The Elephant Whisperer

“‘I’ve heard you have a way with animals,’ she continued. ‘I reckon Thula Thula’s right for them. You’re right for them. Or maybe they’re right for you.’”

Anthony asks Marion Garaï from the Elephant Managers and Owners Association why he has been approached to take in the herd, and she reveals that he has a reputation for having “a way with animals.” Even before he interacts with the herd, Anthony is already known for being able to connect with and care for animals. This validates the experiences he has with the herd and the reputation he later earns for being the “elephant whisperer.” It also introduces the theme of Bonding With Animals.

“The key was to involve local communities in all of the benefits and profits of conservation and eco-tourism. It was a hard, frustrating struggle but it had to be fought and won. Tribal cooperation was the key to Africa’s conservation health and we neglected that at our peril.”

Anthony reflects on how conservation efforts must necessarily involve local communities, like the Zulu tribes in Zululand, if the work is to be successful long term. Accordingly, Anthony continually makes an effort to inform and involve local communities in his work: Besides addressing the people at the Nkosi’s request about the Royal Zulu project, he also meets with local chieftains to debrief them about the elephants’ arrival and makes sure he employs people from the local communities on the reserve. This passage highlights The Challenges of Conservation that Anthony faces.

“That phone call triggered the startling revelation that I had unwittingly forged a bond with this delinquent herd, even though I barely knew them.”

When Anthony receives a call from a wildlife dealer to take the herd off his hands, he is irritated rather than relieved. He realizes that he has already bonded with the herd, even though they are causing him trouble. This instant connection with the elephants illustrates Anthony’s Bonding With Animals that Marion described earlier; it also explains the commitment with which Anthony works to rehabilitate the herd and his subsequent success.

“These magnificent creatures were extremely distressed and disorientated and maybe […] if someone who cared about them was constantly with them, they would have a chance.”

Once the herd is captured and returned to Thula Thula, Anthony decides to stay outside the boma and live with them, contrary to the usual advice that the elephants be left without any human contact. Anthony’s keen perception of the situation is instrumental in changing the trajectory of the elephants’ lives. His efforts in bonding with them, unconventional and even dangerous though they may be, are what allow Nana to trust him, thus preventing an otherwise inevitable breakout again. With this, the elephants’ lives and safety at Thula Thula are secured.

“She looked at me and for at least ten minutes we held eye contact as I kept talking. Suddenly, as if baffled by what all the fuss was about, she turned and backtracked into the bush.”

Nana and the herd attempt to break through the reserve fence by toppling an acacia tree onto it, and Anthony is able to successfully dissuade them from continuing. To do so, Anthony puts himself in a dangerous situation, directly facing the herd on the other side of the fence they are attempting to smash. The incident displays both Anthony’s confidence in the bond he has established with the elephants and the truth of this belief: Despite Nana’s ability to easily smash through the fence with the help of the felled tree, she appears to choose not to, at Anthony’s request.

“How could the simple removal of the guards have such an instant effect on the game? How could they know they were now safe; that the major poaching threat had been removed? […] it was proof that the animals themselves now knew it was over.”

Anthony reflects on how, the moment the Ovambos flee the reserve, more wildlife seems to appear in the open, as if they know the threat of poaching has disappeared. This is one among many other seemingly inexplicable instances in the wild that Anthony recounts. It showcases his open-mindedness and willingness to respect things beyond his immediate comprehension.

“No matter how heart-wrenching the situation, we never interfered with nature. Brutal as the food chain is, that’s the balance of life in the wild. Terrible as the tragedy was for the nyala mother, the eagles also had to feed their young.”

Anthony describes watching an eagle carry away a young nyala calf without interfering. His actions reflect an understanding of Interconnectedness in Nature—Anthony does not interfere because he sees space for all living beings in nature and understands that some processes, cruel as they may seem, are necessary for the circle of life. This attitude is extended toward every single creature on Thula Thula, from elephants to even his own dogs.

“The fact that the matriarch Nana had not joined in was an impressive breakthrough […] To me, the fact that she had not overreacted was significant.”

When Anthony and Françoise accidentally cut off Mabula and Marula from the rest of the herd, Anthony anticipates a negative reaction from the elephants. Frankie does indeed charge at them but luckily breaks off when she recognizes him. An incredible breakthrough in itself, equally significant is that Nana does not even join the charge. Both kinds of instances are almost unheard of until then and mark a significant milestone in Anthony’s Bonding With Animals.

