What do elephants and aviation have in common? Perhaps more than you might think…
We recently achieved another bucket list item when we moved to a wildlife estate that has its own runway. Now outside the bustle of the city, we can relax while watching the nyala and wildebeest in our back yard, but most exciting of all is that we can fly any time we like.
One of the major advantages of living here is that Bonsai, my little Jabiru aircraft, is now 300m from my front door. I can walk down to the hangar and hop in for a flight any time the weather is nice. There is no time or fuel wasted on inconvenient driving or traffic and I can conveniently see the weather at the airfield just by looking out the window. I can also sleep in a few extra minutes even if we need to fly somewhere early.
Another advantage is that we now live with a group of aviators that share our passion for flying. Our neighbours are just as keen for that sunset flight or breakfast run as we are. They also know more local gems that we can fly to. One evening I received a message asking if we wanted to join a flight to Zebula for an experience at Adventures with Elephants departing early the next morning. There was no hesitation, we couldn't miss out on such an epic opportunity.
We have been to Zebula once before, many moons ago and long before flying there may have been on the horizon for us. Zebula is a lovely golf and wildlife estate, located right up against the Waterberg Mountains in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The lodge boasts attractions such as a restaurant, spa, and many adventure activities, including elephant interactions, game drives, horse trails, quad biking, clay target shooting, and archery.
Zebula also has a lovely 1.4km long tarred runway and pilots fly in from far and wide for their breakfast. This is a fun and convenient spot because the flight will be less than an hour while driving there would take us 2.5 hours. We couldn't wait to fly into this lovely location for the first time.
We gathered at the hangars at sunrise on a beautiful Saturday morning. There was a hive of activity as one Bathawk, one Bearhawk and two Jabiru were pulled out of their hangars. After some radio issues and a few passenger shuffles, we were ready to depart. Four planes and seven excited people were loaded and ready for take-off. The Bathawk flown by Dean is a bush plane made to fly low and slow. They took off first and we gave them a healthy head start. We took off next, followed by Sean in his larger and faster Jabiru. William was not far behind in the Bearhawk, a gorgeous yellow and blue plane with a wide speed range, easily capable of overtaking us all.
Crisp, cool mornings are perfect for flying and as we took off, I marvelled at the wonders of flying once again. Mornings like this feel so unreal. The air is so calm and smooth with the engine purring so quietly, it feels as if you are floating. We flew effortlessly, gliding through the morning air, admiring the scenery and each other all the way.
A beautiful morning for flying
Soon, we were in a loose formation with a Jabiru on my right and a Bearhawk on my left. A slight headwind slowed us down but there was no hurry. The flight is just less than an hour and takes us over the familiar Roodekoppies Dam. We have spent hundreds of hours practicing rally flying over and around this dam and surrounds, but soon we are past this familiar territory as we fly further north. We catch up the Bathawk over Klipvoordam and everyone practices their slow flying for a while, trying to stay with the slower aircraft.
Flying with friends
Before long, with the Bathawk struggling to keep up, we spread out again for landing in succession at Zebula's long tarred runway. Before we know it, we have touched down softly and parked on the large apron. A car is already waiting for us, and we are whisked off to the elephant sanctuary, Adventures with Elephants, a short drive away.
Hogging the apron at Zebula
While we sip coffee and eat rusks, the elephants walk down the hill toward us, and our guide begins to share the history behind Adventures with Elephants. It all started in Zimbabwe with two elephants that Rory Hensman saved from the necessary culling operations taking place in the Zambezi valley, with the aim of releasing them onto his game farm. Within a few weeks of arriving Jumbo and Miss Ellie were following a handler around the farm, responding to their names and listening to basic commands.
As time went on Rory was given more and more 'problem' and orphaned elephants. He was soon training these elephants to willingly do various farm tasks such as rounding up and dipping cattle, checking farm fences and conducting anti-poaching patrols.
In 2002 tragedy struck when Rory was forcibly removed from his farms in Zimbabwe along with many other Zimbabwean farmers. Rory moved his family, his handlers and his elephants to South Africa to start a new life. Adventures with Elephants was opened in 2010.
All the elephants at Adventures with Elephants were considered 'problem elephants' and as such were going to be killed. Problem elephants have a negative impact on the environment, or cause damage to property or to other wildlife.
