As part of the evening drive, we watched an elephant outsmart the park rangers and get access to some of his favorite trees.
At 6:00pm, the rangers are done for the day. That’s when the elephants make their move. They are amazing animals with incredible memories, but they also kill trees, either by bending them over for their young, or literally stripping them of leaves, resulting in death.
To try and save stands of trees, park rangers have taken to stringing electrical wires in a large area around the huge patches of trees. There are “gates” of electrical wires that safari jeeps can safely go under. Since the rubber tires are grounded, no harm comes to the people in the vehicle (such as us).
However, as shown one of the photos below, elephants can sneak under the electrified fences. There has to be space below so smaller animals (and that’s pretty much everyone else) can slide under the lowest wire.
The elephants range close to the fence as 6pm nears. That’s the time rangers are done for the day. They also know that if they see a ranger’s truck, or a green uniform ranger, not to try to get under the fence. Pretty smart, eh. Then they slide back out of the fenced in area before the rangers’ work day start so they can’t get caught.
Honestly, I have no idea what rangers do to the elephants when they catch them where they aren’t supposed to be. Do they scold them? Enter the elephants’ names in a large log book or small handheld device? Does it go on the elephant's permanent record? Does it keep them out of the finest universities?
Does it matter? The elephants outsmart the system. Yes, I’m rooting for the trees (pun intended), but I’ve got to give elephants the credit they deserve.
Oh, and the sunset was as spectacular as the elephants’ moxie is.
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