Last remaining Knysna elephant spotted
Knysna’s iconic elephant, Oupoot, has been spotted for the first time in four years.
Knysna's last remaining elephant, the iconic Oupoot, was sighted for the first time in four years.
According to News24, scientists confirmed that although she might be wandering the Western Cape forests alone, she does not appear to be lonely.
The iconic elephant was reportedly spotted on Thursday, 17 July, roaming through a nearby farm.
Oubaas Fourie spotted Oupoot on his farm and captured pictures and videos, which he shared on social media.
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Video footage of the rare sighting shows Oupoot walking along the edge of the forest.
Moments later, the majestic animal turns to the camera, lifting her trunk into the air, possibly as a wave of "hello" or a warning to stay away.
The last time Oupoot was seen in the flesh was in 2019.
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@knysnaplettherald OUPOOT SPOTTED: Phokela 'PK' Lebea, SANParks Regional Communications Manager, confirmed that they are aware of the video of Oupoot, the last remaining elephant in the Knysna forest, currently doing the rounds on social media. The video, which was circulated on Thursday, 17 July, was captured by a local farmer in Karatara, Oubaas Fourie. Read more online at the Knysna-Plett Herald #gardenroute #localnews #newspaper #knysnaplettherald #oupoot #elephant #karatara ♬ Scatterlings Of Africa - Johnny Clegg & Savuka
SANParks regional spokesperson Phokela Lebea told News24 that Oupoot is believed to be in her 50s.
Lebea also confirmed that the elephant in the photos and videos was indeed Oupoot.
During the 1800s and 1900s, there were thousands of elephants in the Knysna forest, but hunting, habitat loss, and growing human populations have led to only Oupoot remaining.
Although female elephants (cows) are known to live in herds, Lebea confirmed that Oupoot is not actually lonely.
"Different stress hormone levels found in the female elephant's dung indicated that her hormonal system is functioning well. In areas with low human presence, her stress hormone levels were low," he said.
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Lebea also stated that camera trap footage showed that although she was calm in high human-use areas, she did get stressed when followed by humans.
She also avoided areas where contact with humans was more likely.
Lebea stressed the importance of keeping Oupoot safe and not approaching her.
"We understand the excitement that comes with seeing this iconic animal," Lebea said.
"However, we kindly advise members of the public who may encounter or sight the elephant not to disclose its exact location publicly and to avoid attempting to track or approach it."
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Image: Facebook/ Juan-michael Fernandez