Adult elephants eating 100kg to 180kg of food per day, they eat so much that they spend over 16 hours a day eating. It is easy to see how quickly these large pachyderms' grazing habits can turn a woodland into a desert in no time. And with few natural predators and long lifespans, elephants can quickly overpopulate an area.
With their enormous size and strength, elephant bulls in musth can be aggressive and can easily overturn vehicles, kill rhino and buffalo and break into neighbouring farms to create havoc.
Instead of allowing these problem elephants to be killed, Adventures with Elephants have brought them in and tamed them for educational hands-on interactions. In addition, an elephant fund was established to assist in research projects, ranging from using chilli peppers to deter elephants from raiding crops, to elephant contraception and vaccines to help curb bulls in musth.
Another unique project run by the team here is the Ellie Care Kids Fund. Terminally ill children and their immediate families are invited to visit the herd of gentle giants to create lasting memories and educational experiences. Read more about the fantastic research on their website and find out how you can support these initiatives www.rhcru.co.za
I know from many a holiday spent in Pilanesberg National Park that these gentle giants can be quite cheeky (to put it mildly). The bulls love a good game of chase with cars. As everyone is hurrying back to camp before the gates close, they delight in stepping out to cause a traffic jam. They gleefully cause a train of cars to reverse for kilometres, as they warn you off with flapping ears and swinging trunk. You may think for a moment they are done with their antics as they quietly munch a bush at the edge of the road, but dare move and they are back to flapping.
And now here we are, within metres of these giant beauties. I am both in awe and nervous, butterflies swirling around in my stomach as I look up to the first elephant that is introduced to us. The lovely Mussina chomps on snacks given to her by her handlers as they share information about these magnificent creatures.
Ellies arriving
When they are younger, they can lie down to sleep, but when they get older, they are no longer capable of getting up off the ground. They lock their joints and sleep standing up. Their feet have a unique pattern on them, just like our fingerprints, and their toenails grow throughout their life, wearing down as they walk. They have an incredible sense of smell, 14 times stronger than that of a dog. In 2007, researchers noticed them purposely avoiding landmine fields left over from the civil war in Angola. Now we know that they can distinguish between individual elephants and humans, detect explosives, and track a person through the bush. If you have ever visited Addo Elephant Park, you know that citrus is banned from the park as elephants are wild about oranges and can sniff citrus fragrances from a great distance. What is more, they find these foods impossible to resist.
Next, they start to show us their fantastic tricks. These elephants can touch their left or right ear or foot on command or even “dance.” Tusks are used for digging, weapons and display and the male's tusks are typically wider, stouter, and much heavier. Elephants are right- or left-tusked, just as humans are left- or right-handed. The preferred tusk tends to be shorter and rounder.
There are two young elephants in the background. These two are 8 and 9 years old and are still learning from the herd. They are adorable but I am told they are just as naughty as children can be, as we watch one whack her buddy with her trunk.
We make our way to Chova, the dominant bull of the herd. He lost the tip of his trunk years ago, but it hasn't slowed him down. He is happily munching snacks and lifts his trunk so we can see his tongue and his teeth. Elephants work their way through 6 sets of molars during their life. As each one wears out, another moves up from the back of the mouth to replace it until the final set wears out and the elephant dies of starvation, no longer able to chew. Chova is now 30 and is considered relatively young as elephants can live up to 65 years, and even longer in captivity.
We are now allowed to approach Chova one at a time. I am amazed to feel the roughness of his skin and the coarseness of his hairs. I am not exactly tall, but I barely come up to his shoulder. Almost beyond reach, I stretch my arms overhead and am even more surprised by the incredibly soft and smooth skin behind their ears.
Meeting Chova
We have all had a chance to give him a big hug, and feel his trunk, under his feet and even his tongue as he stands calmly. Lastly, they bring a big dustbin full of water. Chova easily sucks up 10 litres at a time into his long truck, before pouring it, gurgling like an emptying bath, into his mouth. Once he has had enough, he takes one last drag and promptly sprays it all over me! Unfortunately, it is time to make our way back home now and we head back to the runway as the clouds start to build. The turbulence from the now hot day bounces us back home but we can't wipe the grins from our faces.
About to get wet
We can't wipe the grins from our faces all the way home
