After a short search, Boswell was found by the Parks/Veterinary team (02 July 2014), in his old haunts near Mucheni. He was quickly darted, the collar removed, and a new one fitted. The new collar was adjusted to give him ample room, with no constriction. Herewith the actual darting, showing how stress-free the whole exercise went, with Boswell more intent on eating his food than anything else! Just to reiterate, the exercise was done primarily to raise awareness of the plight of elephant in and around our protected areas, but also the purpose of collaring was two-fold: 1. To prevent the bull being shot by “legal” hunters on the boundaries of the park – which has all too often been the fate of some very familiar Mana Bulls in the not too distant past. In this regard the DG of Parks has categorically stated that collared elephant are off-limits and may NOT be shot by hunters. 2. To monitor the movement of the animal, especially through the wet season. The collar is constantly amassing good data that will help not only with monitoring and research but also in applied conservation to inform security deployments as the animal (and others) move(s) in and out of less secure areas on a seasonal basis. We again wish to thank all those who expressed concern at his welfare, and would ask that we continue to be kept updated on sightings and progress from you as and when you visit this magical paradise. With many thanks. The Mana Team
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 09:00:16 +0000
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