What happened?
On Saturday the 27th of September, a horrifying elephant attack occurred in what appears to be the Khwai concession or a section around Santawani in Botswana with some tourists barely managing to escape harm. Images and a video, circulated widely on Facebook and international media, have detailed the incident and have shown just how close these poor guests came to death.
What should have been the dream safari of a lifetime, quickly became a nightmare.
More than anything, I am incredibly grateful that no one was killed or seriously injured, and my heart pours out to those involved.
As an avid lover of Botswana’s wild and promoter of safari experiences in my home country, I wanted to take a moment to unpack what unfolded from my perspective and look at ways this scenario could have been avoided.
So, what went wrong?
Firstly, I am dismayed that the guides allowed for the group to get as close as they did to a breeding herd of elephants, especially while on mekoro. Mekoro of course are the iconic traditional canoes used in the Okavango Delta, and an incredible way to experience the flood plains. Mekoro is plural for Mokoro (singular). Needless to say, the guides did a poor job and should have known better. It is disappointing to say the least, and paints a poor image of Botswana for everyone working in the safari industry.
This video posted on YouTube clearly shows the mekoro approaching a matriarch elephant guarding two calves. This is clearly a no-go zone, and the guides were seriously at error here. Depending on water depth, a distance of at least 25 metres should always be given to any elephant, especially while on mekoro, but to get closer than that to a mother with calves was negligent at best, and completely reckless in retrospect.
It’s also very concerning that the guides did not immediately retreat with haste as soon as spotting first signs of unease and aggression from the female elephant. The polers start to edge away, but the elephant picks up speed and overturns a mokoro before appearing to stomp on and submerge a female tourist who was exceedingly lucky to survive the attack.
Where did it happen and who was operating the tour?
I am disappointed that the operators have not published a formal statement outlining what went wrong on that day. What we know is that the attack appears to have taken place in either the Khwai Concession or neighboring Sankuyo concession close to a mekoro station. No operators have as of yet come forward to take responsibility and or publish a statement, and by and large the consensus is they’re trying to keep this incident as quiet as possible.
In my opinion this is a bad move. They should have come forward and taken responsibility. They not only do a disservice to the guests involved, but paint a bad picture for the rest of the safari community. We need to know where exactly this happened and why the guides allowed the group to get so close to the herd. Ultimately we need to work together as an industry to ensure this type of cavalier action is avoided in the future.
My suspicion is that the guests were on an overland tour with a recognised international operator, and that inexperienced local guides were contracted outside of their services to run a mekoro excursion – either with or without recommendation from the operating company. Either way, I would expect the operating company that took the guests into the area to come forward with a statement.
By and large, we at The African Wild tend to avoid sending our guests to certain areas of the Khwai concession (NG19) as they’ve not been well managed over the past few years. There are too many operators vying for prime areas in a relatively small concession. It’s completely overcrowded, and with a large elephant population, this can be a recipe for disaster, particularly while on a mokoro, where guests are clearly more vulnerable to elephants, many of whom use that concession as a corridor between the Okavango and Savuti.
Would a rifle have made a difference?
Firstly, owing to the nature of the Khwai concession (and other community concession areas), guides are not generally permitted to carry rifles as they are in other private concessions. Either way, the opinion on whether having a rifle in such a situation is divided. Some argue that firing some warning shots could have dissuaded the elephant from getting closer. However, such an action could just as easily incite the elephant to attack with more force.
When the elephant did attack and overturn a mekoro, the only course of action would have been to shoot the elephant with an intent to kill it as fast as possible. However, with the elephant that close, and with guests and guides in the line of fire, all while balancing on a mokoro, I highly doubt even the most experienced marksman would have been able to effectively kill the elephant. Rather, a stray bullet could hit a human, or an injured elephant would be even more aggressive and this could have led to even more calamity.
My opinion is that it’s wise to have a rifle as a last resort for unforeseen or completely unavoidable scenarios, while on a mekoro or a walking safari, but that in this case a rifle would have been ineffective as the group was already far too close to a charging elephant. Had they retreated earlier, distant warning shots above the elephant may have dissuaded her from getting closer, but as they were already under attack, a rifle would have probably proved more dangerous under the specific circumstances.
Regardless, the ethos behind going on safari is to appreciate wildlife in its natural setting – which often means from a safe distance – in order to observe the animals, not interact with them. Interaction with the wild is never the point of a safari.
Should I be worried about travelling to Botswana?
The short answer is no. However, there are a number of things you can do to ensure your safari experience is safe(r) such as ensuring you are travelling with a licensed and credible safari operator, that all guides have been certified by the Botswana Guiding Association (BOGA), and that you fully understand the dangers of elephants and other wild animals.
I think it’s fair to say that no one can guarantee a 100% safe experience when immersed in the wilderness. Botswana is a wild place after all, and there are some seriously wild animals in our country. However, we can certainly limit the risks by ensuring that every precaution has been taken to safeguard your wellbeing.
If you feel you have been dissuaded from visiting Botswana because of this news, please reach out us. We would be happy to have a chat and talk through any and all of your concerns.
Where can I learn more about Human-elephant conflict?
To a degree, this incident has highlighted the levels of human-elephant conflict in Botswana. This has been, and continues to be, one of the greatest challenges faced by communities living in and around the Okavango Delta. It’s a situation exacerbated by illegal hunting as well as commercial trophy hunting, and a wider mismanagement around the conservation of elephant corridors. In my opinion,it’s a conflict that can only be resolved by opening up passageways throughout the KAZA Transfrontier conservation area, and allowing elephants the freedom to move unhindered across their traditional stomping grounds. There is no overnight fix to this challenge, but it is one that we should all be focused on and mindful of.
Ecoexist is an amazing organisation that focuses on Human Elephant Conflict, particularly in and around the Okavango Delta. I would strongly recommend checking out their website for more information on the subject.
Any last thoughts?
Again, I am immensely relieved that no one was killed. However, we need to ensure the safety of all moving forward, including our elephant population. The last thing we want is for elephants to build a pre-emptive negative association to tourists on mokoro along the riverways. I compel the operators to come forward and make a statement. And I would encourage more open discussions throughout the safari sector around elephant conflict and how to avoid these situations in the future.
A beautiful wilderness safari experience shouldn’t be aiming to provide ‘a thrill’, or viral reel. The awe of witnessing the wild in her unhindered grand splendour should be enough.
