Letaba I

This mature bull was named after the Letaba River in the Northern Section of the Kruger National Park, where he was regularly seen.His left tusk was long and curved, however his right tusk was broken off fairly close to the lip line. He also had a large rounded patch of smooth skin on his trunk.

Letaba was first recorded in 1979 and was already an old elephant at that stage. He was a docile bull, who was known for repeatedly invading the Letaba Restcamp. Sadly this bull was poached in the 1980’s when poaching from Mozambique was at its worst. This docile creature was shot and killed alongside the Engelhard Dam close to the Restcamp and had, had his tusks removed.

Text: South African National Parks
Photo copyright: Paul Funcks