Doug Groves started out working with elephants in American zoos, including Washington Park Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park. Subsequently, in 1987, he came to Africa as the trainer of four elephants who were being returned from the US to South Africa for a film, Circles in a Forest – the first of many filming projects for him. As an aside, the main elephant involved in this was Abu – who now leads the herd at the Okavango’s only other operation that offers visitors time in the company of elephants which are not wild (Abu Camp, in NG26).
In 1994, Randall Moore and Ker & Downey went their separate ways – and almost simultaneously Ker & Downey invited Doug to Botswana, to set up and run an elephant-based tourism project. Now Grey Matters isn’t linked to Ker & Downey, and instead works closely with Stanley’s Camp – and is the base for the ‘Living With Elephants Foundation’.

What to see and do
Elephant activities are arranged through Stanley’s Camp, where all the guests stay. These activities cost US$210 each, and normally consist of about four hours in the morning – a leisurely foraging walk with the camp’s three elephants, which allows you to get used to observe and interacting with them at close quarters. You’ll be encouraged to touch and walk with the elephants as they forage – and to view them as individuals. Riding the elephants is not usually part of these trips. At the end of this there’s usually a picnic lunch in the bush.
The maximum number of guests at any one time is eight – if there are more people then they’ll organise an afternoon walk for a second group.

Living With Elephants
Doug and Sandi Groves started this not-for-profit organisation in 1999, aiming to secure the future of their trio of elephants, and to work through various projects towards a more harmonious relationship between Botswana’s elephant and human populations.
Projects undertaken include their ‘Outreach programme’ whereby children from Maun and nearby villages spend two days at Grey Matters with the three elephants – interacting with the elephants and learning about them through hands-on experience and discussions. See www.livingwithelephants.org for more details.
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The elephants at Grey Matters
There are three trained elephants with Doug and Sandi at the moment; all are orphans from culling programmes:
Jabu is short for Jabulani, which means happiness; he was born in about 1986 and orphaned when two by a cull in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. He is described as a proud bull who enjoys leading this small herd – playful, dependable, and the most independent and confident member of the herd. He now stands about 2.9m tall at the shoulder.
Thembi, a smaller female, is about the same age as Jabu, and was also orphaned by a cull in the Kruger. She’s said to be smart and very social, and loves being the centre of attention. Originally a very insecure calf, she’s gradually becoming much more confident.
Morula came to Doug in 1994 as a maladjusted 17-year-old, lacking confidence and with a troubled background. Doug comments that she started off being exceedingly submissive to him and the other elephants, but then vented frustrations on trees. He adds that she’s gradually become more secure and relaxed here.