This picture shows Jabu, a semi-habituated adult male elephant standing amidst the dry savannah. Jabu, short for Jabulani, a Zulu name, means happiness and; indeed, Jabu’s zest for life is inspiring. Stanley's Camp is home to the one time orphan. Jabu is a proud and handsome bull, who enjoys his role as alpha elephant of the small herd. He is kind, playful, generous, big-hearted and dependable. He is semi-habituated and we became personally acquainted with him; walking together, observing and interacting with Jabu. Elsewhere on this website is a picture of my husband and I sitting with Jabu between us.
This picture was taken in the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta is rightly considered one of the most incredible wildlife and wilderness sanctuaries in Africa. It is the largest inland delta system in the world, an area of about 6000 square miles making a mosaic of grasslands, floodplains, palm-tree islets, forests, lily lagoons and winding water channels combine to form a perfectly constructed puzzle, in which animals wander as they please. What makes this area most remarkable is that it is a wetland paradise located deep within the arid Kalahari Desert. The Okavango is Africa's largest and most beautiful oasis. The water of the Okavango literally floats on a saturated sea of sand.
Stanley's Camp is set in an amphitheatre of imposing ebony and sausage trees on the southern tip of Chief's Island, in 260,000 acres of untamed African bush. Bordering the southern section of the famous Moremi Game Reserve. The area around the camp changes with the seasons - from lush green when the rain flows down from the Angolan highlands to dry savannah when the Kalahari Desert tightens its grip.
Thousands of elephant migrate through the area of Stanley's Camp. And, here guests can have the astonishing experience walking with elephants in the bush. Three orphaned elephants have been brought up in the area and have been raised with humans since an early age. Every morning the elephants go for a walk around their home range, foraging for food and checking that all is well. They look for fresh fruit in the nearby trees and interact with guests. A few people each day are able to accompany them on their walk through the bush and see the wilds of Africa through the eyes of an elephant - a truly uplifting experience that makes a lasting impression on all who share their time with the elephants. |
