I can almost hear them gloating “¦ “˜We’re ba-ack!’
It’s spring in Zimbabwe, a time to revel in stunning new-leaf colours and masses of startling bright yellow pom-pom flowers on the elephants’ favourite Acacia eriolobas. It’s a time of rebirth – when indigenous trees and shrubs spring miraculously to life in anticipation of the rains, rather than as a result of them – but it’s also accompanied by critters less pleasing to some. The baboon spiders and the snakes, are back.
Why is it, I wonder, that I’m completely relaxed with wild, 6-tonne grey masses right beside me and yet I shudder and panic at the sight of a relatively tiny baboon spider? And that’s the least I manage when chancing upon a long slithery reptile. Too many legs – or none. Urgghhh! Give me a 4-legged creature any day.
It’s been so encouraging of late to see more of the 2-legged kind returning to Zimbabwe – and I’m at least pleased that they’re back. Late-August saw me staying at Rainbow Tourism Group’s rustic Sikumi Lodge, nestled at the end of the Hwange Estate vlei, under a stunning full moon. Camp was full of French, Italians, English, Americans and Zimbabweans. A guest had also flown in from South Africa (from Durban to Jo’burg to Vic Falls) to spend just 3 full days specifically amongst the Presidential Elephants. All that way for just a 3 day break? These elephants are indeed worth it! Most memorable for her was the unexpected, overwhelming tears of emotion – never before experienced, despite travelling far and wide – that struck her on her departure from Sikumi, having to now leave behind her new-found elephant friends”¦
Having read my book, it was perhaps appropriate – after dropping off ridiculous amounts of delicious South African goodies at my rondavel – that the grand matriarch Lady and her family were the first elephants to make an appearance. It was two nights before full moon and Lesley and son Lily-boy (from girl to boy; a calf I wrongly sexed at birth!) remained suckling by the roadside as we drew near with Touch the Wild safari guide Zebede behind the wheel. Other youngsters approached us merrily as I called out loudly into the night: “˜Lady. Lady girl. Come on girl.’ The mother of Lesley, Lady had to be somewhere. Eventually she appeared out of the moonlit darkness – left tusk broken again and now shorter than her right – trunk swinging rhythmically as she hurried our way. How magical it always is to have wild elephants so close under moonlight, with warming rumbles and the pleasing sounds of grass being ripped from the earth delightful accompaniments to the distant cry of jackals. As well as Lady, Lesley and Lily-boy, there was Lantana (Lady’s youngest), Libby (Lady’s cheekiest), Louise and baby Louie, Limp, Lancelot, Lucky, Lol (soon to be first-time mother) and more”¦ 17 incredibly friendly pachyderms in all.
When the Es appeared in daylight it was another very special time; hours alone with the elephants. As always, it was Eileen with offspring Echo (also soon to be a first-time mother), Eketahuna and Eumundi who stole the show. Matriarch Emily graciously allowed them centre stage. With more than 40 elephants surrounding us under an umbrella of towering acacias it was, as always, thrilling and humbling.
The W family also left an undying impression. With only tips of ears flapping hundreds of metres away – the elephants resting beneath shady trees – binoculars couldn’t help me identify who this group was. But the Ws were on my mind and with a distant glimpse of familiar body shapes I took a chance and shouted into the wind: “˜Whole girl. Come on girl. Come on Whole. Hey Whole”¦’ It was actually Willa who led the brisk procession of more than 50 elephants, all of a sudden jogging towards us. (You think elephants don’t jog? Well, it wasn’t exactly a run, but it was definitely not a walk!) All of the favourites were there – Whole (soon to give birth again), Winnie, Whosit, Wish, Wishful, Whoever, Willa, Wilma, Wasabi”¦ An awe-inspiring family, we stayed with them – or was it the other way around? – for hours during the mid-afternoon.
We’d watched (glass of wine in hand) the simultaneous setting of the sun and rising of the full moon; we’d seen wild dog, cheetah and all of the Big 5. We’d listened to the fiery-necked nightjar sing his song while sitting wrapped in blankets beneath the gleaming Southern Cross and nearby tail of Scorpio. (This nightjar supposedly sings “˜Good Lord, deliver us’. Deliver us from this? No way!) We’d enjoyed campfires and bush lunches and dinners. Everything was so special. The unique Presidential Elephants of Zimbabwe however, proved once again to be most special. I’m biased I know “¦ but tourists are not.
“˜I’ll be back,’ she wept.
(For Belinda, who liaised direct with Marleen and Brian – new managers of Rainbow Tourism Group’s Sikumi Lodge – by emailing [email protected]. Marleen then checked on my availability to accompany Belinda and her Touch the Wild guide on game-drives. Instead of a morning and an afternoon drive each day, we chose to do one longer drive – since the Presidential Elephants are not seen regularly in the mornings – leaving camp every day around midday, with a packed lunch, and not returning until after sunset.)
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