The Knysna Elephant Park was born of the struggle of the Elephants in the Knysna Forest, who for many years roamed freely in large numbers in their natural forest habitat. Today, a sad testimony to our society’s conservational failure, only one has been reported to survive in the dwindled forest area. Some 30 years ago, the famous writer Romain Gary was quoted in Time Life magazine to have said: “in a truly materialistic society, poets, writers, artists and elephants are a mere nuisance.”
Knysna and surrounds is an area rich in natural beauty and history, with the world’s southernmost elephants forming an integral part of this fascinating history. Though small in the face of the African Elephants' plight across the continent, the sad story of the Knysna elephants and their demise is perhaps true to Romain Gary’s prediction.
The fascination with elephants and their untamed environment began for Ian Withers in his childhood when he spent many holidays exploring the forests surrounding his grandparent’s home in Brakenhill outside Knysna. In the evenings, gathered around the kitchen fire, Ian’s grandfather would tell of his encounters with “Big Feet” - the elephant - and how his great grandfather had built road passes along the tracks made by these elephants through the Groot River and Bloukrans gorges and forests. Elephants and conservation were deeply rooted in Ian’s foundations and tourism, he saw, provided a window of opportunity to obtain his wildest dreams, driven by the fact that in 118 years the elephant population in Knysna had crashed from between 400 and 500 to 1 elephant cow in 1994: to bring elephants back to Knysna.
During October 1994 the first two elephants, Harry and Sally, having escaped a Kruger culling program, arrived at the Knysna Elephant Park. Ian and his wife Lisette felt they had the space to create a Park which could be home to them as well as other elephants who may need a permanent home. Lisette became a surrogate mother to the two and Harry and Sally continue to thrive at the Park today.
The hefty family have entertained and educated visitors over the years, successfully living in a controlled-free-range-environment, and thriving on all the love and attention they get. Visitors to the park are privileged to have a close-up and personal encounter with these gentle giants, and leave having gained a healthy respect for these wonderful animals, and a better understanding of the African elephant and his plight across the continent.
 |
 |
 |
