The Jabulani Herd

The Jabulani Herd is a group of 15 elephants who live on the grounds of Kapama Reserve, which is close to the National Kruger Park and to the town Hoedspruit in South-Africa.

The herd has matured over time to become a very close-knit family group. Each elephant has a distinctive character and shares a unique bond with the rest of the group.

Five elephant calves have been born to the Jabulani herd since 2006, as well as an additional two orphans, have been introduced, so the intra-herd dynamics have changed significantly over the years.

While wild elephants group themselves in matriarchal herds – with male bull elephants joining the herds from time to time and having little to do with the younger members – every member of the Jabulani herd, both male and female, young and old, is an integral part of their unique family.

The unusual family structure of the Jabulani Herd, the majority of which are orphans themselves, presents a unique solution for orphaned baby elephants in Southern Africa that vitally need to find a second herd to ensure their emotional wellbeing and survival. Unlike wild elephant herds, the neighbouring Jabulani Herd have graciously accepted orphan elephant calves into their family.

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