KNYSNA ELEPHANTS (Day 9)

We started the day with a visit to the Addo Knysna Elephant Park, home to orphan African elephants from Kruger National Park. Every year, in order to keep their population down, a certain number of elephants are killed. This sometimes leaves orphans who would also be killed if the elephant park didn't take them. These young elephants spend every night locked up in a pen since otherwise they would wander into the fields of local farmers.

We hopped in a small jeep and were led out to visit with Duma (6 years old), Harry (9 yrs) and Sally (also 9 yrs). Even at this age, they were almost too big to keep anymore. Normally elephants live in a matriarchal herd, with the bulls (males) leaving the herd when they are mature at around 12 to 14 years or age. Elephants can live to be 65 to 70 years old.

The elephants were trained to remain behind the log during feeding time. Elephants graze 18 hours per day. An adult can eat up to 440 pounds of food per day, but these guys only put away 175 pounds per day.

We then got to take a stroll with them. The elephants all seemed quite affectionate. Harry got extremely excited about going for a walk and started trumpeting, flapping his ears and chasing after us. It was actually rather unnerving. I'd hate to see a full grown, angry elephant!

We then had a very long drive (almost 600 miles, parts of it on dirt roads) up to the lower Drakensberg mountains.

A thick mist descended along with the darkness of evening and slowed our progress. We had reservations at a small lodge but ended up not arriving until 11 pm. Only the cat was still awake so we just slept on the small couches.

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