“There was an air of contentment as the animals strolled around the lawn in the moonlight, casting giant shadows across the garden like ghosts of the prehistoric world.”

Anthony’s efforts at bonding with the herd are rewarded by their reciprocation, as they visit his house and stroll through the garden one night. These visits continue over the years, and they even begin to appear and welcome him every time he returns from a trip away. Such instances with the elephants truly demonstrate that the desire to connect and communicate between humans and elephants is not just one-way—the animals, too, enjoy and initiate contact with Anthony.

“Suddenly, I got it again, a strong sense of anticipation that the herd was close by, and with that Nana emerged out of a nearby thicket followed by the others. I was gobsmacked. I had somehow picked up that they were there well before seeing them.”

Anthony describes how, over time, he is able to sense the herd’s presence or absence even without laying eyes on them. He attributes this to subliminally picking up on the rumblings that elephants emit across their surroundings. While this phenomenon in elephant communication is established by scientific evidence, Anthony’s ability to pick up on them is an anecdotal recounting, as the rumblings are far below human hearing.

“There is a concrete link between advanced congenital intelligence and long-distance communication […] elephants are communicating across vast distances, which shows that these giants of the wilderness are far more developed than we ever believed. They possess a vastly greater intellect than previously thought.”

Anthony reflects on how the elephants’ superior communication skills are an indication of a greater intelligence than humans deemed them capable of. He recounts multiple instances and observations to support this idea, describing how every time he returns from a trip away, the elephants uncannily arrive to welcome him on the exact day and time. He is unable to explain this any other way than by the fact that they are informed of his arrival through some larger network of sophisticated, pachyderm communication.

“I held my breath as her trunk reached into the Land Rover and touched me on the chest; the sandpapery hide somehow as sensitive as silk, then it swivelled back, dropped and touched the little one, a pachyderm introduction. I sat still, stunned by the privilege she was bestowing on me.”

When Nana gives birth to Mvula on Thula Thula, Anthony goes to see the calf and is stunned by the fact that Nana brings her newborn and introduces him to Anthony. This instance shows how deep Nana’s trust runs—elephants are fiercely protective of their young ones, and it is almost unimaginable that a mother would allow a human near their newborn. The fact that Nana brings Mvula up to Anthony is a mark of the strong bond between them.

“I had been taking tribal leaders into the Umfolozi reserve and was shocked to discover that most of them had never seen […] much of the other indigenous wildlife so iconic of the continent […] They lived on the borders of an internationally acclaimed game reserve, yet as a direct result of apartheid they had never been inside. Historically they considered game reserves to be ‘white concepts, mere excuses to seize their land.”

One of The Challenges of Conservation Anthony has to deal with is working with the local population and their beliefs, customs, politics, and way of life. The tribals’ objection to Anthony’s work stems from the historical trauma of apartheid—fertile tribal land had been seized from the communities in the past, depriving them of their livelihoods; in addition to this, the local communities are still removed from the idea of conservation, to the point where many of them have never even seen any of the wildlife that Anthony is working so hard to preserve. Anthony’s whiteness is thus a further challenge to navigate, as it earns him some inescapable distrust.

“I had at last grasped that the essence of communicating with any animal […] is not so much the reach as the acknowledgement […] In the animal kingdom communication is a two-way flow, just as it is everywhere else. If you are not signalling to them that their communication has arrived with you then there can be no communication.”

When Nana and Mvula approach Anthony while he is on foot in the bush, he is initially terrified, until he realizes that Nana is waiting for him to acknowledge her presence. Understanding that the key to communication, even with animals, lies in both transmitting and receiving is an important revelation for Anthony. It opens up his relationship with the elephants even further and also underlines the theme of Bonding With Animals.

“His newfound relationship with me, however expedient, was not natural and concerned me a little. Elephant bulls are always pushed out of the herd at puberty, and eventually they get over the rejection and join a loose affiliation with other bachelors.”

Anthony is delighted by Mnumzane’s growing closeness to him, and it even makes things convenient when approaching the herd. However, Anthony is also mindful of the fact that it is an unnatural bond, born of circumstances that would have been different in the wild. Anthony’s awareness of this points to his respect for Interconnectedness in Nature. He also actively works to rectify the situation by later finding an older bull for Mandla and Mabula, who will eventually go through the same ostracism as Mnumzane.

