During the evening of 30th June we became aware of loud cracking noises from close by our house. Not able to wander out in the dark to investigate in detail, we could only make out the shape of an elephant in our torch beams, feeding on a tree just the other side of our carports. From his tusks we could recognise him as a bull we have seen around on several occasions. He spent at least an hour at the tree before moving off to tackle a raisin bush, drinking from our overflow tank and then demolishing a ‘blue thorn’ acacia just outside Kudu Hut.
Next morning, however, we were able to see exactly what the elephant had been up to. The alternative track from our house to our entrance road was awash with several large branches from a marula tree and a whole host of smaller twigs and debris. Some had been chewed but many were just left untouched: elephants are nothing if not wasteful eaters. At this time of year, when the grasses have dried up and have transported their nutrients from the leaves down to the root system for storage over winter, elephants are more dependent on trees for nutrition, particularly leaves and bark.
The only good thing about marula wood is that it is very soft and so easily cut with a bow saw for removal!
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