THE WILD ONES
BENNY Released 9th July 2005
A large, mature bull born in 1959, Benny has a floppy right ear and no tusks. He was captured in the Kruger National Park in South Africa as a youngster and was initially moved to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. At the age of five he was moved to the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas. Along with Abu and Cathy he was returned to Africa for the filming of 'Circles in a Forest', and then moved to Botswana in 1990. Shy and nervous, Benny took the longest time to habituate to his new surroundings.
MUFANYANE - "The Irritable One"
Mufanyane is another Kruger Park orphan who joined Elephant Back Safaris in 1990. In February 2002 the 14 year old bull was released back in to the wild as part of a long-term research project. Released with a satellite tracking collar around his neck so his movements can be plotted, he is becoming accustomed to his new life as a wild elephant, but still stays fairly close to Abu Camp.
SEBA - "Whispers"
Seba is the second of the Abu elephants to be released back into the wild, along with Thando below. They were both released in February 2003, and can still often be seen in the area. Seba was the star of the Walt Disney film Whispers, much of which was filmed around Abu Camp in 1995.
THANDO - "To Like/The Lucky One"
One of our young bulls, born in 1986, Thando has distinctive red hair on his head. He was brought to Botswana from the Kruger Park as a young orphan in 1990, and then released in February 2003 along with Seba.
NANDIPA - "A Gift"
One of our young female elephants, Nandipa is easily distinguished by the hole in her right ear. Her tusks are even and straight down, close to the trunk. Born in 1988, she is an orphan from the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Nandipa joined the Elephant Back Safaris herd in 1999 and was released into the wild to join Mufunyani, Thando and Seba in August 2003.