THE MAWANA ELEPHANTS by Lion Expose - March 26, 2024

Mawane reserve, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Good News, and sadness and sympathy...

After all we have been through trying to protect this persecuted

herd, prevent them from being culled, and mostly, get help to protect the

communities that live with them.

Extensive networking skills and an ever developing circle of

incredible humans in the specialised field of Elephant and Rhino, whether it be

translocations or educating on coexistence in our rural areas, has had some

real success..

The Good News

In a few short weeks LionExpose has received much support and

interest to try and assist the Mawana Elephants.

The first stages are being discussed and would see the collaring

of three Elephant bulls.

Between several people and two Global NPOS this seems to hold

real possibilities.

A next step will be more, but talks to the three communities

affected and with Farmer Sithole to start looking at the community fences and

where to start to protect their crops and cattle when the elephants come to

their farms as part of their Migratory route.

And later possibly a bee fence project which will be offered,

and again will need a sponsor, but this will attract researchers as there are

literally two PGRS in South Africa doing this and the Bee Fence Researchers

will love to come and study this project.

So we are hoping all goes to plan and that Mawana manage these

issues as they need to be working really hard to keep these Elephants safe in

their range and keep the communities safe and show them care, and be grateful

communities will be happy to try and exist with this wonderful herd and see how

we can make it sustainable.

Thanks go to EKZN for being patient and clearly communicating

with Mawana and thank you Sithole for being open to lots of communication in

this regard.

The sad news.

A young herder was badly injured last week fetching his cows, he

was gored by an elephant, he was really in trauma and is in hospital, and right

now he is doing better but has many months of recovery ahead - he was extremely

lucky to survive.

Mawanas people are visiting him in hospital tomorrow to show him

we will offer him support, and a fund will be started for him.

He will be supported all the way.

It must be noted that Mawanas Elephants have been facing extreme

danger of a cull since 2018 and are still in danger as long as all these issues

exist.

But elephant lovers keep watching and supporting how much work

it is to save elephants that live close to humans and to give them the peace

they deserve and, vitally, to keep our humans safe.

Update

The herd have wondered back into the "Red Area", close to where communities are situated. Tribal leaders are calling for them to be hunted down immediately!!