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News
.333 member


Reged: 25/12/02
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Loc: Internet News
Are these tourists stupid or what?
      #1199 - 23/01/03 01:35 PM

Tourists Warned Not to Get Out Cars to See Elephants

(Nelspruit)
January 16, 2003


Lisa Johnston
St Lucia, South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal wildlife authorities have warned motorists not to leave their cars when viewing elephants, either inside or outside of national park fences.

The warning follows reports that motorists on the R618 were leaving their cars to get a better look at wild elephants in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park between St Lucia and Mtubatuba.

The people reportedly remained oblivious to the elephants' agitation and treated the animals as if "they were a tame circus act or animals in a zoo".

One of the elephants repeatedly mock charged but the viewers continued to ignore the animals' warnings.

"No ordinary fence is capable of stopping a charging elephant," said Ezemvelo KZN wildlife conservation manager Tony Conway.

Even if the fence is electrified Conway said, "it only serves to contain an elephant that may brush against it - a provoked, angry or charging elephant will go straight through it."

He added that the people were placing themselves at great risk by not moving away and instead further provoked the elephants.

"This behaviour is unfortunate bearing in mind a recent incident where a man was gored to death within the park after provoking an elephant herd," Conway said.

According to the park's chief executive officer, Andrew Zaloumis the park recently introduced a new herd of elephants that are settling in nicely.

"Our elephants are slowly settling in and are usually tolerant of humans, but people need to respect their immense strength and the fact that they will protect their young against any perceived threat," said Zaloumis.

Elephants react badly when people are near to them but are not overly concerned by cars because the smell of diesel fuel masks the human scent.


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SafariHunt
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Reged: 02/01/03
Posts: 468
Loc: Pretoria RSA
Re: Are these tourists stupid or what? [Re: News]
      #1204 - 23/01/03 03:11 PM

Same as the chinese guy who climbed out of his car in the Krugersdorp lion park to take a close picture.

Quess what they had for lunch "Chinese"

Incidently I read in the SA hunters the magazine that goes out to members every month that problem lions were relocated to the Lion park. These problem lions even had some who turned to maneating !

--------------------
"Sleeping under the African sky I can see nothing wrong with this world!"

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mikeh416Rigby
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Re: Are these tourists stupid or what? [Re: News]
      #2009 - 12/03/03 11:06 AM

At Etosha Park in Namibia some time back, 2 tourist from Switzerland were killed by lions. Seems they left the safety of their rondavel, and took their bedding outside the gate to get closer to nature. I guess they saw it up close and personal.

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Bigfive
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Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 362
Loc: Freestate,South-Africa
Re: Are these tourists stupid or what? [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #2015 - 12/03/03 05:04 PM

A good book to read about animals who turns human killers is "Death in the long grass" by Capstick.Unfortunately my copy got stolen(don't blame the guy who stole it cause it is a bloody good book).

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"Hunting is a way of life"
Bigfive,South Africa

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: Are these tourists stupid or what? [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #2022 - 13/03/03 01:12 AM

Mike

Not really silly just unfortunate.

At the camp I stayed in on the Zambezi near the Bots and Namibia border lions used to come into camp some nights.

Actually they were systemically killing off the waterbuck herd that fed on the irrigated grass at nights and killed one buck only metres from the dining area and BBQ while people were eating there in the evening (this was a couple of weeks before I arrived).

So I sat out on the steps of my rondavel two nights for several hours and watched the waterbuck and bushbuck feed sometimes only metres away. No lions evident anywhere but some elephants one night.
(there was a very nice bushbuck there but I just missed out on an excellent photo one morning - he melted into the bush just as I positioned myself. The females kept feeding.)

Two tourists in sleeping bags - Sausage rolls for the lions.

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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gryphon
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Reged: 01/01/03
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Loc: Sambar ground/Victoria/Austral...
Re: Are these tourists stupid or what? [Re: NitroX]
      #2029 - 13/03/03 11:44 AM

I have seen video of a tourist that that got out of his V/wagon van with his camera amongst a pride and the lions simply took him down---- the bloody fool is dead of course.

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Get off the chair away from the desk and get out in the bush and enjoy life.

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mikeh416Rigby
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Reged: 24/02/03
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Re: Are these tourists stupid or what? [Re: News]
      #2054 - 13/03/03 11:00 PM

The following story demonstrates why there are rules, and they should be followed: 6 or 7 years ago, my hunting partner and I spent 4 days in Kruger Park doing a bit of photography, and video work. We were staying in a bush camp not too far from the Orpen Gate. We were traveling with a P.H. friend of mine, his wife, and their young son. Late one afternoon we were headed back to camp and we passed a park ranger on the road who flagged us down and told us he had just seen a pride of lions about a mile from where we were, and he gave us very specific directions as to their location. We thanked him, and headed toward them. We followed his directions to a T, stopped the Toyota Hi-lux and started looking. After 10 minutes or so, we couldn't find them. Then just as we were getting ready to leave, figuring that they had moved on, my friends wife saw a tail twitch in the grass only 15 or so yards from the truck. About a minute later, 12 lions stood up in the grass, which was no more than 15-18 inches high. The most distant lion was only 30 yards away. I was shocked at how close we were, for so long, and couldn't see any of them. I guess that's why they tell you to stay in your vehicle. Rules are made for a reason.

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