Elephant Voices

Category: 1. General News | Date: Feb 20 2009 | By: elephantvoices

We would like you to be aware that ElephantVoices.org will be offline for a few weeks, while we continue to rebuild and expand the site. The new version will improve the site’s look and functionality, and allow you online access to more of our data. We plan to launch the new ElephantVoices.org site in late March.

You will be able to manage your news subscription through the new version - and hope you will continue to follow and support our work.

Welcome back!

Trumpets, Petter

3 responses so far

Category: 1. General News, 2. Field News Kenya | Date: Feb 18 2009 | By: elephantvoices

One of the few bright spots in this uncommonly dry February that we find ourselves in, has been being able to observe a certain young elephant by the name of Cathy. Although only ten years old, Cathy has consistently displayed the characteristics of a future matriarch. Every time we come across the CB family, which she belongs to, she immediately catches our attention with her antics. She is exceptionally loquacious and has especially taken an interest in being an allomother to all of the calves in the family.

Any time there is a skirmish amongst the calves, Cathy is sure to be found pacifying both parties until all is calm again. Aside from her innate motherly qualities that she regularly displays, it is her assertiveness that truly defines her. She is the first to greet arriving family members, she already gives “Let’s Go” rumbles to move the family along, and she can often be seen giving “Contact Calls” to get in touch with distant family members. This may not seem too significant, but let me remind you that she’s 10! This family has many older, dominant females and yet this young, precocious female has shown matriarchal attributes that far exceed her years.

Until next time!

Cheers, Blake (Murray)

Cathy with three calves from the CB family.  She is the largest one, second from the right. (Photo: Blake Murray)

Amboseli elephants dusting (Photo: P. Granli)

Tags: africa, behavior, behaviour, elephant, elephants, elephantvoices, kenya, matriarch

3 responses so far

Category: 1. General News, 2. Field News Kenya | Date: Feb 04 2009 | By: elephantvoices

After a early morning recording session last week Blake and I were told by our ATE research assistant Katito Sayialel that an elephant baby was reported stuck in a well west of Amboseli National Park. We decided to go together, and followed behind the cloud of dust from the Amboseli Elephant Research Project vehicle. Despite lots of “shadows” in terms of cellphone contact with the maasai that had called the AERP team it didn’t take long before we found the right location a few meters from the Tanzanian border. Helpful maasai with cows and donkeys were all around, and told us that the baby had been in the well and struggling since last night.

To get a 400 pound elephant baby out of a well is not a piece of cake. And one thing is to get it up, another is to avoid ending up in the middle of an upset elephant family when the baby cries for help. Katito decided that we should try to look for the baby’s family, to find out how realistic it would be to get the baby back to them after a rescue. She also got in contact with Kenya Wildlife Service, to get their advice and assistance. 
The well was not deeper than 1,2 meter, but deep enough to make it impossible for the less than one year old baby to get out.

Since Blake’s job for ElephantVoices during a 10 week field stay is to record rare calls, we had to try to get the low and very sad-sounding complaints from the baby on our Nagra digital recorder.

After having tried for quite some time to locate the family, and fearing that the baby could get serious injuries by the numerous attempts to get up, we had to take a decision what to do. Katito had already been in contact with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (their Orphans Project) in Nairobi, and they were ready to come and pick up the baby by plane. We decided to lift the baby carefully up with ropes around the belly together with our maasai friends. Next step was to get him into the back of our rustic Landcruiser - the first elephant passenger ever… Luckily we had a foam-pad (normally used as camera support) to provide as head-rest.

The baby was for natural reasons exhausted when finally out of the well, and quickly fell asleep when safe and sound in our field vehicle. In the photo we’re at the Amboseli airstrip waiting for Sheldricks people.

The baby was well fed and looked strong and not too uneasy when arriving at the air strip, and an hour afterwards she was on the way to the orphanage in Nairobi with the very experienced Sheldrick staff that came to pick her up.

I’m of course not happy at all that a baby elephant got separated from her family - but I do think what happened was the best solution considering the circumstances. That Blake and I had a very different day from what we expected is part of our story. We’re crossing our fingers for the baby from the well.

Cheers, Petter

Tags: aerp, amboseli, elephant baby, elephants, elephantvoices, field, sheldrick

4 responses so far

Category: 1. General News, 4. Welfare News, Elephants in captivity | Date: Feb 03 2009 | By: elephantvoices

Joyce is currently in Washington DC to testify as expert witness in the legal case against Ringling Brothers Circus. She will be in court as the first witness tomorrow, Wednesday February 4th.  The courtroom is open to the public. The New York Times are among media that covers the suit - this article is from January 31st.

Tags: captivity, elephants, elephantvoices, ringling

2 responses so far

Category: 1. General News, 2. Field News Kenya | Date: Feb 01 2009 | By: elephantvoices

Amboseli carries all signs of being dry - in the afternoons dust often sweeps over us as grey or brownish fog. There is not much green gras to see, not much to feed on. Several days we have seen rain in the near by slopes of Kilimanjaro, and Loitokitok 1 hour away experienced this week much more rain than what’s normal for this time of the year. Unfortunately most things previously planted have already died - the rain came too late.

The elephants are less active and talkative in a period like this, which is not great in terms of what we’re trying to achieve within our communication study. They are hot and have less energy, but thanks to the Amboseli swamps they are doing relatively fine everything considered. Unstable weather often leads to heavy winds, which our sensitive microphone is not very pleased with. Blake and I are in any case happy to collaborate with the very competent research assistants in the Amboseli Elephant Research Project, both Norah Njiraini and Katito Sayialel have been “in action”.

Blake Murray and Norah Njiraini in the Amboseli Elephant Research camp.

There are many babies in Amboseli these days - which indicates that 2006 and 2007 where years with enough rain and food. But times are harder now - even though dusting feels good for elephants even in the best of times.

At night we very often hear lions - several are staying near by and sometimes walk so we can see them from the camp during day time. And in and around the camp numerous animals are having a peaceful time feeding on what’s left, they continue to know that we are friends. Outside my tent opening a buffalo is looking at me 8-10 meters away, when I walk over to the dining tent a couple of zebras hardly move out of the path.

Male lion resting near by entrance to camp - currently getting all the food that he wants thanks to others being hungry and weak.

Last Wednesday ended up very different and more dramatic than expected - since we had to follow AERP’s Katito to find an elephant baby that was reported having fallen into a well. I will tell you some more, and share a couple of photos, in a couple of days. Right now other tasks need my attention.

Have a great Sunday!

Cheers, Petter 

Tags: amboseli, elephants, elephantvoices, field

2 responses so far