Don't mess with the Momma

July 17th.

Today is Friday.
Actually the week flew by because it was exciting and fun. On Tuesday Elodie and Joanne decided to come out with me in the vet car. It was around 4:30 in the afternoon and we were looking for a hartebeest that was either not well at all, or we were looking for hartebeest bones. We drove around and basically decided that this was much more like a game drive than an action-packed vet-adventure. The three ladies were sitting in the back and the vet and his driver in the front. In the research car was another driver, a ranger and two local university students doing internships in wildlife research.

Well after 5pm Elodie decided that it was time for beer, and zipped back to her cottage to pick up her handy padded cooler full of Tuskers and a bottle of white wine. So we all sat on a hill and drank until the sun dipped below the horizon, talking and laughing to our hearts content. The students had to catch their matatu at the gate (Kenyan “public” transit – I don’t quite understand it so you’ll have to google it). But then I remembered that Mark, a Canadian staying at my neighbouring tent these days had arrived with a 25 of Tuskers, and I thought it only natural (this is after I accidentally smashed a wine glass, but I swear it was due to an unfortunate badly-timed hair toss and high winds, not drunkenness) that I should invite everyone back to the tents to drink Mark’s beer.
Upon arriving and greeting Mark, thankfully he seemed happy about this!
So we chatted and drank and had dinner and finally went our separate ways to bed.




Wednesday morning I was feeling fine. The vet invited us out again to watch this time the collaring of an elephant. Radio collars help researchers track elephants with a GPS system in order to learn their migration routes and help avoid human-wildlife conflict. I got in a truck and when we got to the site there were several other spectators, including two other guests from Canada. Because the ele was the head of a family a number of vehicles were required to help push the family away to a safe distance until the procedure was finished. This is essential because apparently if they aren’t far enough away when the ele goes down they circle her and don’t leave, so that we literally can’t operate and can’t give the reversal drug, having to wait however long for the anesthetic to wear off.

By the way, the head f elephant families are female. These creatures live to about 70 years old, have good memories, and are matriachal. Once the young males reach a certain age they have to leave the group and can only come back to mate. (Just as a side note) - continue:

We took some minutes getting into our initial positions. I was bummed not to be in the vet car this time, but hoped I would get a few decent shots anyway. The dart was fired and went in. But it was closer to the front this time and she The elephant) felt around with her trunk, pulled it out, inspected it a bit, and threw it on the ground.

Then we waited. The family had been around a watering hole and started to walk away down the hill. In order to separate the Mother from the family, once the positioning seemed right, the vet car drove between her and the rest of the herd. They didn’t stop, just slowed her down and turned as they passed. She took a few steps towards the car and paused. W were all watching and waiting. For the drugs to work, for the family to walk away, for something. Suddenly the elephant charged. She took a run at the vet car. They started driving. I think someone in our vehicle said “Oh look, she’s charging.” At that point, all I know is that several people including myself said “Oh Shit.” As I looked I saw the huge animal running FAST and the land rover bumping through the field as FAST as they could go. She was right behind them. From a side view she was about a foot away. Did you know that elephants are fast? You wouldn’t guess it because their big longs steps look so slow. But Mateas used to say if you are trying to keep up with an elephant you’ll find yourself running.

I couldn’t believe it. She was close enough to overturn the vehicle and she knew it. She bent forward and scooped upwards with her long tusks but the vehicle was accelerating. So was the elephant. She scooped once again. She was right on top of them. But Methenge a driver known seriously for his awesomeness in driving off-road was ploughing forward as hard as the vehicle could go.

For a split second a million thoughts passed through my head. I just had a sundowner with those guys Yesterday. And now I am going to see them die. I felt like crying. I said Oh shit.
Suddenly I realized that maybe I should take pictures. In case they didn’t die. I snapped a few without even looking through the viewfinder. I just held the camera up and snapped, but I couldn’t peel my eyes away and I thought to myself if they die I will never show or tell anyone that I took pictures. Shame on me.

Which means that? The next thing I knew the elephant was down. The charge had got that tranquilizer pumping through the her veins and just like that she was lying on the ground. Shit someone else said. Before I knew what was happening our vehicle was blasting forward towards the family. They took off running in front of us. Ok, we were off road so you can imagine blasting and running isn’t super fast and it is definitely not smooth.
But then they were going and we were stopped. I looked around and everyone was alive, the family had slowed to a walk and were heading down the hill to wait elsewhere, the vet was out with his crew, and so was I.

They quickly did what they had come to do. Another vehicle was watching the family. Soon it was time for the reversal, which worked after a few minutes, and the eephant was up once again, tentatively feeling the collar around her neck, but still glaring at all of us and looking generally pissed off to the max. Naturally. I mean, wouldn’t you be?

Once the elephant finally turned and walked towards her family the vet car left. They had places to go. People to see. We were doing I don’t know what, but I know that by the time we were almost at the road, guess who was blocking the road and looking like she hated all four-wheel drive vehicles with a passion? That’s right. Our friend.

We went off road to go around the family of elephants, and found ourselves in a hole. Now someone with field experience could definitely tell you what animal makes these holes, but not me. They are huge. Passengers had been shuffled around and only Joanne and I were left in the [open] back of this truck. I looked over my right shoulder, leaning forward to see past the canvas covering and saw the elephant. She was there. Standing with her back to her family, looking at us. Far enough away, to be sure. But close enough that I still told people later I saw the whites of her eyes. The driver and the unarmed ranger with us were whispering up front. The quietly got out and started searching for big rocks to put under the front tire. I looked again. She’s there. I said. She’s looking at us, I told Joanne. She looked. We both scooted to the left side of the truck, not that it would help If.

Ironically, we had just been talking about the charge, saying things like “I honestly thought they were going to die – ha ha ha – and I thought if they go into a hole, that armed ranger standing up through the roof – he’s going to die – hardy har (nervous laughter) wow that was funny…” Seriously that’s what we had been saying before we went into a hole. I went to look again and Joanne grabbed my arm. “DON’T LOOK!” She whispered harshly. We sat in silence. Not looking. Not talking. The guys sneaked back to the car. We radioed the others, they said. The other truck came back and without needing instructions we all jumped in and started to finally drive away. I looked at Joanne as the guys began describing what had happened to the others. “Let’s not talk about anything ever again” I said to her, not even wanting to risk a jinx.
We decided to take the long way home. After a valley and a hill, we looked out over the plains through the binoculars and saw that the whole family of elephants were around the truck.

And that was just the morning.

Luckily the afternoon was easy going. I went out in the field and took pictures of rhino from AFAR. I interviewed rangers and took some portraits. I got to see valleys and hills in Lewa that I didn’t even know existed. I saw cheetahs and took pictures of them and was blown away by their beauty and stealthy grace.

That night I went to bed and a thought occurred to me. I was so glad they did have room for me in that car. Those guys didn’t even know how close they were to death’s door. Only from other vantage points could we see. That and the guard who had been standing out of the roof. The elephant was too close to shoot anyway, not that he tried. I asked him later if he was scared. “You get used.” He said. They don’t say “to it” here, but that’s what he was saying. “I wasn’t scared, It was fine. It was fun.” Ha! I looked at him. He was older than some of the other rangers I have met. I could see he meant it. I guess I’m green. Take it for what you want.