My first time seeing a wild African elephant!

Connor Duguid | 23 Years Old | England 

Had you ever seen an elephant before? 

Only ever in a zoo 

How did you feel when you first saw an elephant with EHRA and where did you see them (was it in camp or on build or patrol)? 

It was incredible, it’s completely different to seeing them enclosed. We came across 2 bulls just down the river from the camp. Seeing the elephants for the first time was really humbling! Witnessing the way they live in these herds, moving from one water source to the next, especially when considering the terrain and the extremely harsh weather compared to our own in the UK. It really puts a crazy perspective on how difficult life is for them on a day to day basis. They were so graceful in the way they move and the way they act which is really surprising considering their sheer size! We first saw them at a distance but the second time when we encountered Voortrekker on his own feeding on the trees, it really hit me of how incredible they are, it was truly a once in a lifetime experience and one I will never forget.

The problems of people and elephants living together is extremely deeply rooted. It’s also extremely sad to see, as there doesn’t seem to be an easy fix. 

What will you always remember from your time with EHRA? 

How passionate the team is to the cause. Their enthusiasm is contagious and you can see how hard they are working to try to mend relations between the community and elephants.

If you would like to receive any additional information or if you have any questions, please contact Rachel@desertelephant.org