Wednesday 28 May 2014

Why are many Addo elephants are tuskless?

Memories of Early Sundays River Valley Life
What ever happened to that film?
Why many Addo elephants are tuskless.


On Thursday 29th July my father, walking home from the Addo bank, met Major Pretorius the big game hunter commissioned to shoot out the Addo elephants, at the station yard, checking and filming his wagons and men with their dogs, picking up supplies brought in by train. I wonder what ever happened to that film? After chatting to Pretorius for a while, my father quickly walked home and got his Kodak camera, returning to the station in time to take a photo of Pretorius, looking stern and business-like in his bush clothes, sitting at a table obviously checking his list of provisions. Pretorius shot the elephant herd down to 16 and then gave up for two reasons. The remaining 16 had become so elusive that he could not find them in the impenetrable bush. Also, as the tusks were part of his bounty, he had by then shot all the elephants carrying tusks and the remaining 16 were without tusks and so he lost interest in them. Of the sixteen who survived this carnage, another four died soon afterwards. Another died in 1931, when the AddoPark was proclaimed and the herd was driven into the sanctuary, leaving a very limited gene pool of eleven tuskless elephant.

To this day, despite the herd having increased to some five hundred and fifty head, very few of the original females have tusks.

Major Pretorius, his wife Susanne (herself an accomplished hunter) and his secretary Miss Godfrey in camp at Kinkelbos, near Addo
Major Pretorius


Based on the fascinating writings of Mr Johhn Briggs, of Good Hope Farm, Selborne, based on the diary of his late father, ‘Kit’ Briggs, a Valley pioneer.


Tuesday 27 May 2014

Chrislin African Lodge, Addo, natural signage!

 Chrislin African Lodge

While trying to exercise my 'Idea Muscle' I took a stroll through the beautiful Chrislin grounds. 

I remembered doing the same thing last year in Bath, Somerset, England, at the Christmas markets. This time, however, my surroundings were a different kind of beauty... Georgian to African! No snow or cobbled streets, no towering cathedral or mulled wine, no flowing Avon river or buskers... only blue skies and grass, mud huts and rain water, the Sundays River and wildlife. Both exquisite in its' own beuaty.
It is a privilege to travel, experience distant lands and embrace all Life has to offer you. To return home and marvel at your unique treasure.
Travel, travel, travel!

This is what inspired this 'natural signage'.

Monday 26 May 2014

SA Tourism adds inspiring twist to new #meetsouthafrica video

SA Tourism adds inspiring twist to new #meetsouthafrica video: Take a look at South African Tourisms new #meetsouthafrica campaign. Wow, makes you proud to live here and we particularly liked the twist at the end.

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Moonlight Magic in Addo

Moonlight Magic

The Addo Elephant Park hosted a piano recital in November 1999. The masterful playing of world-renowned British pianist, Jonathan Plowright, enthralled local and international guests.
A visitor from San Francisco was moved to write this poem:-


CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS
(Christine Janselme, November 1998)

The elephants came in two by two,
Cape Buffalo, warthogs and even a gnu,
All to hear the concert.

The giraffes stretched necks in order to hear,
The springbok hesitated and then drew near,
All to hear the concert.

The audience sat binoculars ready,
Their heads were cocked, breathing steady,
All to hear the concert.

The pianist sat flapping his tails,
Pausing to watch the covey of quails
Arriving to hear the concert.

A rumble came across the water,
An elephant’s comment that he really ought to
Start to play the concert.

The prelude started soft and slow,
Building gradually to its crescendo
Which the elephants joined in concert.

The human audience turned and stared,
Some of them were even scared
Of the animals at the concert.

Others were torn between the two,
Watching the player of the natural zoo
That came to hear the concert.

The dying notes were softly played,
The wildebeest snickered, the zebra brayed
Their appreciation of the concert.

Another piece with dancing beat
Had the elephants swaying on their feet
In rhythm with the concert.

Impala shrugged, their tails a-twitch
With ears well pricked for every pitch
Of music in the concert.

A porcupine snuffled and rattled its quills,
A background timpani to Chopin’s trills
Never heard before in concert.

The last glissando, the final chord
Brought the audience standing to applaud
The bravura of the concert.

The elephants stamped then slipped away,
Never to forget the night that they

Participated in a concert.

Saturday 17 May 2014





Chrislin African B&B Lodge, on the doorstep of the Addo Elephant Park, is a beautifully simple escape into the Addo bush. We boast 12 traditional African mud huts, with modern conveniences and delicious farm-style breakfasts. Crisscross Adventures, our in-house safari company, offer amazing game and river safari's, quad biking and many more Addo attractions to complete your trip.

Check out Chrislin African Lodge's youtube clip 
and our youtube channel!