“I stared, barely breathing, pulling body, soul and nerves back together. That was certainly a first for me. In fact I had never heard of it before; a wild elephant blocking the charge of another to protect a human.”

The first time ET charges Anthony, he is astonished by the fact that Nana approaches and breaks her charge. The fact that she does this to save Anthony’s life is an unheard-of occurrence. Besides demonstrating Nana’s deep bond with Anthony, it also hints at the possibility of a species being able to care about and protect more than just its own if a true relationship has been established.

“Mnumzane too seemed calm…but there was something else; his once palpable insecurity seemed to have vanished. He seemed to have a new-found sense of self-assurance.”

Anthony notices that Mnumzane is becoming more confident and settled in himself. The fact that Anthony picks up on this self-assurance demonstrates how attuned he is to the herd and their behavior. Sure enough, later that same day, Anthony witnesses Mnumzane charge both Nana and Frankie, establishing his dominance as the new alpha of the herd.

“As such he had joined the extended Thula Thula family and was now entitled to protection and to be left alone to live out his natural life […] He would be happy here.”

Anthony saves Max from being dragged and drowned by a crocodile in the nick of time. Although Anthony has almost lost his precious dog to the crocodile, and one of his dogs has in fact been killed by one in the past, Anthony shows no animosity or dislike toward the crocodile. Rather, he welcomes its presence in Thula Thula and hopes it will be happy there. Anthony’s non-discriminatory concern for all living beings is characteristic and further underlines his understanding of Interconnectedness in Nature.

“[T]hese intriguing reptiles avoid man for three very good reasons. Firstly, they don’t want to get stomped on and will move away long before you get near them; secondly, humans are not their prey; and thirdly, they have long since learned that we will kill them for no other reason than that they exist.”

Anthony refuses to allow any living creature to be harmed on Thula Thula, including snakes. He surmises why snakes ought to be left alone, explaining how they don’t attack without provocation and usually avoid humans if they can. Anthony’s understanding of reptilian behavior and his respect for the snakes’ space, even though they are venomous and can be dangerous, is characteristic of his welcoming attitude toward all living beings. Anthony understands, accepts, and lives by the axiom that all living beings have a deserved place in nature.

“Wildlife can absorb adversity that would destroy a human without a blink. This little elephant had gone through the trauma of birth and spent half a day in a blazing new alien environment and hadn’t even had her first drink. Yet she was still alive, still fighting.”

Anthony marvels at newborn Thula’s fighting spirit and her ability to survive despite the harsh weather conditions and her own physical condition. He acknowledges the kind of resilience that is present in the wild; however, he also cannot help his humanity from influencing his decision to later rescue and attempt to treat Thula. Eventually, however, his efforts are proven unsuccessful. Anthony’s experience with Thula is a reminder of the limitation of human intervention and The Challenges of Conservation.

“Thula’s death affected everybody […] Her cheerful disposition, her refusal to surrender until the last few days inspired everyone.”

Anthony reflects on how Thula’s life and death, sad though it was, nevertheless inspirited those around her through her strength, resilience, and joyful demeanor despite her pain. Anthony’s ability to glean lessons from each of his experiences with different animals is a testament to his deep Bonding With Animals, his humility, and his willingness to keep an open mind.

“Life and death go hand in glove. Death is cyclical, witnessed more in the natural order of the wild than anywhere else.”

Anthony reflects on how life and death are unavoidable realities in nature. His understanding of this reality is what allows him to accept and reconcile with the deaths of beloved animals he experiences on the reserve: Thula, Max, and Mnumzane. Anthony’s reflection also underlines the theme of Interconnectedness in Nature.

“As the finality of it came crashing home I was seized by a terrible loneliness, both for my beautiful boy and for myself. After nine years of friendship I had failed. He had gone to join his mother whose violent death just before he came to Thula Thula he never really recovered from.”

Anthony mourns Mnumzane’s death, feeling a sense of disappointment for having let the elephant down. Mnumzane’s death and Anthony’s reflection highlight two things: first, the fact that despite Anthony’s close bond with the elephant, he is able to make a crucial and difficult decision because the safety of all other living beings on the reserve is also important. Second, it is a reminder that Mnumzane’s situation was a different one than the other elephants—while all of them eventually bond with and adjust to Anthony, Mnumzane has gone through potentially the most trauma, as the previous matriarch that was killed was his mother. Anthony’s inability to save Mnumzane reflects The Challenges of Conservation.