Dzanga Forest Elephants

Category: Elephants | Date: Jan 28 2008 | By: admin

Two days we arrived at the bai to see that one of our favorite males, Hilton, was present. He is interesting because he is only observed during the dry season and for many years would arrive in musth. This year however this is not the case and he is showing no sign of musth and has lost his dominance position in the bai. He was in possession of the favorite hole for most of the afternoon until Eldridge arrived courting a female. Eldridge drove Hilton out of the hole and Hilton scurried out of the bai not returning for the remainder of the afternoon.

Hilton and Eldridge Faceoff

The dry season is the height of the mating season and for two days we have been observing Eldridge guarding a female we have known for a number of years, Scar Side. Eldridge is watching over Scar Side and her calf, closely warding off any potential competition. He stays very close to her and follows her where ever she goes. During the observations they have been spending most of their time in the northern section of the clearing where the favorite mineral hole is located. Eldridge rather than monopolizing the hole for himself allows Scarside and her juvenile access while he stands guard at the edge of the hole with other elephants keep a safe distance from the courting couple. Occasionally Eldridge will chase off any elephants who venture too close and Scar Side also joins in discouraging any competition for the hole. At one point on the first day of observing the couple they were all able to occupy the hole together.

Eldridge guarding Scar Side

Later in the afternoon another bull in musth arrived but was unable to wrest Scar Side from Eldridge. The couple left the bai for the forest and the new musth male circulated in the bai in search of potential mates. None were to be found, males not being presented with many mating opportunities despite their searching far and wide. They also are competing with other bulls so bull life is not an easy task.

The numbers of elephants is surpassing any other previous year of our observations, yesterday I identified over 140 individuals and I estimate the maximum number to be more than 160 for the afternoon. The elephant numbers maximize during the night as more elephants enter the clearing from the forest. Because of poaching pressure many elephants will only come into clearings at night seeking security from poachers vision. However Dzanga clearing is the only clearing in the central African region where elephants come in such abundant numbers during the day. I like to think of this small patch in the middle of the forest as a spiritual center for forest elephants, a place where they are undisturbed and where we have the privilege of watching them in their natural state.