Comments on: Elephant in the Woods

By: DWA

DWA — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:42:30 +0000

I remember watching a young bull moose on Sandy Stream Pond in Maine’s Baxter State Park.

He was out in the pond feeding, then decided he wanted to exit. His route took him toward a small crowd of us watching on the shoreline. He advanced without deviation to the bank; as he emerged we parted like the Red Sea to give him access to the woods. As he entered the treeline I pivoted on one foot and put myself right on his butt. How close? I could count the flies on him.

Then suddenly he was gone. I don’t mean he started up, and galloped off, crashing through the trees. I mean suddenly he was GONE. I didn’t sneeze, hack, blow my nose or even blink. I was right behind him, then suddenly he just wasn’t there any more.

When you’re in their element they can show you how out of yours you are.

By: Shane Durgee

Shane Durgee — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:34:13 +0000

This is one of the fundamental questions that cryptozoology is hinged on. An elephant can hide in the woods of Maine for 2 weeks with humans deliberatley searching for it in force. How long could a smaller animal of greater, almost human-like intelligence, hide in the woods when no one is really looking for it? I’m never surprised when we discover new animals in our backyards or rediscover animals that were previously thought extinct.

Thanks for posting the elephant story, Loren. It really puts things in percpective.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:01:29 +0000

Yes, the elephants of the Sudan that Matt Bille mentioned are a good example of elephants staying hidden. I also can’t help but be reminded of African forest elephants.

Many don’t realize that there are subspecies of elephants that are endemic to the thick rain forests of the Congo basin. These animals are notoriously difficult to find, even for researchers actively looking for them. Conservationists often gage their numbers and health by trekking through the forest counting dung piles, sometimes not seeing a single elephant during the process. These animals are so hard to pin down that more recently scientists have been using bioacoustics, trying to record the sub-audible frequencies the elephants use to communicate with in order to gage their numbers and movements. It has been said that one of these forest elephants can be standing right near you and you might not even know it was there.

Alligator- I totally can see what you are saying. Even people well attuned to nature and trained to spot these things can be taken by surprise. I also am pretty good at spotting wildlife in the woods and I’ve been taken off guard a few times by animals I didn’t realize were there. It is disconcerting. Alligators in particular seem to be notorious for this.

By: alegler

alegler — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:19:28 +0000

I went to South Africa last year, and while in Kruger park we were amazed that an elephant or rhino would be just yards away, you wouldn’t notice them until you came right up on them.
As for the much maligned pitbull - they are incredible dogs when raised properly. And consider that in the wild there is nothing, not even an adult male lion, that can corner an elephant.

By: timi_hendrix

timi_hendrix — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:47:50 +0000

Very interesting, thanks for the post!

By: rockinroadkill13

rockinroadkill13 — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:55:26 +0000

cryptidsrus,
you couldn’t be more right about pit bulls. They are excellent search and rescue dogs, decorated war and police dogs and wonderful family pets(also known as the “nanny” dog in England). Their popularity and public image has suffered the latter part of the 20th century and early into the 21st because of poor ownership. The rehabilitation of almost all the Vick dogs has gone a long way to renewing their image, but they have a long way to go. Unfortunately, their loyalty and bravery have been what make them most attractive to dogfighters. This is my first post ever on here. I read everyday, but I was moved to posting because I feel very passionate about this topic. sorry my first post is off topic and rambling.

By: Alligator

Alligator — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:37:12 +0000

Well I’m an experienced woodsman and usually have a good eye for picking out wildlife that people with me can’t see no matter how I point it out. Yet there have been a few times that I was within three to four feet of deer and alligators before I saw them. It’s startling and you feel kind of sheepish that you didn’t spot it earlier.

I’ve heard that the forest elephants of central African rain forests are very hard to spot and very difficult to track. Consequently, little is known about their habits in contrast to their larger savanna cousins.

By: MattBille

MattBille — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:05:16 +0000

Loren,
Looking it up. The story stuck vividly in my head, but I need to look through the books.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:46:27 +0000

It’s interesting that it finally took a Pit Bull to corner the elephant. Whatever one may say about that much (unfairly) maligned breed, they sure are tough sons-of-guns, aren’t they??? Extraordinarily loyal and brave.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:51:41 +0000

Matt, the source of your ITS story?

I assume

Sanderson, Ivan T. The Dynasty of Abu: A History and Natural History of the Elephants and Their Relatives, Past and Present, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962),

correct?