elephants and lions!

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Hi everyone!

I guess it’s been a while since I posted… I’ve been in the field the last several days where I got to chase a bunch of elephants (yay!), and also- just as fun, to take all my field assistants into the park, just as a thank you for all their hard work. These are the field assistants who collect data on elephant raids in the villages where they each live- one in particular is from a very remote village that is some distance from the park, but still gets elephant raids. Everyone was very happy for the chance to get to go into the park, but a couple of the guys just seemed down right inspired by it! The guy from the very remote village was so excited.. telling me that though he collects the dung from elephants, he had never actually seen one until that day! (because they raid farms at night). Another guy talked about how open his mind was now to this incredible resource that exists in his country, and how important he now thought it was to protect it (this had me grinning from ear to ear!). I talked with them about the research we’re doing and how the data they are collecting will be used.. it’s so cool to see the guys so interested, and invested in the project- they want me to find a book on elephant behavior/ecology in Swahili, just so they can learn more. It kills me to see all that intellect and curiosity and motivation, without an outlet.. the opportunities for people who grow up in the villages are just nill.

I took them in two different groups because there were too many to fit in the truck at once… everyone got to see lots of elephants and lions, as well as giraffe, impala, hippos, etc. It was so fun to see and hear them all talk with each other about everything they had seen, competing good heartedly about which group saw the most… I could see on a couple of their faces what a big experience it had been for them, and it just made my day. It made me wonder, not for the first time, how important the actual work I do out here is compared with the little things I end up doing which are incidental to it…

In any case, that was a ton of fun ☺. We also found some elephants outside the protected area, which I wanted to film to show the difference in their behavior.. last year it was incredibly easy to find them outside the park, but it was pretty hard this year, as there is a lot more hunting going on now and the elephants are wary.. We did finally find a couple though, and I managed to film a bluff charge while keeping my driver from speeding away, and keeping the camera steady, so that was exciting! I think I’m getting braver now because I’m learning to read their signals better… My field assistants probably think I’m a wacko though ☺

I went with the second group of field assistants into the park and ended up talking with a park ecologist I met there last year.. being in the park and with the guys had me all inspired (and still does) to implement a new research idea I have, so I spent some time talking with him about that. By the time we were finished the curfew for leaving the park had elapsed so he had to get us permission to leave after dark… on our way, we found a pride of lions at a kill! Two females with two different sets of cubs! One litter of cubs was the youngest I’ve ever seen in the field- so cute! So I got some pretty awesome film of that, which I will try to post here, if I can find an internet connection that can handle it… I was so enthralled that I didn’t notice the driver had kept the car engine running for the first few minutes, so sorry about that! Way cooler to hear the lions than the car engine. They were probably about 10 meters from us. I’ll also try to post a few other pics if I can…

So I’m in Dar now, and I completely splurged on a room which I would normally not treat myself to, but.. I did, and I feel like I’m in the lap of luxury! .. The first time I haven’t had to wear flip flops in the shower since I left home, and they have real coffee here… (woo hoo!)

So I’m off to Arusha tomorrow to get elephant poo permits, then to Nairobi, then home! This trip has been very fast, but I have gotten a lot of good work done in that time and am feeling good about everything. I feel extremely lucky to have such wonderful, hard-working, committed people working for me, and I’m excited about the next phase. I also think this trip has been somewhat healing for me… Looking forward to seeing you all, hopefully over Mexican food and margaritas ☺. It will also be nice not to have to carry all this elephant poo all over the place with me… Hope you’re all well!

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Comments

[Patty]

Excited :-)
I am so glad you have gotten so much good work done and that this trip was exactly what you needed :-) I can't wait to see you again back here in the states and hear all about everything! Ninapenda sana! (You'll have to teach me how actually to say this when you get home!) Patty

[Jessica]

Lola sana
Hi Sarah! It's obvious you're having an amazing time. Lots to say, but not publicly so I'll just say here that Lola is doing grand... she has a new best friend in my niece and Zoe just loves having a friend to romp with. Can't wait to hear more stories, see pictures and videos! -Jessica

[Doug]

Great stories!
I read your latest enthusiastic entry, Sarah. It sounds like you are getting a great deal of work accomplished. It reminds me of how my dream was always to be a wildlife biologist (in Alaska, not Africa, however), and I'm glad you're living my dream!

[wpnomad]

Hey Doug, It's not to late to live the dream! I mean your old, but you're not that old :). Can't wait to see you guys and here all about your trip. Hard to imagine from here, that I'll be home soon.. looking forward to it!