Elephants. The biggest land mammal on earth. Forest
elephants might not be quite the largest of the three species, but surely they
are the most mysterious. How can something so big be so poorly known? I’m just
back from a few days in the Precious Woods forestry concession north of
Lastourville, Gabon. Five years ago we started recording elephant calls at
several clearings within a day’s walk of Ivindo National Park, and one of
these, we found, has more elephants visiting at some times of year than any
other known location in Gabon. That time of year is now, and yet we didn’t see
many animals. Is it all explained by a somewhat late start to the rainy season?
Have we unwittingly changed the pattern of visitation by establishing a regular
monitoring program here (it is a small opening and probably holds our scent
like a brandy snifter holds alcohol fumes)? Is it because of logging activity
in the area 18 months ago? What really drives these animals to visit clearings
in the first place – or the second or third?
We did have a lovely male come in just a few minutes before
dark, and with a waxing moon we had a tantalizingly lit stage before us,
showing flowing shapes enough to know that others came after dark, although we
could hear that well enough. Still the forest was relatively quiet in terms of
pachyderms, and perhaps this explains the decidedly unquiet time I am having
right now.
There is something else that populates the forests of Gabon,
not so big, but likely keenly aware of when forest elephants are numerous and
when they are not. This is the elephant tick – a tiny beast less than the
diameter of a pin head. How this arachnid, so minute in size, can specialize as
an ectoparasite on the tough, thick, skin of an elephant is perhaps a wonder of
nature – but when elephants are scarce these little beasts find easy sustenance
on Peter Wrege! Always I get some of these on me, part of what comes with
working in rainforests with elephants. Unfortunately my reaction seems to be
getting increasingly severe and sometimes the bites last as itchy welts for
well over six months (the ticks themselves usually drop off on their own,
perhaps in disgust at having attached to the wrong host). On this particular
excursion we hiked to the bai and then slept there the night – no opportunity
to limit the damage by washing away some of the attackers with an evening bath.
So I’m covered now and not all that happy about it – I’m sure the ticks and I
would both be happier with a few more elephants to focus on.
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