Whizzing by at 105 km/hr, destination Nairobi, the concrete jungle—a far contrast from the green bushlands of the Tsavo National Park gracing the African savannah at the foothills of the Yatta Plateau. As the train rolled through the countryside, a lone elephant caught my eye. A quick glance at it was all I needed to see the largest mammal splashing the red soil on its back. They are called the red elephants of Tsavo for a reason, and this particular one wanted to make the name stick. The vibrant ochre dust clung to its rough skin, creating a striking contrast against the deep gray of its massive form, as if the very essence of the African earth had chosen to adorn this majestic creature with its fiery hue. It's more likely to see elephants in herds of about 8-100 individuals. Elephant herds are led by a female, the matriarch, who is in most cases the oldest and most experienced in the group. A queen, a leader and a fighter in her own respect.
However, the lone elephant ,who I will call Edd to satisfy the anthropomorphism in me, was on a solo mission. Most likely a male, Edd stared onto the passing train. Could he see me looking back at him. Perhaps not, elephant vision is not that good. They see clearly up to 10 m, from that point onwards things are blurry. Perhaps a pair of spectacles might do the trick. But no need for him to visit the optician just yet ,his stare was more of a confirmation as elephants can feel ground vibrations from 32km away. The sand on Edd's skin would serve as a protective layer from bug bites and keeping his skin moisturized. In short Edd was "applying lotion". All he now needed was a nice pedicure and manicure and his relaxing day would be complete. But am sure that was not on his mind. Out there in the natural world bugs are the least of Edd's worries. Given that he was solo he is a target for lions and maybe a group of brave hyenas. But no lion would try to take down a 3 ton mammal with tusks the length of a samurai sword protruding out? right. Right. Unless he was sick or injured then predators would have a chance but for now Edd seemed in safe and in perfect health.
As Edd disappeared into the distance, a realization struck me: the same train that afforded me the opportunity to witness him in his natural habitat is also contributing to the broader challenges faced by the elephant population. The train track cuts through the Tsavo national park creating a barrier for movement of elephants from one side of the park to the other.
This might not seem like a big deal at first but think of it this way. With constrained movements normal migratory routes are compromised, causing mental stress to the elephants. In turn female elephants are more likely to have less calves in their lifetime. This compounded with their long gestation period of 18 to 22 months means births are few and far between. With mental stress the birth rate is lower causing the population to dwindle. Though slow, after some time the effects will be clear to see. According to a study done by David S. Jachowski, Rob Slotow, and Joshua J. Millspaugh, Physiological Stress and Refuge Behavior by African Elephants, they argue that physiological stress responses allow individuals to adopt to changes in its environment. However, while such responses are effective in the presence of short term stressors long term exposures can cause increase in blood glucose, inhibit reproduction, immune health and growth.
The issue of development versus nature is indeed a sensitive and complex topic that requires careful consideration. While measures such as the ban on trophy hunting have helped mitigate threats to wildlife like Edd, there are still numerous challenges that must be addressed.
Rapid urbanization, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development often encroach upon natural habitats, fragmenting ecosystems and disrupting crucial wildlife corridors. This not only affects iconic species like elephants but also impacts biodiversity as a whole, leading to cascading effects on ecosystem functions and services.
Moreover, the conflict between human livelihoods and wildlife conservation intensifies as populations grow and resources become scarce. Finding sustainable solutions that balance the needs of both people and wildlife is essential for long-term conservation success. Farewell, Edd, till we meet again on a great African safari.
