𝕎𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕝𝕖 𝕎𝕖𝕕𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕕𝕒𝕪

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕧𝕖𝕝 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕣𝕖𝕪 𝔾𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒

The African Elephant has depths and intricacies to their way of life; their ties and family bonds and an inherent compass and guidance within their genes that we absolutely 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐝.

I believe there is still so much to be learned about this magnificent creature that roams our African continent. What do they do when we aren’t around to see, I often wonder? Is what has been witnessed, tantamount to who they 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 when no one is around to see? The few who have born witness to a baby elephant entering this world, for example, is a spectacle that has been described much alike to the birth of our own babies – 𝙖 𝙫𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩, 𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩.
Matriarchs are not merely selected – they are 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 into this honor. A long line of genetics is passed down through the generations. She is groomed from a young age, much like how a young princess is schooled from a noticeably young age about the duties she will one day perform as Queen.

Something that has fascinated me since a child about elephants, is their memories. There are 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 and pathways across our vast continent, that elephants have been using for myriads of decades. These routes are based around access to food, water, and inherent knowledge of areas to steer clear of danger.
How?
A map of these lands they have traversed seems to be imprinted on their brains! This 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆 is hard for humans to comprehend, and researchers are still trying to figure 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 ability their brains really have.
Just as they have a memory that never forgets, we too will forever feel their presence and impact, on our soils, in our minds, and across our vast continent.
𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘺 𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢.
Melissa.
Editors Note: We would like to take this opportunity to wish Melissa well on her new adventures! A huge thank you for all your contributions to Ulovane on social media and campus over the last two years!! You will be missed! xxx