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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga

Hidden Giants- The Elephants of Mikeno

30 Jan 2009 Filed under (Elephants) by Eddy @ 11:30 am

Last night the patrol post at Bukima was visited by a herd of elephants. It was very dark and we could not see them, but the sounds of them trumpeting and crashing through the forest was impressive. We see a lot of signs left behind by elephants in the Mikeno Sector, but we almost never see them.

Unlike the elephants further north in Kabaraza and Rwindi (see map) these forest elephants have not been heavily poached for ivory. There are less than 200 elephants now left in the park, so the Mikeno Sector is an important haven for them and the Rangers will do their best to keep it that way.

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An elephant path

Elephant dung

Rangers Sebanya and Bazimenyera hold an elephant bone

A tree knocked over by the elephants that passed through Bukima

The destruction of the tree left a gap in the forest canopy

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8 Responses to “Hidden Giants- The Elephants of Mikeno”

  1. sara sara Says: 30 Jan 2009

    Hope to see the giants soon

  2. lisah lisah Says: 30 Jan 2009

    Hi Eddy,

    I love to hear that there are elephants around. I know you guys will do your best to protect them. Thank you for that. It’s amazing how they can just walk through the forest and clear a path like that, through trees, like the trees were blades of grass. Amazing animals that deserve to live in peace. Thank you for working so hard everyday to protect your beautiful forest and all the animals that live there. Lisa

  3. brenton brenton Says: 31 Jan 2009

    Interesting photographs. I can see that when elephants are moving through the forest you dont get in their way!

  4. sheryl, washington, dc sheryl, washington, dc Says: 31 Jan 2009

    Fantastic news! I hope these few forest eles will stay where the rangers can help protect them. Weren’t you nervous listening to them pass so close to your camp?

    s.

  5. theresa theresa Says: 31 Jan 2009

    Great news! I hope they remain in the protected area of the park. Thank you all again for the protection you provide to the park’s animals! You have a difficult, dangerous job and I am so grateful for your presence there.

  6. How Many Elephants Are Left in D.R. Congo ? | Searching for Bonobo in Congo How Many Elephants Are Left in D.R. Congo ? | Searching for Bonobo in Congo Says: 1 Feb 2009

    [...] elephants, often less than 50 remain).  Others are possible. Four remnant populations are within protected areas (Virunga, Upemba, Kahuzi Biega, [...]

  7. junys junys Says: 2 Feb 2009

    im so happy news from elephants news

  8. Baraza » DR Congo elephants down by 80% in 50 years Baraza » DR Congo elephants down by 80% in 50 years Says: 10 Mar 2009

    [...] remnant populations are within protected areas (Virunga, Upemba, Kahuzi Biega, [...]

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