Elephant care at Knysna Elephant Park is of the highest in the country. Our facilities are world class and our style of management ensures that our matriarchal herd only interact with guests on their own terms. Knysna Elephant Park have developed a system referred to asa “free-range controlled environment”. The matriarchal herd is free to range across the Park as they please. If they wish to receive food from guests, they know to gather at certain points at the Park. It is at these points, or barriers, where they have been taught to accept carefully prepared fruit and vegetables from guests. The barriers are there more for guests’ comfort than their safety as most guests have not previously encountered elephants at such close quarters - their sense of safety is enhanced by the presence of the barrier and they are more relaxed which in turn relaxes the elephants.
Once the elephants have received the food, they move off and graze. Guests then get the opportunity to observe this natural phenomenon up close, instead of from afar in a car as they would in the Kruger Park or Addo. During this natural interaction our guides add value through the interpretation of the elephants’ behaviour.
It is an amazing experience to see guests walking through the field alongside our elephants with our elephants doing what comes naturally - just being elephants.
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