also common. The little chap in the photo above has lost a large portion of his trunk, probably to a poachers snare. It is a serious problem and one that organisations such as the South Luangwa Conservation Society (SLCS) are striving to control.
I have now added a page to my website through which I hope to raise awareness as well as funds for conservation in the area. You can check it out here. I intend to update this page on a regular basis with a variety of conservation issues so be sure to check back every now and then.
Content Copyright Patrick Bentley Photography
Trunkless elephant
July 15, 2007
Elephants have always been one of my favourite creatures and I find seeing an injured one even more distressing than with other animals. Today I was photographing a herd feeding on a sandy beach when I noticed a young calf that had lost most of its trunk.
An elephant’s trunk is an extremely vital part of its anatomy. It is like a 2 digit hand with which it can tear down a tree or pick up a favourite fruit. It is used for drinking – the elephant sucks water up into the trunk and then empties it down its throat – and for sucking up sand and dust to blow over itself. It can be used as a snorkel when swimming across a river and is an important means of communication and smell. To lose its trunk is obviously a huge handicap for an elephant.
I have seen trunk-less elephants before but never get used to the sight. They always look so awkward and ungainly. This calf had clearly had the accident (possibly a crocodile bite or more likely a poachers snare) a while ago as the wound was completely healed. The adult elephants were walking along the beach pulling up plants with their trunks, beating the dirt off against their legs and then sticking them into their mouths. He obviously wanted to do the same but couldn’t so had to bend down and uproot the plants with his mouth.
It will be interesting to see how the little fellow copes as he gets bigger. I think drinking water is going to be especially difficult for him.
Content Copyright Patrick Bentley Photography
Trumpeting Elephant
May 29, 2007
He was letting out an ear splitting blast and shaking his head as I took the photo.
Content Copyright Patrick Bentley Photography
