Mixed-Green Vegetation (Oct-Dec)

Although the rains started in Oct most of the waterholes in the bull area did not fill until early December. Many bulls left the bull area and moved south to Voi River and Ndara. In mid-Nov I found many groups of bulls (13, 11, 9 and 7 bulls) in the flooded glade of Voi River (Kanderi). There were no families; it was predominantly a bull area for almost one month. In Nov Livingstone left the bull area and I found him south of Voi River (Ndara) followed by Rasputin, who I had not seen in over a year. This area is the typical wet season range of Livingstone. The next time I saw Rasputin he was in Kanderi alone, feeding on grass.

I found Adydos (35-40 years old) at Irima waterhole with 3 unknown bulls following him. As he walked along the trail, he picked up a small stick and scratched his chin, similar to Livingstone’s behavior of tool use described in previous field notes. However, the stick Abydos used was small and when he scratched his chin it was a precise use of a tool.

In mid-Dec I found Darwin southwest of Irima hill in the open grassland with 4 other bulls; Dusk (a frequent companion of Darwin) and 3 unknown young bulls. They were feeding on grasses, herbs and creepers. I was unable to find Rudolf, but I did find Nathan (35-40 years old) in a flooded area in the northwestern region of the bull area. I don’t see Nathan often; he seems to leave the bull area for over a year and then returns for a few months and then leaves again.

Green-Dry Vegetation (May-Sept)

In May I found a group of 16 bulls at a waterhole, drinking, mud-wallowing and resting. They were close to the road and so I had to move out of their way because a couple of them didn't want me close. Keeping my eye on all of them was a bit difficult but I did see Rudolf who I'd not seen since last year and Darwin who was resting in the middle of the waterhole.

In July I found 5 bulls drinking and splashing at Irima waterhole. Livingstone moved away from the waterhole along an elephant path, then he stopped picked up a relatively large stick, balanced it along the center, put it between his trunk and tusk, then scratched between his front legs. He then dropped that stick, moved forward a few steps, picked-up another stick, a larger one this time, balanced it as before and scratched his inner leg. He manipulated the stick with such ease, balanced it and than scratched, that he must do it frequently; tool-use.

Dart and Mathias, both 25 years old, were seen in musth. I suspect this was their first musth cycle as both of them dropped out of musth just a week later. I found Mathias at a waterhole and he appeared restless, moving one direction, stopped with his ears out and then turned and went the opposite direction toward a family of 9, who were moving toward him. When they were about 200 meters apart I could hear rumbling and as they got closer the rumbling got louder. When they met there was a lot of excitement: trumpeting and loud ear flapping. Then the family moved on and Mathias stayed where he was and watched them move away. Another family of 13 approached Mathias and the behaviors were similar but, not so excited.

Green Vegetation - Rains (Jan-Apr)

The waterholes in the bull area finally filled in mid-Feb. The vegetation in this area was green with trees and shrubs flowering. Bulls gathered in groups of 4 and 5 bulls and some were with families ranging in size from 8 to 46 individuals. By late April the bulls began to gather in their typical large groups of 9 to 14 bulls.

Sirius was in musth in Jan. in an aggregation of families. Then in Feb I saw him - not in musth with Darwin and Moon. When I found Darwin in Mar he was with Skylight and a young unknown male. Although Darwin did not show physical signs of musth (swollen temporal glands or fluid), his behavior indicated signs of musth: walked tall, ears out, trunk draped over his tusk and rubbing his temporal glands on the trunk of a tree. I could not find Ivanhoe or Rudolf. But in April I found Livingstone with 3 bulls: Amadeus, Knox and an unknown young bull (12-15 yrs old). They all moved as a group toward Holda and her newest calf and joined them feeding on grass.

Green Vegetation - Rains (Nov-Dec)

Even though the waterholes in the bull area remained dry during Nov and Dec, the vegetation was green. Bulls gathered in groups of 2 to 11 individuals and many of them were feeding on Bauhinia flowers. In Dec the groups were smaller and many were seen with families. I couldn't find Rudolf but did find Ivanhoe within an aggregation of 68 individuals in the central region of the Voi Riverine (north and south of the river).

In Nov I found Darwin with other bulls on many occasions (Thorn, Dart or Abydos) and in a large group of 10 bulls (Saturn, Mathias, Sirius, Lunar and Sunray). This large group was feeding in the glade and as a storm moved toward them - they moved, as a group, quickly toward the rain. In Nov Livingstone was frequently seen with 3 to 10 other bulls (Sirius, Dusk and Abydos) or with families. And in Dec he was seen alone feeding on herbs and grasses.

