470Nitro
.333 member
Reged: 17/09/03
Posts: 467
Loc: Madrid - Spain
|
|
Ndlulamithi
Joao
Shingwedzi
Mafunyane
Dzombo
Kambaku
Shawu
--------------------
-----
down by the river on a friday night
pyramid of cans in the pale moonlight
talkin' 'bout guns and dreamin 'bout women
never had a plan just a livin' for the minute
|
Bakes
.375 member
Reged: 31/01/03
Posts: 589
Loc: QLD
|
|
Would that be a bullet hole in Mafunyane?
|
shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
|
|
I took a look at the skull last time I was in the Elephant museum in KNP and it's far too big to be a bullet hole. It looks to me like the hole was caused by a poachers trap which works by a tripwire triggering a weighted spike in a tree.
KNP claim that all of the 7 died of natural causes, but I have my doubts about that. Some of the skulls (in the museum) have a lot of bullet holes in them, some of which I would have expected to be fatal wounds.
If anyone's in the area the museum is really worth a visit.
--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
|
Boghossian
.275 member
Reged: 23/01/04
Posts: 93
|
|
Yeah, really nice displays...
That said, why aren't there more 100lb eles in Kruger? It has been protected for more than enough time...
One more thing for the experienced elephant bwanas. Do you believe that straight tusks are lighter because the nerve is longer than in a curved tusk??
Lastly, are Zimbabwe elephants generally 40-50lbs (on average) because of genetics, or because they average age is low?
|
shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
|
|
That's actually a bloody good question..... I doubt I've ever seen a genuine 100 pounder in the KNP....maybe a few 75-80, but probably never anything bigger.... Guess it must either be genetic or food. It's pretty rare to find real 100+ Elephants anywhere nowadays and (IMO) Botswana would be the best bet. There's a photograph on the hunting destinations page of my website which is a really great elephant, but even that one is only about 90-95 lbs.
As to curved tusks being lighter or heavier than straight tusks, I've personally never noticed a difference, but I have a friend who was one of the biggest (legal) ivory dealers in Southern Africa until the ban, so I'll ask his opinion when I see him next.
Zim Elephants...... I guess the best man to answer that one would be Peter of Balla Balla.
--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
|
mickey
.416 member
Reged: 05/01/03
Posts: 4647
Loc: Pend Oreille Valley, Idaho
|
|
Years ago I had three 577 3" made by Marcel Thys. They were numered 1-7 etc and had one of these Eles on the bottom. Phillip Grifnee did the engraving. I wanted to do all 7 but never got around to it. This was pre digital camera so I only have a picture of the one I kept, number 1-7 and my favorite. This one is Shingwedzi. We also did Mufunyani and Shawu.
Somewhere I have pictures of them in the museum in KNP. When there in '96 I went on an overnight Game Patrol with a friend for Zambia who was working there. We found one Ele that he said was 100 plus. It had a name, which I forget and can't pronounce anyway. I have some video of it and if I ever get a DVD burner I will post it as it is quite remarkable.
--------------------
Lovu Zdar
Mick
A Man of Pleasure, Enterprise, Wit and Spirit Rare Books, Big Game Hunting, English Rifles, Fishing, Explosives, Chauvinism, Insensitivity, Public Drunkenness and Sloth, Champion of Lost and Unpopular Causes.
|
atkinson6
.375 member
Reged: 26/01/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Idaho
|
|
Steve,
There is a 100 plus pounder on one of the ranches bordering KNP, but one of the tusks is broken off, but the land owner has the broken tusk...He wanted me to sell that elephant, then about the time I had it sold, he backed out, the elephant is on a very large parcel of land and free roaming for the most part...Hannes Swanopole, Big 5 Safaris, at Seleti Reserve was a problem control officer in KNP for some 25 years. he can tell you about this big bull if you get up that way, even show him to you, tell him I sent you...
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
