A Rugged Ranger Remembers

<< Back to Stories

Million and the Elephant

In the early 1990’s elephant sightings at Sabi Sabi were rare indeed.  The fence separating the Sabi Sand Reserve from the Kruger National Park still ran alongside the Sabi River.  Occasionally lone bulls would trample the fence but only rarely were breeding herds seen.  Excitement was high when elephant tracks were found within the reserve! 

Paddy Wagner and I – together with our trackers Enoc and Richard - began tracking, and soon found the elephant herd calmly munching away and in no way threatened by our presence.  There were mums with babies, obstreperous teenagers and the ever watchful matriarch. 

Imagine our surprise when we saw Million walking amongst them.  Million is a tracker at Sabi Sabi with only one working eye.  Stupified, Paddy and I remained in our vehicles at the elephant sighting while Million walked right past us.  He never saw the elephant or us, so intent was he on following the lion he was tracking.  It was only when the matriarch trumpeted that Million looked up in surprise and found himself surrounded by a breeding herd of elephant. The matriarch charged and Million searched around frantically for somewhere to run.  He was surrounded – and the elephant was nearly on top of him.

Out of the corner of his working eye, he spied a warthog hole!  He dived into it head first and crawled right in until not even his feet were sticking out.  Now Million is what could be referred to as ‘traditionally built’ – meaning he is a rather large chap.  How he managed to squeeze himself into that tiny hole is still a matter for discussion amongst the rangers.

The elephant milled around the warthog hole for a while, then deciding that the intruder had indeed disappeared they moved away.  Paddy and I drove our vehicles towards the hole and with the elephants at a safe distance assisted Million by pulling him out by his boots.

Badly shaken but glad to be alive Million explained what a tight fit the hole was.  I asked him what he would have done had there been a porcupine in the burrow at the time.  He replied simply that he would have died! 

Having taken Million back safely to his vehicle, Paddy and I continued a ways down the road where we both collapsed into fits of laughter.  I bet Million didn’t find it funny!

<< Back to Stories