THE GHOST ELEPHANTS OF KNYSNA

Kynsna is known for its beautiful landscapes, beaches, holiday resorts, fine restaurants and the mysterious Knysna Elephants.

The Knysna elephants are a very small number of African bush elephants, a relict population of large herds which roamed the Tsitsikamma Forest and surrounding regions at the southern tip of Africa until the 1800s and 1900s, when contact with European farmers and hunters led to their near extinction.

It is estimated that about 1,000 elephants historically roamed the Outeniqua/Tsitsikamma area. Recent DNA analysis of dung samples has revealed the presence of at least 5 cows and possibly some bulls and calves, moving within an area of 121,000 hectares of forest managed by South African National Parks, and constituting the only unfenced elephant group in South Africa.