Logan

Born in 1984 to a young family matriarch Louise, Logan was a member of the so-called LC family, who were first sighted and photographed in 1975 by Cynthia Moss, a pioneering elephant researcher working along Amboseli Trust For Elephants.

Logan was born just after a severe drought. At the same time, the Maasai had promoted a new warrior set and the combination of the drought and scores of young men out to prove their bravery was devastating for the elephants. In all 67 elephants died during 1984: 11 adult females, 13 adult males, three juveniles, 13 weanlings, five second-year calves, and 22 first year calves. Louise gave birth to Logan in December 1984 just when the drought was over. It was her second birth.

All young males eventually go independent, some as young as 9-10 years, others as old as 19-20 (these are called “Mama’s boys”), but the average age is around 14. This is a very risky time for young males. As they are gradually going independent from the herd, they venture off on their own and run into trouble, such as getting too close to Maasai settlements or cattle herds. Logan went independent around 1997. His fate is unknown since the researchers have not seen him for several years, but they suspect he may be living in Tanzania.

While males may not form the same kinds of close-knit friendships as female-led groups, research has proven that male aggregations are far from random. The older males mentor the youngsters and guide them through the adult world.

The photo shows Louise in 1989 with her son Logan.

Photo credit and text: Cynthia Moss, Amboseli Trust For Elephants