About 5/6 years ago the elephant population in the Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Park was not the friendliest group of elephants to be found. Young males were killing white rhino, and giving the female elephants a lot of stress, which in turn made the females pretty difficult animals as well.

The Amajigajiga Saga Part 1

It’s time to tell you about the amazing Amajigajiga (the one who turns).

About 5/6 years ago the elephant population in the Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Park was not the friendliest group of elephants to be found. Young males were killing white rhino, and giving the female elephants a lot of stress, which in turn made the females pretty difficult animals as well.

Elephants are very social animals who have a strict hierarchy and a set of rules to live by. They also learn a lot things by example and not so much by instinct.

It was found that there were not enough older male elephants in the population to fulfil this role. These older males take over the mating duties and discipline the youngsters into a set of rules by which to live and behave.

KZN Wildlife contacted Kruger Park and an extremely good project to get older males from Kruger was set in motion. Eventually 10 older males (giants in fact) were transported and released into Hluhluwe Game Reserve.

This project has been a remarkable success and the conservation authorities really need to be commended on this innovative idea. The elephant population is more balanced now and generally they are behaving far more like elephants should.

Amajigajiga was one of these elephants. I am only going to introduce you to him today, and tell you more about him in the next newsletter.

Suffice to say he spent most of his days in the North exploring his new home, was very gentle and only had two speeds, slow and very slow and he turned out to be an extraordinary animal.

Patrick Van Rensburg