Animal rightists yet to move damage-causing elephants in the Kruger

A plan to move 12 elephants from KwaZulu-Natal to the Limpopo Province was foiled when the elephants ventured into a dense and remote area where they could not readily be captured. However, Animal Rights Africa have stated that ‘Operation Jumbo Journey’ will take place when the elephants move naturally into a spot that is more accessible to the game capture team. The elephants will be moved to the SanWild Wildlife Sanctuary near Gravelotte.

At least six of the Animal rightists yet to move damage-causing elephants twelve elephants were brought to KwaZulu-Natal in the 1990s after being orphaned in culling operations in the Kruger National Park. Over the years the population has grown to 12. The elephants were originally placed in the Thukela Biosphere Reserve in the Estcourt District. However, the reserve was disbanded in 2000 when the Lindaukhuhle Trust successfully won their land claim in the area.

Since then, with the help of a lack of fence maintenance, the elephants have been making a nuisance of themselves with the neighbours and the SanWild website reports that “one person (a poacher) was also killed in the community north of the Thukela River.” Not wanting to keep the elephants and unable to find anyone to take them on, the land claimants called in professional hunters to destroy the elephants in March this year.

At this juncture animal rightists were alerted and stepped in, and in May the elephants became the property of SanWild and Justice for Animals (part of Animal Rights Africa). As the elephants were not immediately relocated, some animals continued to plague the neighbours and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal wildlife was asked to take action. Finally, in October all the necessary permits were in place to relocate the elephants and a game capture operation was mounted. After a six-hour helicopter search, the elephants were found to be in an area unsuitable for capture operations to take place.

Three elephants were then darted and radio collars were fitted onto a cow and a bull. These collars will be used to find the elephants again when a further capture operation is mounted when the elephants move into another location. According to Animal Rights Africa, the attempt to relocate the elephants “is turning out to be a major challenge. But a challenge that Animal Rights Africa, its supporters and the relocation team will meet.”