Chuma, [02 Dec 2022 at 20:54:38]: Does anyone know a reason to why jumbos enjoy pushing down trees in such a way that they block the roads? I see this quite often. Could it be just a coincidence? Erik Verrynne, [02 Dec 2022 at 21:26:30]: Chuma. In Botswana we have a saying: “elephants do it in the roads.” I just returned from a region south of Chobe in the forest reserves and spent most part of my day pulling trees out of the bush roads while trying to find lions. The strange phenomenon is that they do not pull threes onto their own highways or paths going down to water or browse. At most you will see “elephant toothpicks”, those cleanly stripped pieces of mopane on the elephants paths. I looked at the dynamics of trees falling into the roads and noticed it requires both pulling for some and pushing of other trees to fall in the road. So my initial theory of mainly bulls using roads as access routes and then as they browse, they pull or push over trees which then accidentally fall onto the road, seems only partially plausible. I have now concluded that certain bulls use the roads as access routes following the routes of least resistance, but then both instinct and a wry sense of humour takes over where, as changers of landscapes, they pull and push trees over because they can, with the clear objective to land at least 90% of the trees in the road because they can, and because they like to see me “sukkel”. I am certain some of them circle back and wait behind a bush to see who comes past and huff and puff to pull the tree out of the road. And then write it on their CV to impress whoever…. HO Reuter, [03 Dec 2022 at 07:03:20]: Maybe we notice fallen trees more in the road than elsewhere? Chuma, [03 Dec 2022 at 07:34:48]: Thanks Erik for the insights that make sense. The elephants also seem spare trees beside water bodies for the shades, I presume. HO Reuter, [03 Dec 2022 at 07:48:14]: In Namibia elephant do not spare trees at waterholes. Compare Photos of Okaukuejo, Aus and probably most other waterholes in Etosha to present situation. Along all our rivers in NE hardly any riverine forest left. Henry Labuschagne, [03 Dec 2022 at 07:51:07]: Erik. Agree with your comment. Elephants do it for the same reason why Rottweilers lick their balls : Because they CAN. I think they inherently are exhibitionists. The surest way to force you to watch him scratch his arse is to block the road. 😎
