Bonnie the elephant has had an amazing journey. Previously a semi-captive elephant, she struggled to fit in with the other giants in her environment. The Knysna Elephant Park cared for her and realised she’d be more settled in the wild. Elephants are exceedingly social creatures, developing friendships that last a lifetime, so it was important that they released Bonnie onto the reserve with another female.
On Gondwana Game Reserve, she was introduced to another female elephant from the Knysna Elephant Park who also needed to be relocated to a wild environment. The two bonded, and today Bonnie and her bestie are inseparable and embarking on a great adventure. As the pair’s connection grew, so did their herd. Both elephants gave birth to the first free-roaming elephant calves in over 200 years in the Southern Cape of South Africa – a victory for conservation.
Elephant herds usually consist of a matriarch and her calves, making a tight-knit group interlinked from generation to generation. With their exceptional senses, Bonnie and her co-leader can guide their herd to water and food, as well as pass down survival skills to their young. Roaming the plains of Gondwana with her brood, Bonnie has finally found her place in the wild. Thanks to the unified efforts of those who have her best interests at heart, she is free and thriving.
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