By ffc_admin
How did the elephant get its name? Well, it has something to do with their teeth. African elephants’ teeth are ‘loxadont’, meaning they are sloping. This characteristic gave rise to the species’ scientific name: Loxodonta africana, the African bush elephant, and Loxodonta cyclotis, the African forest elephant. Asian elephant teeth are different, with a compressed … Continued
By ffc_admin
The difference between a calf’s smooth foot and a grown elephant’s is quite fascinating! Here are our favourite elephant feet facts. Did you know… Elephants are capable of walking without making much sound, but sometimes they purposefully scuff their feet against the ground to produce sounds. Elephants may lift or swing their feet when they … Continued
By ffc_admin
Join us for an educational walk in the bush and learn more about elephants and the African wilderness! Adine and carer Owen share their knowledge of different plant species, show us how to tell if an elephant is male or female (by looking at their dung and urine!), and give us a quick look at … Continued
By ffc_admin
Elephants are highly intelligent and social animals, and their communication is critical to their ability to navigate their environment, form social bonds, and protect themselves from threats. By understanding how elephants communicate, we can gain valuable insights into their social dynamics, as well as how they experience and interact with the world around them. One … Continued
By ffc_admin
Elephants use their feet in a variety of ways. They don’t only use their feet to move around, dig for water, or break branches. They also use their feet for things like playing, intimidating others, or making others move. In this blog, we explore the unexpected things that elephants use their feet for. We have … Continued
By ffc_admin
Once the elephants in our herd become sexually mature, they need to be put onto contraception, as a matter of South African legislation that makes it illegal for semi captive elephants like ours, who rely on human care and support, to breed. Before these rules and regulations were put into effect by the Department of … Continued
By ffc_admin
The ways in which elephants communicate are vast and complex. We have only recently started to understand some aspects of elephant communication, and there is still much we don’t know about this topic. One way in which elephants communicate is through touch – this is called tactile communication. If you’ve ever spent some time looking … Continued
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Discover more about the latest research project being carried out at HERD, by Marco Reynders, who is studying a Masters at the University of Pretoria. I’m Marco Reynders. I study at the University of Pretoria. I’m doing a masters in animal production and quality. My study looks at the effect of feed management on … Continued
By ffc_admin
Adine shares some insight into the emotional side of elephants, their intelligence, sensitivity, and complex social bonds. In this video below, we start with Lundi and her adoptive daughter, albino orphan, Khanyisa, foraging together and spending time with Adine. Both elephants show their concern for and interest in Adine’s wounds, also on her elbow, from … Continued
By ffc_admin
Today’s bush lessons with the elephants comes from Senior Elephant Carer, Owen! Watch as we spend time with Khanyisa, Timisa and the allomothers: Kumbura and Tokwe, with a visit from Fishan. Hi, welcome, my name is Owen. Looking to a cow elephant, there are some features that are easy for you to pick … Continued