Wednesday 14 May 2014

116 years ago Century Old Elephant shot

116 years ago (E.P. Herald, 19 December 1999) featured the shooting of a bull elephant in Addo on 17 December 1898. Mr. Jack Harvey shot the leader of the herd that had troubled so many surrounding farmers. When the feisty bull was about 20 yards from Mr. Harvey, the hunter emptied the contents of an 18 lb. elephant gun, felling the beast immediately. The various measurements were given as tusks of 5 feet in length, almost half the height of the elephant, which stood at 10 feet 4 inches. The remains of this 100-year-old elephant were to be dispatched to the British Museum (Report by I. Markman).



Monday 12 May 2014

Kirkwood Wildsfees 2014

The annual ABSA Kirkwood Wildlife Festival or Wildfees is next month! Come and join the festivities on the 27th June to the 29th June 2014.
This Kirkwood Wildsfees/festival is the fastest growing festival in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This is the  13th year and provides a real commitment to nature conservation. This was highlighted in 2011 when the Kirkwood Wildfees hosted a sustainable energy expo for the first time. In 2011 over 42,000 people attended, making it one of South Africa's biggest events.
At the festival you can expect to see performances by some of South Africa's leading artists, a superb gourmet food lifestyle expo, over 300 specialist stalls, a huge beer tent, agricutural and wildlife expos, jazz performances, adrenalin rides, Kids Zone and the Isuzu 4x4 Extreme Challenge. At the Isuzu 4x4 Extreme Challenge drivers have to successfully negotiate 10 different and tricky obstacles. The 4x4 challenge is very popualr with spectators and a real test of peoples driving skills. At the Walk on the Wild Side exhibit you can get up close and personal with a variety of animals and birds from snakes, owls and even baby crocodiles. The nearby Addo National Elephant Park team also have a display here. Acts that will be headlining at this years festival include: Elvis Blue, Karen Zoid, Arno Carstens and Emo Adams. For more information on this years festival visit www.wildsfees.co.za

Book at Chrislin African B&B Lodge, in Addo, for accommodation during the Kirkwood Wildlfe Festival 2014 and add some Addo Elephant Park safari's to complete the Wildlife Adventure! We have Winter Specials to suit the guest who is looking to stay 3 nights or more.
Chrislin African Lodge, Addo Accommodationwedding-Eastern-Cape-Addo-007-(1)ZJ2A6184addo-BB-accommodation-17Garden Hut

Addo accommodation

Chrislin African Lodge, Addo Accommodation
3 star, B&B
12km from the Addo Elephant Park main gate
Stay in traditional African style mud huts with modern conveniences

Memories of the early Addo Elephant Park

Memories of the early Addo Elephant Park
A tea party conversation with Dr. Peter Bunton and Mrs. Ruth Woolley

Sipping tea in the tranquil setting of Chrislin African Lodge, Dr. Peter Bunton and Mrs. Ruth Woolley reminisce of growing up in bygone Addo when elephants roamed free, polo was the weekend social event and the mode of transport to school was horse.
Dr. Bunton arrived in Addo, aged one, in 1923 on their family farm, Elim. After the War, he returned to South Africa to pursue his lifelong passion, animals. A South African polo player, a vet and farmer, he has rich memories of early Addo days.

How we view elephants in the Addo Park is certainly different to the 1930's! Driving to the Addo Elephant Park when Mrs. Ruth Woolley, born on Bydand farm in 1928, Addo, was a little girl was terribly exciting. All the farmers reject citrus fruit would be dumped at the water hole (today's main camp) while the farmers would shine their vehicle's front lights onto this area. This was the only viewing area, no driving around like today. Upon elephant's ears flapping in agitation, all would jump into their cars and exit as quickly as possible! She remembers when the Port Elizabeth tram's ceased to operate at the same time as WayGood-Otis lifts. The tram tracks and cables, as well as the lift cables, were used to erect more secure fencing along the Addo Park boundary in 1954. This kept the elephants in, the farmers with intact crops and the elephant herds growing.

This was massive progression after centuries of elephants and human conflicting. Ivory, trading, local wars, settlers and hunting threatened these incredible Addo beasts lives until, after an order was followed through to exterminate all elephants in 1919, the Government stepped in and enclosed the remaining 11 elephants in a sanctuary. The first enclosure, in 1931, was inadequate and elephants were lost one by one until, in 1954, an elephant proof fence (tram tracks and lift cables) was erected. The Addo Park has flourished ever since and continues to grow under the conservation efforts of SAN Parks.

It was a privilege to be in such interesting and convivial company, my mind reconstructing the Addo Park through the decades, first hand. It was fascinating to hear the Addo Park's history and the long-term conservation efforts from their honourary vet, Dr. Peter Bunton. He recalls being reluctant about lions being introduced into the Addo Park in late 2003 as the Addo Park animals had never previously had predators amongst them. The first year of resident lions realised his fear as the whole Disease Free Buffalo calf herd was wiped out. Thankfully the animals have learnt to live with these predators and play a harder game!

There is more to the Sundays River Valley than meets the eye. Beyond today's Addo Elephant National Park, 5 star lodges and world class citrus export industry is a rich history, which dates back centuries.

For more Addo history, follow Chrislin African Lodge's Tumblr blog!