Revenge of the Elephants | National Geographic

TL;DR

Elephant attacks on rhinos have been observed, raising concerns about the existence of multiple rogue elephants in Amboseli National Park.

Transcript

this elephant you can see is absolutely focused on that Rana his trunks outstretched he's he's crumpled up his ears he's not trying to chase this rhino off or intimidated he's trying to catch it and indeed once he caught that animal he killed it once the elephant has caught the Rhino he Gores it from above straight into the shoulder blade just uh p... Read More

Key Insights

• 👊 Elephant attacks on rhinos have been observed, with a specific target on the shoulder blade, back, and pelvis.
• 🐘 The existence of multiple rogue elephants is causing concerns in Amboseli National Park, as well as in other regions of Kenya.
• 🪈 Project managers and researchers are utilizing eyewitness statements and identification records to narrow down potential culprits.
• 🕵️‍♀️ The involvement of both teenage males and mature females suggests a complex behavioral pattern among elephants.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do the elephants kill the rhinos?

The elephants use their tusks to gore the rhinos from above, targeting the shoulder blade. They then crush the rhinos with the weight of their heads while driving their tusks through the body.

Q: Is there only one rogue elephant responsible for the attacks?

No, there are multiple elephants involved in the attacks. The footprints found at the crime scenes belong to teenage male elephants, indicating the existence of several culprits.

Q: How are the elephants identified in Amboseli National Park?

The Oselli Trust for Elephants has been monitoring the elephant population in Amboseli since 1972, gathering identification records for each individual elephant. With over 1,400 elephants, they can match photo IDs with descriptions from eyewitnesses.

Q: What are the primary suspects in the attacks?

The attacks involving mature female elephants have also been observed in Kenya. While the focus is on teenage males in Amboseli National Park, the involvement of mature females indicates a more complex pattern.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• There has been a series of rhino deaths caused by elephant attacks, with the elephants targeting the rhinos' shoulders and breaking their backs and pelvises.

• Project manager SOA SEL has recorded numerous cattle deaths and collected eyewitness statements to identify the perpetrator among 1,400 elephants.

• Forensic photographs reveal that the attacks involve teenage male elephants, and the pattern suggests that mature female elephants are also involved in similar incidents in Kenya.