The Knysna Elephants

The Knysna Elephants

Guest blog by Janet Middleton

Photos courtesy of  Knysna Elephant Park

Knysna Elephants

In eras gone by, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and the Garden Route were home to herds of native elephants. Their home was the abundant indigenous forest that covers the area and up until the turn of the last century their population numbered between 400 and 500 strong.

By 1908, only 20 of these great giants remained, largely due to poaching, hunting and ivory smuggling. The Knysna Elephant, also known as the Cape bush elephant; is the southernmost elephant on the African continent. The forests surrounding Knysna have a wonderful spirit and peace and the thought of wild elephants still tramping through the trees is food for the imagination. The last confirmed sighting of an elephant in the vast forest was in 1990, although there are many stories of snatched glimpses of the grey mammals and unmistakeable sounds of movement in the forest. The general consensus is that there is one or more left in the wild of the forest.

In a remarkable effort to repopulate the area, the Knysna Elephant Park has rescued a number of African elephants and founded an elephant sanctuary right in the heart of the Garden Route. Visitors to the park can interact with the animals in a safe, controlled environment that is not stressful to the elephants. Standing next to a magnificent fully-grown African ellie is something not soon forgotten.

Knysna Elephants

Fynbos Ridge is fortunately located only a 10 minute drive from the Knysna Elephant Park. If elephants are one of your favourites, I would strongly recommend reading The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony. It is a beautiful tale of a family of traumatised elephants given a second chance – one of the most incredible books I have ever read.   Janet Middleton

Knysna Elephants

Note from Liz - In May 2011 there were reports that hikers had spotted two elephants near Jubilee Creek.  There are also numerous photos and reports of evidence of the existence of elephants in the forest - droppings, signs of feeding, damage to gates and forestry equipment, bashed up signs etc.  Another highly recommended read is The Secret Elephants by local author and researcher Gareth Patterson, who has spend countless hours gathering evidence of the existence of the Knysna wild elephants.

Knysna Elephants