Xamariri

Xamariri was named by Dr Ian Whyte after the Shamiriri Hill situated on the main watershed between the Letaba and Olifants Rivers, South Africa (originally, ‘Shamiriri’ is the Tsonga word meaning ‘the hairy one/of hair’).

This bull did not have any distinctive ear markings, and could only be identified by his straight downward curving tusks which made it difficult to trace his movements around Letaba and Olifants areas of the Kruger National Park. Male elephants move more frequently than females, as they don’t spend their lives in herds.

All of the Magnificent Seven, the largest tuskers of South Africa, who were born in the 1920s and 30s, have now passed away. They were followed by a number of other great tuskers, Xamariri is one of them.

Text: South African National Parks
Photo copyright: Keith Begg