The Elephant Whisperer

As Cousin Leon knows, when we were traveling in Turkey in 2010 we heard about a horse whisperer famous for gentling the wild horses of the Turkish plain - often just with his voice and manner.  Jim and he went to visit this horse whisperer while we were there.  

It was probably that experience that helped me decide to read a book that Shelley loaned me, called the Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony.  Lawrence Anthony's game reserve here in South Africa is called the Thula Thula game reserve located in Zulu land, Kwa-Zulu Natal.  (Jim and I never got that far in our travels here.)

The book tells the story of a herd of wild African elephants that was scheduled to be destroyed because they were escape artists, and as such deemed dangerous for the local people.  These elephants would break out of any fencing - taking the electric shock willingly in order to get to freedom.  Because of this trait, however, the herd was scheduled to be shot. Mr. Anthony intervened to try to save their lives, volunteering to take them in on his game preserve.  Before they could be transferred, they broke out once again and the matriarch was shot.

So, Mr. Anthony got the rest of the herd - very wary of humans, traumatized, with no heir apparent for their matriarch.  The book tells about how he won their trust - and learned a lot from them - by literally sleeping next to them for months, talking to them to say they were safe. 

I learned this week that Mr. Anthony died on March 7 this year.  (This was approximately the time I was reading his book.)   What was amazing was an article I recently read.  It said that on the day after Mr. Anthony died, this same elephant herd - which was now living miles away - walked twelve hours to the game reserve main homestead.  There, they walked by in single file, making a silent observance of his death.


The man's rabbi - Rabbi Gal Berner - was quoted in the article as saying, “A good man died suddenly, and from miles and miles away, two herds of elephants, sensing that they had lost a beloved human friend, moved in a solemn, almost ‘funereal’ procession to make a call on the bereaved family at the deceased man’s home.”  Quite amazing testimonial to animal feeling and understanding.

  

If you want to read more, go to: http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2012/03/rescued-wild-elephant-herds-inexplicably-gather-to-mourn-lawrence-anthony-south-africas-elephant-whisperer.php#ixzz1rJYHYJIx