There are about a dozen trained elephants at Abu Camp at the moment. The older ones have mostly come from zoos in the USA, whilst many of the younger ones are orphans from the Kruger National Park, in South Africa. They include:
Abu – a large bull with matching tusks, born around 1960. Probably from East Africa or the Kruger Park, he was taken when small to the United States, where he was used for rides at a wildlife park in Grand Prairie, Texas. He was returned to Africa in 1988, to feature in the movie, Circles in a Forest, and moved to Botswana in 1990. He’s appeared in many films since, and Randall Moore describes him as an exceptionally calm, intelligent and gentle bull.
Cathy – the matriarch of the herd, distinguished by her shorter left tusk, is the herd’s largest adult cow and was also born around 1960. She was captured in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, when young, and taken to a zoo outside Toronto. She returned to Africa with Abu in 1988, and came to Botswana in 1990.
Benny – a large, mature bull, Benny has a floppy right ear and no tusks. Born around 1959, he was captured in the Kruger, moved to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago and later to the Fort Worth Zoo, in Texas. He returned to Africa with Cathy and Abu, though took a long time to adapt to his new surroundings and is described as ‘shy and nervous’.
Mthondo mbomvo – a strong and stocky bull with a broad head and even, splayed tusks, Mthondo was born around 1975. He was originally from Zimbabwe, but translocated when young to South Africa’s Pilanesburg Reserve. There he caused trouble, knocking down tents in a hunting camp and harassing visitors, and so in 1993 he was moved to this herd. Now he is regarded by the trainers as quiet and dependable.
Nandipa – is one of the herd’s young female elephants, distinguished by the hole in her right ear. Her tusks are even and straight, close to the trunk. She was born around 1988, orphaned in Kruger, and moved here in 1990.
Shirheni – Shirheni, another young female, was born around 1986 and was also orphaned in Kruger. She is similar to Nandipa but slightly larger in size. She moved here in 1989 and gave birth to a young bull in November 2000, named Pula, after she was mated by a wild bull on February 20 1999.
Pula – born to Shirheni on November 27 2000 at 6.30 am, after a night of heavy rain. Pula is the Setswana word for rain or success, as well as the name of Botswana’s currency. At birth he was 91cm high and it took an hour before he made his first hesitant steps. He is described as very playful and confident.
Jika – has very short tusks that are close to her trunk. Another Kruger Park orphan, she was born around 1988. She also joined Elephant Back Safaris in 1990, and is described as the herd’s ‘dizzy blonde’!
Seba – Seba was born around 1995, and is also an orphan from Kruger. Seba is said to be often surrounded by the young females in the herd, and is the star of the Walt Disney film, Whispers, which was released in 2000.
Thando – with some distinctive ‘red’ hair on his head, Thando was born around 1986 and brought to Botswana as an orphan from Kruger in 1990.
Kitimetse II – a name which means ‘I’m Lost’, was found at the end of 1999 after she had been injured by a crocodile and abandoned by her own wild herd. She was brought to the boma at Abu Camp, where her wounds were treated and she was slowly introduced to the rest of the herd. She seems to have been completely accepted by the other elephants, and formed close bonds with Jika, Nandipa and Shirheni. She is thought to have been born around 1996.
Mufunyani – which means ‘The Irritable One’, is another orphan from Kruger who joined this herd in 1990. In February 2002, the 14-year-old bull was released back in to the wild with a satellite tracking collar, as part of a research project. So far, he is becoming accustomed to a new life as a wild elephant, but usually stays fairly close to Abu Camp.