We hear so much in the news about elephants being killed for their tusks, however in this story, Obelix, the 35 year old, six huge tonnes in weight, bull elephant at the Tshukudu Game Reserve, was sadly struck by a freight train!
Obelix was the only male elephant on the game reserve and despite being known for his grumpy nature, he was loved by all the staff, as well the guests that were fortunate enough to encounter him.
He had a reason for his grumpiness although, as he was in musth a lot of the time. An elephant in musth is one to be very careful around, as they can be extremely dangerous and given the enormous size – you do not want to get on their bad side!
It is easy to identify an elephant in musth as a pouring liquid secretes from their temporal glands between the eye and the ear and the back legs are constantly wet via leaking urine (not the most attractive appearance or odour!). This is when the elephants testosterone is heightened for reproduction, hence the aggressive and unpredictable characteristics of an elephant in musth.
As Obelix was the only bull on the reserve he had no other bulls to fight with to release his anger and frustration. So…he was always up to mischief and finding ways of using up his aggressive energy – from destroying trees and vegetation to chasing game drive vehicles….the big rascal!
My encounters with Obelix, although only a few, have been extremely memorable as I found myself with a vehicle full off guests and Obelix towering over, closing in on us, shaking his huge head and trumpeting profusely. As you can imagine – quite a sight to see and certainly creates fear! As I am responsible for the guests, it’s my job to stay calm – a unique skill to master I must say when a six tonne elephant is trumpeting in your face!
Having spent more time with Obelix, I was understanding his behaviour, which enabled me to predict his actions and the encounters were a lot more enjoyable for myself and the guests, as opposed to an elephant seeing what trouble he could cause.
Obelix as you can probably tell was therefore notorious and had a great reputation. Guests coming from all over to catch a glimpse of him – it was amazing to see guests full of anticipation and excitement before going out to find him on a drive.
Unfortunately, the sad news, is that Obelix’s testosterone got the better of him and got him into trouble…..not so different to a male human…..as he smelt female elephants who were in the next game reserve – Balule. He broke through the fence and crossed the train tracks in order to get a closer look at the females – the big guy was just looking for a bit of fun!
On his return home, a mining train regrettably hit Obelix as he was crossing the tracks, which instantly broke his spine and shattered his hip.
With such a reputation, such character and such likeability – it is of course an extreme loss for the Tshukudu Reserve and all staff felt as if they had lost a family member. Staff visited the body to pay respects and all gathered for drinks on the dam wall in honour of such an amazing beast!
It is moments like this that make you realise how unique the experiences in life are and how lucky we are to see such beauty every day out here in South Africa. I am overjoyed that I got to meet the legend that is Obelix and I will always remember my encounters with him. Rest well big guy….
A tribute has been created by Dominique Joye for the Tshukudu Reserve, which can be viewed on youtube – Tribute to Obelix.
To read more about African elephants – visit the National Geographic African Elephants page.
Carnivores and Conservation 