Tales of an African Vet by Roy Aronson

Author:Roy Aronson [ARONSON, ROY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780762796243
Publisher: Lyons Press

CHAPTER 11

Jabu

ON A WARM EVENING ONE EARLY AUTUMN, THE SETTING SUN SUNK LOW over the horizon in the Klasseri Reserve on the western border of Kruger National Park. This year there had been too little rain. The soil was dry and dusty, and the grasses were starting to turn yellow at their tips.

The water pans and dams were also much drier than they should have been. The approaches to the water holes are usually surrounded by hard, compact dirt from the many paws and hooves that trample the earth. There is usually just a small fringe of soft mud at the water’s edge. But when the rains are scarce, and the air and the earth are dry, the mud fringe expands. As the water recedes, the muddy zone can increase dramatically in size. This year the mud zone was at its maximum.

For an animal weighing 3 tons, this presents no problem at all. In fact, the mud zone is a favorite area for elephants to wallow and coat their hard, tough hides with mud. Once the mud dries, the elephants scrape their bodies against rough trees, rubbing off the insects and parasites that stick to their skin, and giving themselves blessed relief. For a baby elephant, however, the mud zone can be a death trap.

Jabu was just three months old. He was born at the beginning of summer, usually an excellent time for calving. This year things were a little different. The rains were early and light. The plains had just enough water to provide grass and leaves for his mother to eat. She was able to provide him with the rich milk that he needed to ensure that he grew at the normal rate. Jabu was adorable, like all baby elephants are at that age. Still slightly unstable on his feet, he’d gambol next to his mother, his tiny trunk waving and ears constantly flapping to keep him cool through the long, hot summer. Jabu was born into an extended family fiercely protective of their young and willing to go to extreme lengths to protect them from danger. His mother, along with three “aunties,” had left the herd briefly to give birth. The three aunties took their duties very seriously and kept guard during the birthing process. Once Jabu was born, they helped wherever they could. They fussed over him and made sure that he kept pace when they were walking. When he played, one of the attendant elephants always kept an indulgent and protective eye on him. His mother and the three aunties made a formidable team if predators were around. The four of them formed a large, impenetrable gray wall behind which he could hide in safety. Altogether, Jabu was safe and protected, and his chances of survival were good.

The four females and their small charge had not yet rejoined the main herd of about one hundred elephants. Elephant herds are highly structured and are led by a dominant matriarch. The matriarch of this herd was a wise old female who had lived through more than forty summers.

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