ELEPHANT EXPERIENCES
The Abu Herd lives as natural a life as possible, spending their days in the bush and spending time with guests by vehicle for brief periods during the cooler parts of the mornings and afternoons. During the day time, they are free to forage, bathe, and wallow in mud – all the activities that elephants most enjoy.
All the calves born to Abu Herd elephants have been sired by wild bulls, which speaks volumes for the freedom of the herd members to have normal interactions and contact with wild elephant.
As they bridge the gap between elephant and human societies, the members of the Abu Herd can transform your perception of these magnificent creatures, of other wildlife and the living environment.
During your stay, you are invited to become a member of the Abu Herd. At designated places in the concession, you will get to know the personalities of each family member, from playful youngsters to precocious teenagers and doting adults.
You will soon form a deep and enduring connection to each elephant – a sense of belonging which is both humbling and uplifting.
Currently the Abu Herd consists of the wise old matriarch, Cathy; Sirheni, an adult female who was orphaned in the Kruger National Park in South Africa and Sirheni’s fourth calf, Warona.
The younger members are Lorato and her sister Naledi, both daughters of the late Kitimetse. Lorato gave birth to her first calf, Motlotlo, at the end of January 2018.
Naledi’s story of survival inspired the heart-breaking but ultimately uplifting film of her life so far: ‘Naledi – A Baby Elephant’s Tale’. You can watch this on Netflix.
There is also Paseka, the ‘Easter elephant’, who surprised everyone by having her firstborn calf, Shamiso, in April 2018.
This means that we currently have two very energetic and boisterous male elephant calves in the Abu Herd!