Since completion of the sound experiments with Lucy and Joseph, I’ve been making the most of my time at the STE camp, busily working on my Masters research project, but also taking every opportunity possible to go out in the field with the STE team. My project involves closely watching over 40 of Lucy and Joseph’s sound experiment videos recorded since 2008. I record times and descriptions of every movement and behavior made by adult female elephants and their offspring, with the aim of identifying if social learning of calves is occurring in response to perceived presence of threats. I won’t lie – at times this process of analysis can be extremely frustrating but the more I delve into it, the more and more interesting it is becoming. And I have such a beautiful space to be working at - always warm and sunny, with the sounds of birds and insects, and sights of visiting wildlife wandering through. A huge (and most welcome) change from my study spaces in Melbourne.

The last two weeks have also been a great opportunity to learn from David, Jeronimo, Gilbert and Chris. The amount of both general wildlife knowledge and specific knowledge of the elephant populations in Samburu and Buffalo Springs that they all possess is an incredible reminder of how little I know, and how much I want to learn. While I’m happy doing absolutely anything out in the field, mammal census with Jeronimo is probably my favorite. It’s really interesting to see the diversity of species and changing vegetative structure in different sections of the park. Every species, from the smallest dik dik to the tallest giraffe has something unique to offer.

In the last few days I’ve had some pretty special wildlife sightings. I’ve seen lion cubs pouncing and tousling with each other and climbing trees. I’ve seen oryx wrestling with their spear-like horns locked. I’ve seen leopards resting in trees, a freshly killed impala stored safely away in the branches. I’ve seen the bat-eared fox roaming around at dusk. And I’ve seen adult lions mating just meters from the car bonnet.

A Set of Playful Lion Cubs

However, I don’t think anything can top my experience watching the Hardwoods family, calmly scattered about and feeding in the late afternoon on Sunday. A young female, around 5 yrs, slowly and curiously ambled right up to the car, stopping less than half a meter away to peer at us through her long lashes and quietly feed on some grass. She was so close I could have easily placed my hand on her trunk.

Young Female Elephant Walking away in the Shadows of our Car after her Visit

It was such an honor to be approached so closely by an elephant, whose demeanor and expression was so trusting and peaceful - particularly when I belong to the species continuously perpetuating stress and violence upon elephant populations. Just a few days ago Hope from the Virtues family (same family as Resilience and Enthusiasm) was poached, further fragmenting their once-cohesive unit. How anyone could even imagine harming one of these great giants with their warmth and individual personalities and intelligence is beyond me. And anyone desiring and facilitating demand for one of many completely unnecessary ivory trinkets should feel just as responsible as the actual poachers. Having seen firsthand the threats humans are inflicting upon elephants, made it even more of a privilege that this particular young individual was trusting and comfortable enough to approach so calmly and closely. It was a magical elephant encounter that I can say with certainty I’ll remember for the rest of my life.