Green-Dry Vegetation (May-Oct)

Bulls were found alone or with families in early May. In June they started gathering in groups of 9 to 25 bulls. They continued to gather in these large groups through Oct. Ivanhoe was seen in the Aruba area with 4 large bulls. He continues to use the Aruba artificial water trough during the dry season.

In late May Rudolf was with a group of 24 bulls including Lunar and Sandstone. However, they appeared nervous and something startled them and they all ran away from me into the bush. The vegetation was tall and thick preventing identification of the other bulls in this group,

Darwin was seen in Aug with two large unknown bulls. In Sept and Oct he was found in groups of 6 to 14 bulls; Sirius, Sandstone, Livingstone, Amadeus, Ripley, Thorn, Pisces and Dusk. During one of these sightings of 14 bulls at Irima waterhole, Dusk was trumpeting underwater while sparring with Pisces as the other 12 bulls watched or rested nearby.

Livingstone was found alone in early Aug and as the dry season progressed he was seen with 3 to 14 bulls; Dusk, Pisces, Sandstone, Sunray, Sirius, Darwin and Thorn. His musth cycle is typically during the dry season but this year I did not see him in musth.

Green Vegetation - Rains (Jan - Apr)

Most of the bulls sighted in the bull area were in small bull groups or with families. Many bulls were in musth, some of them were new to me. Although I could not find Livingstone or Ivanhoe, I found Rudolf in March, after having not seen him in over a year. He appeared to have grown and looked much bigger since I had last seen him. I found him at Irima waterhole with an aggregation of 46 individuals; families and bulls of all ages. As he moved among the other elephants, all of the bulls (Dusk, Aries, Amadeus and Mathias) moved out of his way.

Darwin and Sirius (not in musth) were with a family of 13 in early Feb. Then in mid April I found Darwin in musth, guarding a female, in a group of 18 with Mathias and Quasar (25 year old bulls). Seven days later I found Darwin alone in musth, traveling toward a family of 14 individuals with an unknown (40 year old), musth bull and a 20 year old bull. As he moved toward this group, the musth bull moved away from the female he was guarding toward him. Darwin approached the musth bull; ear out, head up and stood very tall. Both of them slowly moved head-on - Darwin thrust forward with his head and single tusk, but the other bull did not back up, he pushed forward. While this was going on, the 20 year old bull mated with the now unguarded female. Everyone was rumbling and trumpeting and then Darwin turned away from the bull and ran. As the trumpeting continued Darwin ran away faster across the glade. The other musth bull ran back toward the 20 year old bull, who took off in the other direction. Once both Darwin and the younger bull were gone, the musth bull and family went back to feeding and all was quiet.

Green Vegetation - Rains (Oct - Dec)

With the early rains, the waterholes favored by bulls in the northwestern bull area were overflowing by late Oct. Since there was water in all of the waterholes, and the bulls had created a few of their own, most of the bulls had dispersed. With the rains and subsequent green and tall vegetation only the top of their heads could be seen. Livingstone was with three bulls in the western area in Dec. I was unable to find Ivanhoe, Darwin or Rudolf; but, with the plentiful rains they most likely have moved away from their bull area.

In Dec. Lunar and Amadeus, who have been recorded together in the past, were found with four unknown bulls (30-40 years), at Kanderi glade feeding on grass. Both Lunar and Amadeus (40+years old) have been observed in musth previously in Dec but, neither one of them showed signs of musth. No families were sighted in the glade with these bulls.

Green-Dry Vegetation (May - Sept)

Darwin was with Pisces, Arrow and three unknown bulls in the northwestern region of the park. Livingstone was alone or with one other bull. Ivanhoe was in the Aruba area for six days. On one occasion he was alone and dominant over the other wildlife at a water trough. The other species at the trough in order of dominance were Fringe-eared Oryx, Warthogs and Baboons with Zebra and Gazelle waiting for their turn to drink.

Dry-Green Vegetation (Jan - April)

In Feb. I found Livingstone in the Irima area, feeding on grass, surrounded by 60 zebra. Lunar (broken left tusk) typically in musth during this season, was not in musth with two unknown bulls; one large bull 40-45 years old and one small-young bull 15 years old. Rasputin (large notch right ear) was alone at Kanderi with Carmine Bee-eaters swooping around his feet; he tossed his trunk at them and then he moved away out of the glade to thick bush in the Voi riverine.

Atlas (wide tusks) was in musth within an aggregation of 84 elephants at Kanderi. Ivanhoe, one of the oldest bulls in Tsavo, was also found at Kanderi, but at a different time then Atlas. He was digging for water in the dry Voi riverbed, with three large bulls nearby-watching.