DWARF ELEPHANTS FOUND

Taranaki Daily News, 26 July 1929, Page 11

DWARF ELEPHANTS FOUND

UNIQUE AFRICAN HERD.

Johannesburg, June 11.

South Africa possesses a herd of elephants that is unique among wild animal life in any part of the world. Th© elephants are dwarf size and scientists contend that they have adapted their stature to accord with their surroundings—a gradual process over a period of 10,000 years or thereabouts. This famous but vicious-tempered

Addo elephant—a conspicuous product of his South African environment—is again on the warpath and is creating favourable circumstances for his own extermination. In order to preserve the herd, which has a great zoological value, a huge reserve exists —forty miles long by twenty miles wide—about thiry miles from Port Elizabeth. It is the only reserve in South Africa where the elephant is protected. It has been his home for 10,000 years —a romantic piece of countryjof scrub bush. As a consequence of this environment the .wild beasts have themselves become scrub—they are smaller in stature than any others of their kind, broader in girth to enable them to force their way through the dense bush and 70 per cent, of them are without tusks.

Less than 20 years ago there were 200 in the herd and during seasons of drought they left their reserve in search of water—tearing up fences, draining the farmers’ dams dry and taking toll of human life wherever it crossed their path. In 50 years one farmer estimated his individual losses at over £6OOO.

The tempers of the farmers became as vicious as those of the elephants, with the result that the authorities decided to exterminate the elephants. A well-known big game hunter —Colonel Pretorius—was given a contract to destroy the animals. When they had. been thinned to 60 or 70 it was feared that South Africa would lose the specimen unless a halt was called in the killing process.

In 20 years the Addo elephant has again grown dangerous. Lack of water has driven him on to the farming lands and angry farmers have given the authorities an ultimatum that unless they drive the animals back to their reserveten miles away—they will be shot at sight—a right possessed by the farmers. But the elephant will not return to his natural home, and so is signing his own death warrant. South Africa realises the wonderful value of this almost extinct herd and every step is being taken to preserve it, the intention being to sink bore holes and make certain of a water supply. Natives in the vicinity of the Addo Bush fear the animals. More than one of them who has had the temerity to penetrate the bush fastnesses has never returned. His body, crushed to pulp, has later been found. This week a horse strayed into the bush and was wounded by the elephants, who cut off its escape. When the horse was found there was not an unbroken bone left.

Native herd boys flatly refuse to 'go in search of stray cattle. Not long ago a motor-cyclist ran into the herd : on tho main road to Grahamstown. He managed to make a miraculous turn and got away, with the infuriated mob charging at his machine. The late Captain Selous, another noted game hunter, described the man. who ventures into the bush as a "suicidal ass.”

Quick action is imperative on the part of the authorities if this remarkable herd is not to share the same fate as the bushmen who once dwelt in the surrounding country.