Mixed bad news and good news from Tsavo:
Notes from my favorite camp in Tsavo
19.10.
Around four a clock the Askari came and told me that he saw a little Elephant which has a bad leg. So I went out there to check on it. I found the little Eli but he had no bad leg. He was standing at the end of the Camp all by him self not doing much. It is a female less then three year old. There were odder Elephant just passing her with out taking any notice. While even she made no attempt to go closer to them. I think you are sick I said and went because it was getting dark.
20.10.
163o the Askari came telling me, the Elephant is back. Again she was standing at the end of Camp, same spot. Now this time I went talking to her a bit closer to have a look. She had no visible injury and was not skinny or sick in any way. I asked her if she maybe wants water, but the Askari said he saw her drinking at the waterhole. By now I was only about 10 meter away from her and only now it was when she saw me or more recognised me. For the next 5 Minute she came slowly walking towards me while I was still asking her question like "where is your mother or have you lost your friend but instead of a answer, the little girl made the lamest charge on me I ever saw. I took a picture and told her that's not the way to charge a musungu and went a few meter back. Two minute later she lie down totally exhausted. I thought she is dying but about 15 minute later she went in the direction of the light mast just to lie down again. And again there were lots of odder Elephant around taking no notice of her. I believe she is just lonely because she lost her Family.
Now I went to call the veterinarian and told him about. He said, its to late now but call me tomorrow if you see her again. Now I only can hope, that she will find her Family in time.
21.10.
twenty minutes past midnight I could hear the friggen Lion the first time.
From twenty past three on I could not sleep anymore and at twenty minutes past five a clock it happen exactly what I was dreading the whole night. The Lion were roaring very loud and different then the normal talking. It was around the Bridge and I knew that moment now she is dead.
I jumped in a Land Rover and found the whole friggen bunch beyond the bridge eating the little Elephant. One nice male, 5 female and three half year old cubs.
By the way, the two Impala-killers, (jackals) were also running around.
I am going back and light a candle and take a day off.
24.10
Two days ago we had again a little Ele by himself at the water hole. I call the veterinarian immediately and he came just in time because about 1 hour later the little girl 1 year old collapsed next to the road beyond the bridge.
She was taken care by the vet., and with the help of the men from Camp we have loaded her to a pick-up truck which the vet. brought and of they went to Voi. The sad part is that she died at the same night.
Yesterday I had to call him again. There was a 20 year old male at the water hole with about a foot long piece of muscle (skin-flesh) was hanging down on his (from his) tummy.
David came immediately but after he had a good look at him said that he has to wait until it is not as hot anymore. We had 36 yesterday. So around 16oo he darted him, fixed him and a short wile later he was ok and ran off. Save one lost one.
I asked David about the friggen sniffing around drugs Dogs. He says yes there are Labradors and orders with Kws and Custom Nairobi Airport. (I had asked my friend if Kenya had dogs similar to drug sniffing dogs that could be used to detect any type of wildlife smells, either at JKIA or at Moi airport in Mombasa).
My note: As you can see from the above, wildlife is undergoing a very hard time. I just wrote back and asked if he thought this was all due to the dry season or if there was a upswing in poaching in the area. It is unusual to have two young babies found without their mothers in a weeks time. My fear is that the camp drivers or KWS rangers will find the bodies of these babies mothers. Elephant mothers will protect their babies at all costs, so it would appear that the mothers of these babies have died.
