Knysna elephant tackles Outeniqua trail

SANParks rangers working in the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park suspect that an elephant has damaged one of the overnight huts on the Outeniqua hiking trail.

The rangers came across broken planks from wooden signage around a particular hut along the Outeniqua trail in the park. This area includes a combination of forest, fynbos and plantations, according to Carel van der Merwe, Conservation Manager for Wilderness.

The damage, as well as the evidence of the dung found nearby, suggests that the culprit was an elephant.

Knysna elephant roaming the forest. Credit: SANParks scientist, Lizette Moolman

The number-one suspect, of course, is Oupoot, touted as the last remaining elephant in the Knysna forest, SANParks confirmed in 2019. The elephant is about 46 years old, and like many other wild animals at the moment, she is probably enjoying her freedom to roam without the disturbances and sounds of human activity.

See what Oupoot got up to in Wilderness:

Images: Dr Sandra Taljaard & Carel van der Merwe, SANParks

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