Truck transporting four elephants overturns on Olifantskop Pass in Eastern Cape

The Olifantskop Pass was closed for most of Wednesday, 5 March while authorities worked on a plan to load four elephants on to another vehicle after the truck in which they were being transported overturned.

The animals were loaded on to the truck at the Addo Elephant National Park early on Wednesday morning, en route to the Samara Private Game Reserve near Graaff-Reinet. At around 1pm the truck overturned on the Olifantskop Pass.

SANParks spokesperson Fayroush Ludick said none of the elephants, which the Addo Elephant National Park had donated to the Samara Private Game Reserve, was injured.

“The road is currently blocked as a result [of the accident],” said Ludick.  “Two recovery vehicles have arrived on the scene to assist in recovering the truck. The intention is to reload the animals on to another truck to complete the journey.

“There is a SANParks veterinarian on-site, monitoring the elephants, who all appear to be unharmed. There were no injuries incurred in the accident,” she said.

The National Society for the Protection of Animals (NSPCA) questioned why the animals were transported during the heat of the day.

“The NSPCA is informed that two veterinarians, one being from SANParks, are on-site. According to reports, the elephants have not sustained visible injuries. Initial reports indicate that a shift in weight caused the accident,” said the NSPCA.

“It would be interesting to know why the elephants (what the government would term ‘assets’), are being donated to a private game reserve. The NSPCA already has enough concerns and problems about elephants in private game reserves as it stands.”

In October 2017, after elephants were absent from the Karoo for 150 years, six female elephants were released into the Samara Private Game Reserve. In November 2018, they were joined by two bull elephants from the Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal. Elephants were also resettled in other Karoo reserves. DM