African Elephant

[Penga Ndlovu]

Taken a few weeks ago at Tsendze

[Penga Ndlovu]

Taken that same day at Mooiplaas waterhole.

This one was really swinging like John Travolta during Saturday night Fever

-O -O -O -O

[Richprins]

Reply from Dr Whyte regarding PRWIN's injured ellie:

This is a strange injury. I can’t imagine what could have caused it. It looks like some predator has chewed it, but I cannot imagine the circumstances in which the elephant would not have defended itself against such an attack!

It is a bit of a mystery.

Kind regards

[Penga Ndlovu]

After watching a video last night I would say it could very well be a croc attack.
In the video the croc got hold of the Ellies trunk and I can imagine that it will leave an injury like that.

[Flutterby]

If one uses one's imagination, one could see the indentation of the snare in green, but I don't think so?

There also appears to be a smaller wound in the red area?

[Flutterby]

Ja, PRWIN! Have seen a few myself, including leg snares.

The wounds heal remarkably sometimes, and literature states that the tip of the trunk may eventually fall off. Maybe, as said earlier, the wire came off earlier than normal in this one?

Must be pretty painful, as lots of nerve endings in the lower trunk... :(

I think this bull is too big for predator attack?

[Flutterby]

Here's a Pafuri specimen from around 2009, I think...

Notice how deep he has to go to drink through the mouth, looking at his wet legs. He took food from the other bulls' mouths, without much of a fight, and was doing well.

The stump was useless, and you can see the thicker cable snare.

[Lisbeth]

Better if the lower part falls off, at least it can use the trunk!

[Richprins]

Should be off if he's still alive, Lis! Never saw him again...maybe leachy did?

They need as much trunk as possible to choose the best food, and shake off sand/earth from the vegetation before chewing...so the teeth will grind down a lot faster! :(

[PRWIN]

and hopefully some ghosts of Etosha