.jpg)
Lorraine says:
The Addo elephant boys and girls have been very busy in January 2007. There was obviously a lot of mating going on and we are now seeing the results of it! We have had three new elephant calves born this month. The herd in the Nyathi section of the Addo Elephant National Park now stands at 95 individuals. That is a whopping 39 births since 2003! And to think that the elephant''s gestation period is 22 months, that is quite amazing.
The following extract is taken from RiverBend’s newsletter feature “From the Guides’ Diaries” – written by Chris Stamper. He was with a group blessed enough to be present at the birth of one of the elephants and the following is, in his words, what happened after the mother elephant’s waters broke and she went into the bush to give birth.
Not wanting to disturb her, we gave her enough room to relax and waited. We didn’t see the calf actually drop, but at the moment it did, the elephants that had been grazing peacefully on the plain lifted their trunks and started running in the direction of the cow and calf.
One of them was a young bull who ran straight in and mounted the cow who had just given birth. The other elephants ran straight to the young calf and it was then we got our first view of the new born calf. It was a boy! Still soaking wet and full of hair, he was walking around within five minutes of birth.
After a further 10 minutes of elephants huddling and herding around the newborn and the mother still being pestered by the young bull, she brought her newborn onto the clearing where we were able to get a good look at him.
It was amazing to witness this event and we all felt honoured that the relaxed and trusting nature of the Addo Elephants had once again allowed us into their world and enabled us to witness an event very few people will ever do.
Baby Elephants – A Gallery of Images by Jed Bird
(Images: Jed Bird. All rights reserved.)
About RiverBend Lodge
Anchored on endless horizons, flanked by the majestic Zuurberg mountains and set on a 14 000-hectare private concession within the malaria-free Addo Elephant National Park, RiverBend is a mere 45-minutes drive from Port Elizabeth. Home to an abundance of wildlife including elephant, lion, hyena, buffalo, black rhino and a variety of antelope with over 300 bird species. The eight individually decorated suites have private verandahs, some with private outdoor showers which open onto the bushveld.
For stunning 5 Star Eastern Cape accommodation at RiverBend Lodge within Addo Elephant National Park, contact Portfolio Collection now.
