Tuskers of Kruger Discussions & Identification

[aat]

Okie,
I guess this was the bull you thought it could be Machachule. It's not him but I think you got Shipene. Funny enough I have seen him at Boyela waterhole too, like your picture together with a large number of other bulls.

Still on 20th October 2014 , we saw this lot at Boyela Wh , south of Babalala . Milling around , and that Wh quite far , therefore difficult to bet a good pic .
I'm not able to ID him, but he seems a fairsize up-and-coming tusker .

[aat]

Thanks Pumbaa,
Great to see your pics of Mahlahini and Nsemani and I agree with you it's wonderful to see a tusker again after years , kind of special feeling.
This one near Mooiplaas I am not sure. Are both pics of the same bull ? First picture I was thinking of potential tusker Mopani_01 based on earmarks of the right ear, but second picture does not match with the left ear and looks like his left tusk is very short (broken)

[quote="Pumbaa"]Welcome back Aat

unfortunately these were the only shots we got from this tusker at Mooiplaas waterhole on 21.02.14

[okie]

On 23rd October 2014 , we were travelling from Punda to Shingwedzi , on the H 1-7 , when we came onto this guy grazing next to the road . He only had one large , left tusk as you can see . I later ID'd him from Aat's site as being Shashanga

[okie]

Driving on , at Shitangeni Wh , we came onto this herd drinking , and a fairly big one , with his back to us . He was not interested at all in showing his full wares to us




We waited and waited , took another few pics , but ..... no sirree ...

Then...... we were so engrossed in these ellies , so that when suddenly I looked up , and right in front of us , in the middle of the road , about 10 meters away

[okie]

This guy was approaching , absolutely without a sound , all mud spattered , built like a tank and looking really , really mean , and menacing .




We gave him space , and he just moved down to join the others . He can probably qualify at least as a promising up and coming tusker ?

[Richprins]

Interesting the cow amongst the bulls in that last pic, okie!

[nan]

wow superb
nice to see all these old friends

it's because of the Boons... I no more went to Kruger... alone

[okie]

Interesting the cow amongst the bulls in that last pic, okie!

Hmmmm....RP , now that you mention it , very interesting . I think that big bugger took my mind off it

Nan --- yes , indeed

[aat]

Wowwwwwwwwwww great to see all these pictures of the big boys....
Remarkable that RP is just paying attention to that "one" lady (cow) ...well remarkable ?

Great pics of Shashanga , he was hiding himself for several years and now back in the spotlights
Hope to see some mail by Okie soon ....

Other good news: Received pictures of Nhlowa, Mashikiri, Mpenza, Nkombo and Mahlahini , so thanks to A Stolk, P Muller, D Roux and W Knoetze
Just back from a great trip and it's hard working again with these tuskers ......

[okie]

Thank you Aat . Will certainly be sending you some pics soon

In the meantime , some more .......

On 26th October , early morning driving down the S52 from Shing , we came onto this road block

Ho-hum , yah well no fine ..... we just had to sit and wait . No big tusker , but... quite interesting nevertheless -- a part of his trunk is missing , but he was grazing/munching on branches , chewing away . And he was managing quite well

Oh , and his tail-tip had no hair , despite him seeming fairly youngish ( not old ) . Or was his tail perhaps shorter than it should be ?

Anyway , he was really standing at ease.... going nowhere , very very slowly too






Then , after about 20 minutes .... suddenly , out of the bush ... this big guy --- with only a left tusk