The Kenyan Elephant

This is a highly organized mammal that lives in herds of up to ten females, their young ones and a matriarch. The matriarch is the oldest and largest cow in the group. All the elephants in the herd are directly related to the matriarch. Bulls that have reached maturity only come to the group during the mating season. Elephants are able to make low frequency sounds that are below human range of hearing. They use these sounds to communicate with other elephants. They can also make sounds such as grunts, bellows, purrs, whistles and the most obvious trumpeting. They can communicate with each other over long distances especially to keep track of lost members of the group.

The most distinct characteristic is the massive trunk. This is simply an elongation of the nose and upper lip. It is used as an arm or a hand to hold stuff. Its main purpose is to breath and smell. The trunk is also used to draw up to 3 gallons of water to spray it in to the mouth for drinking or on the back when the weather is hot. Finger like projections at the tip of the trunk are used to hold small objects and to uproot grasses.


The elephant cow is one of the few mammals that live beyond its productive years. Between the age of 45 and 50, the cow's reproductive life comes to an end. Though it does not get anymore calves, it helps in taking care of the calves in the group.

Dickson is the Chief Tour Guide and one of the Directors of Adventure Africa Expedition, he has traveled in many countries in Africa where he built the spirit of adventure and discovered nature hidden wonders in especially tailored walking trails like in Kisoro in Rwanda and Bwindi in Uganda both for Gorilla tracking.