Continued from About Me....:

In 2002, a lady by the name of Lente Roode learned of a herd or orphaned elephants in Zimbabwe (My babies?) and whose lives were in jeopardy after their home and game farm was invaded by war veterans. Lente bought the elephants and moved them to Hoedspruit in South Africa – where they now safely reside at Kapama Private Game Reserve/Camp Jabulani. Also, in 1997, Lente found a 3 month old baby elephant calf stuck in a silt dam near Hoedspruit. The exhausted little calf was taken to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (which she founded) and she named him Jabulani. In 2002, little Jabulani, then 5 years old, needed an elephant family, so when the Zimbabwe herd arrived, it could not have been a better outcome. Little Jabulani took to them, as they did to him. They now all live happily ever after! A 'Jabulani' ending for all the elephants concerned.

I was in SA in February 2007 and met up with Lente in Hoedspruit. I had told her the story about "my babies" and it turns out that the Zimbabwe herd she rescued are NOT my darling orphans at all... However, after a little more research, I discovered on a site monitoring & reporting on the dire situation in Zimbabwe and I quote:
" that Basil Steyn (the owner of Sondelani Ranch) in October 2006 moved 15 elephants from Sondelani Ranch in Gwanda area to Victoria Falls and that they were in not a good condition." I then received an email in September from a lady called Vicky (Basil's partner) who informed me that Basil sold 6 of the original Sondelani herd - Jabulani being one of them - to Douw Steyn {no relation} who owns Shambala game reserve in SA. Vicky assured me that all Basil's elephants are well looked after, in fine health and that some of the original Sondelani herd were being used for elephant back safaris near Victoria Falls. Here you will see a list of the elephants together with names etc.. "Elephant Experience". She told me that she wasn't sure what happened to the others that were sold.

However, I read an article somewhere that Douw Steyn alledgedly sold the 6 Sondelani herd on to a guy called Hugo Ras who owns Orion Safari Lodge A very expensive hunting lodge which caters for the 'more-money-than-sense' uber rich blood thirsties... Here you will see the names of 6 of ~my babies~ {Jabulani, Madwatenemi, Gubisa, Anna, Mouse & Micky} and also 4 others without a name that have been HUNTED, presumably for 'trophies'! I sincerely hope that Jabulani & co will not end up with their heads on a plinth! That would be nothing other than murder and awful thing to do!
Anyway, at least now I have some of the answers I was hoping to find and feel just a little happier....

But then during early May 09 I stumbled across this article!: "ZNSPCA ALERT - ELEPHANT ABUSE" written in April 2009 and openly published on numerous sites for ALL to see :> The Zimbabwe Situation which I have to say with intense regret, doesn't make good reading at all! In fact I will go so far as to say that I found it to be extremely upsetting and most disturbing news!
I quote: "A guy by the name of Mike Le Grange from AWMC captured 4 elephants on the 21st October 2008 and another 6 on the 22nd October 2008.  Reacting to a tip off, ZNSPCA found the ten elephants on Sondelani Ranch belonging to Basil Steyn in the West Nicholson area The elephants range from 4years old to two female elephants of about 18 years old.  They are housed in a metal boma  with no shade or shelter and are chained continuously, only being released for training. The elephants are sprayed with water during hot days to keep them cool.
ZNSPCA Inspectors noted that some elephants had old wounds on their legs which could have been caused by the chains as well as wounds on their foreheads.  According to the information supplied, no vet was present at the capture or has examined the elephants since the capture." {end quote}

Another interesting and very informative site that I have also recently discovered is www.Bushdrums.com - where, in one of their Bushdrums forums the same article has been published. I shall be very interested to learn what the ultimate outcome will be... Tragic news :o(

Then also, whilst on the Bushdrums site, I get to read an article about some American woman by the name of Teressa Groenewald-Hagerman who, in her infinite wisdom AND for a bet! decides that it would a huge laugh to hunt an elephant with a bow and arrow! Some sick, VERY SICK bitch!! To read the article click here >> Bushdrums
Will Travers of the Born Free Foundation said that she needed therapy. Personally I think she needs much, MUCH more than just "therapy". Teressa Groenewald-Hagerman is easily found on Google and she has a Facebook, where she raves about her 'achievement'. The pages of comments that have been left for her make interesting reading, her address & contact details are also published for all to see... I would hate to be in her shoes and suggest that she starts looking over her shoulder and employ the services of a few strong body-guards. She will need them!! The following link will take you to a Facebook page which shows images of this demented woman, together with world-wide comments A-herd-of-elephants-mauling-Teressa-Groenewald-Hagerman

ZNSPCA "ELEPHANT ABUSE"
Update on the illegal capture of 10 wild elephants in October 2008:

On Sunday 22nd November 09 I received an email from the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force to say that, and I quote: "on the 3rd November, 9 of the 10 illegally captured wild elephants {one little 5 year old elephant died!!} were successfully relocated to Hwange National Park in two batches. After the first batch of four were removed, Basil Steyn said that the remaining 5 elephants belonged to his partner and he demanded payment for them."
One of the elephant trainers at Sondelani explained how an elephant was taught to crouch down to enable a person to climb onto its back. Four ropes were tied to the elephant's feet - one rope on each foot. The ropes on the front feet were pulled forwards and the ones on the back feet were pulled backwards, stretching the elephant until it went down on its stomach. Once the elephant went down, the trainer would shout "sit!" The process was repeated a number of times until the elephant "sat" upon the command without the assistance of the ropes. In the case of an elephant that refused to obey, it was stretched out with the ropes and left in that position for 2 weeks. For the full story please click here>: The Zimbabwean and scroll down to "RELOCATION OF 9 ELEPHANTS"

Gosh!! and to think that I had a personal assurance from the horse's mouth that: "all Basil's elephants are well looked after and in fine health!"