Elephants now Free Roaming at Inverdoorn

In 2012 Inverdoorn Game Reserve was proud to announce the introduction of free-roaming elephants in the Ceres Karoo for the first time in 150 years, yet again raising the bar in conservation as they brought the Big 5 to Cape Town's door step. The elephant introduction and release is one of three major projects which Inverdoorn has pioneered. In 2001 the Western Cape Cheetah Conservation (WCCC) was launched to further cheetah conservation by rescuing and rehabilitating cheetahs; and in 2011 RhinoProtect was established to aid the fight against rhino poaching with a revolutionary horn treatment.

The two bull elephants, Bully and Nduna, were raised in captivity. Their relocation to Inverdoorn marked the first time in their lives that they experienced the freedom of wide, open spaces. The game reserve encompasses 10 000 hectares of the Ceres Karoo, allowing all the animals to roam free as nature intended. This effort, once again, marked Inverdoorn as a conservation stronghold. Having been restricted for so long in terms of space, the elephants spent time adapting to their new environment in a specially-designed enclosure, guided with the utmost care and devotion by their handlers. After a sufficient period they were released into the main part of the reserve, where they continue to roam free to this day.

Elephants are endemic to the Karoo and the team at Inverdoorn was excited to re-introduce them back into the area, thereby moving a step closer in restoring the region to its ancient glory. Guests on safari are now able to share in the joy of the elephants' freedom, as they see them roaming through the open expanse of the Karoo and playing in the dam from time to time. Bully and Nduna are carefully monitored by their handlers in order to ensure a continued smooth transition, maintaining their comfort and safety, so that they can enjoy their freedom for years to come and South Africa can retain its natural history and heritage in the Big Five.