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Cape Town, November 05, 2021
Cape Town’s Big 5 safari, Aquila Private Game Reserve and Spa, recently welcomed two young 14-year-old elephants to its grounds, marking a significant milestone in their conservation efforts. The reintroduction of the Big 5 to the Western Cape by Aquila is a momentous achievement, particularly after these magnificent animals were almost wiped out by colonial hunters over two centuries ago.
One of the elephants introduced was orphaned and rehabilitated before being reintroduced to the wild, while the other elephant was born in captivity, providing a valuable research opportunity for the conservation teams to study its adaptation to a free-roaming life among other wildlife.
The translocation of the elephants was a challenging endeavour, but the reserve’s teams successfully released them into their new home at Aquila. The conservation staff, researchers, and veterinarians worked diligently to monitor the elephants’ behaviour throughout the process to ensure their well-being.
The reserve was carefully chosen for its suitability as the elephants’ new habitat, offering them a comfortable and safe environment to live alongside other wildlife. Although there was a brief standoff between one elephant and a rhino during the introduction, no harm was done, and the animals safely resumed their activities.
The elephants’ first day in their new home was filled with exploration and curiosity as they interacted with the other wildlife. The on-site research team reported that the introduction went even better than expected, with the elephants showing minimal signs of anxiety and stress.
Aquila Collection adheres to a strict “no touch and no human interaction” policy to ensure the well-being of the animals. However, visitors will have the opportunity to witness these majestic creatures during a game drive within the 10,000-hectare conservancy.
Searl Derman, the owner of Aquila Private Game Reserve, expressed his gratitude to the teams involved in the translocation. The successful integration of these elephants marks a significant step forward in expanding the reserve’s wildlife populations while preserving Cape Town’s natural wildlife heritage.
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© Copyright ARC (Animal Rescue Centre, Aquila Collection).
