Elephant Voices

Category: 1. General News, 2. Field News Kenya, Elephant Photos | Date: Jan 07 2008 | By: admin

Today was for me, personally, a difficult and challenging day. A year ago today, the day we returned from another month long Amboseli field trip, I lost a 22 year old son. As a consequence, 2007 was an extremely tough year.

Joyce and I got up at 5:30, and after the normal tea (for Joyce) and coffee (for me) and a bite to eat, we drove out to continue our playback experiments. It was crisp, clear and still – a great morning to be out with the hundreds of elephants making their way towards the swamps in waves. The pleasant temperature would soon climb to an uncomfortable level and by afternoon the stillness would give way to a strong wind bringing with it clouds of dust. It’s Amboseli in January, the beginning of a year which could end up very hard for all living creatures in the ecosystem if the strong winds continue to dry out the soil. With rain not expected until late March, it is bound to be difficult.

My need for quiet contemplation on this particular day I knew could best be met by being with some representatives of the Amboseli elephants. The importance of animals in many people’s life is invaluable. For me, the energy I get just being with and working for elephants is the same as that I receive when playing with our dear Border Collie Malita who is waiting to welcome us home.

After lunch I took off on my own with the aim of finding some huge males to start with. These magnificent guys may be less social and talkative than their female counterparts, but to study these big thinkers in close proximity is for me always something unique. My next and only other goal was to find 65 year old Echo, and to sit quietly a few meters from her and members of her family until sunset. I found her on the eastern corner of Ol Tukai Orok, and with her around I could dare to sink into some hours of contemplation. To balance my difficult thoughts, I allowed myself some philosophical reflections. I asked myself what Echo might be thinking about us noisy two-legged beings, what this fantastic leader of a 33-member family might have experienced in terms of human interaction, changes in the ecosystem and human expansion. I will never receive answers, but I’m willing to guess. The exercise was nevertheless a good ending to a special day, and Echo’s presence gave me the positive impulse I needed. Thank you, Echo.

Matriarch Echo (65) of the world famous elephant family The EB’s with her 2005 calf Esprit. I was close, they trust me, I could feel their ease and Echo’s confidence.

Tomorrow we are wrapping up our work, packing our gear, and gathering over a bottle or two of wine with our ATE’s colleagues, Soila Sayialel , Norah Njiraini and Katito Sayialel, who have dedicated their lives to the Amboseli elephants. Wednesday morning we will drive back to our house west of Nairobi on the edge of the Rift Valley. We have a couple of days, too, for meetings with colleagues and friends before our planned Kenya departure on Sunday morning. It will take a few days before you hear from us next – but we do intend to give you frequent updates about our work, including selected field experiences, once we are back in our office. So stay tuned.

It has been a very productive time during an extremely dramatic and tense period in Kenya’s relatively short history as an independent nation – we deeply hope that political dialogue will prevent further suffering of innocent Kenyans. A climate of turmoil, hatred and mistrust would undoubtedly spill over, affecting Kenya’s wildlife, too, …. including Amboseli’s elephants.

Greetings, Petter

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