“There is nothing that reduces us to our proper dimensions more rapidly and completely than spending long periods in the company of elephants.” Mitch Reardon, Shaping Kruger
Everyone that has experienced the captivating minutes – maybe even hours – with a herd of elephants can surely agree that there is something special about them. Whether it is their social connections or the process in which they make such thoughtful and wise decisions with each movement they take.
Its easy to humanise elephants as they have such similar traits to us, or perhaps traits we wish we have.
Elephants have a well-developed temporal lobe that gives them the ability to be self-aware and to have empathy for others. They have an enlarged cerebral cortex that is responsible for memory and the power of recognition. Their memory is what holds their complex society together. An elephant can remember up to 200 individuals, some of which it might hardly ever see.
I have once been in between two different herds that had congregated around a waterhole and watched how they greeted each other as if they were long lost friends; you could feel their excited energy.
When the grass is brown and the leaves are gone, and the waterholes become wrinkly, cracked mud pits, the dominant female (the matriarch) uses her stored knowledge of ancient routes she traveled when she was a young calf learning from her matriarch to now lead her herd to greener pastures and flowing water. The path will lead her family to seasonally fruiting trees, following paths compacted by many feet over the years.
Not only are elephants admirable creatures, but they have a responsibility to uphold: they play a complex role in the Savannah ecosystems. These megaherbivore (plant eaters that exceed 1000kgs in weight) are prime examples of species upon which many other species in an ecosystem depend.
Elephant impact on vegetation is as enormous as them; they have the ability to change an environment more than any other creature.
Fire, rain and elephants help mould the Savannah biome, killing off trees by either ring-barking them (stripping the bark to get to the nutritious cambium layer) or simply pushing them over, giving the grass layer a chance to survive and keeping the woody cover at bay.
Elephants destroy trees, but they also aid in their dispersal.
They produce around 100kg of dung daily which tucks away dung beetle eggs and other insects, but eating so much means that they often have to travel big distances to access enough food, and as they move they spread the semi-digested food in their manure, fulfilling a phenomenal seed disperser role.
As the elephants move along pushing down trees to feed on the roots and hard to reach leaves, they are opening thickets and feeding on the tall grass in a process called facilitation (where by one species can forms a niche for another species). Most of the pushed over trees catch seeds and hold the soils nutrients below it, which then allows small plants and grass to grow, creating a micro-ecosystem for small rodents, spiders and other smaller species to live in.
The elephants’ role as a habitat modifier changes tall grass into new shoots that attract buffalo and zebra. These species then trim the grass down further bringing in the wildebeest and zebra. Ultimately, an entire cycle can be controlled by elephants as the keystone species.
As important a role as they play, more and more questions are being asked about the solutions to the potential overpopulation… At the moment, things look rosy, but in 50 years, who knows where we’ll be…
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Elephants are the true kings of the “jungle”. The are wonderful to see and for such large animals they are adorable. Love the way they look at you as they walk by and of course baby elephants are truly the best. Victoria
I agree! An incredible feeling when you like into their eyes as they pass by!
Very informative Jess. I am just wondering if the young shoots of the trees do get “enough” time to grow – considering the trimming effect the ellies have.
Jess, Thanks for such a thorough lesson about Elephants. We are always troubled by the mess they leave behind and hadn’t really thought about the other benefits! I just recieved a book from fellow blogger Vin Beni and his wife called Wisdom of Elephants. With regards to Elephants “memory and the power of recognition”, this quote by Oscar Wilde that we found in the book seems appropriate here – “Memory is the diary that we all carry with us”.
Thanks for the “plug” Michael!
Thank you! I like that quote too!
I always live your blogs Jess. We had an amazing experience in Botswana with elephant in Khutse game reserve. It is extremely dry in Botswana currently. The elephants destroyed the pipes to the waterhole. The solar pump still pumped water every day, but ilthe water came out of a thin pipe. A herd of about 30 elephant congregated arounf this pipe from early in the morning till sunset when the pump stopped pumping. It was amazing to watch from our campsite. They were mlling around. The young bulls bickering constantly. It was sad to see the elephants leaving the waterholevat sunset and not all of them got enough water to drink. The best experience was elephant walking past right next to our campsite.
Thank you, Marinda! Glad you had an amazing experience with elephants!
I went to one of the Tsavo parks where the elephants had been poached to extinction in it. The result a mass of acacia and little else. As a result of the lack of pachyderms the place was been strangled .
It’s evidently clear how important their presence is in the ecosystem!
Jess – you say in 50 years time who knows where we will be? How right you are. It is of great concern to people who have a love of Wild Life and the Bush. Where would we be without them? Very much poorer in lots of ways I think. Wendy M
I agree, Wendy!
Very interesting piece on elephants. Thank you.
I have always loved the elephants. Even more so now, realizing the traits they have and their role in the ecosystem. I’m looking forward to my upcoming trip to Londolozi.
Glad you have more of an appreciation for these amazing mammals.
Spending time with elephants is one of the most magical moments on Safari. They are wonderful role models for family life- their relatives, children gathered around in a circle to support the wonder of birth; standing watch after a family member has died and I truly believe they cry. ❤️❤️❤️ Elephants!
Excellent informational blog, Jess. I enjoyed the images from the various individuals. Who doesn’t love elephants and I am impressed with the degree they affect the bush on multiple levels. From what I’ve heard, along with pictures taken from a plane above a herd, their numbers are heavily in the decline. It seems so many animals are decreasing. Very worrisome. Thanks for your interesting blog entry.
Thank you, Joanne! It is worrying!
I wish I could post my most memorable elephant encounter. Last morning drive of the trip. Alone in a vehicle with Talley and Freddy. Watched a breeding herd for a long while. Finally they began crossing the road in front of us…..then stopped…turned and walked to and surrounded the vehicle. Absolute magic. Freddy on the tracker’s seat with my small camera taking video. I have that on an sd card and watch it often. This was my 2015? trip back to Londolozi. See you again next year.
Jess, they are also quiet when walking – I have never heard an elephant walking, they are so quiet!
I was shocked at our first encounter with an elephant herd–more than 30 of them. We never heard them coming.
Thank you Jess for all the interesting information! Elephants are often thought as destructive to the habitat without ever realizing all the benefits that come from that tree-downing behavior. It’s also interesting that elephants are one of the most iconic and recognizable wildlife in Africa (ignoring lions, rhinos & giraffe) and that begins at an early age for most of us due to Dumbo and Babar. Sometime in the future you might relate the nuances between the African and Asian Elephants which we find fascinating. Again, great job!
Thank you!