In the Company of Elephants at Djamde Elephant Reserve, Togo

I love animals of all kinds, but elephants hold a special place in my heart. I have seen live elephants before but never on African soil. Today was different, I would be meeting and touching a pair, an experience I had eagerly anticipated for many years. Elephants used to roam the great plains of West Africa in vast numbers, with Togo being a major migration route. Unfortunately, the past few decades have seen a drastic decimation in their numbers and only around 150 remain within the country's boarders.

The scene at Djamde Elephant Reserve, a protected piece of land that gives elephants and other wildlife space to roam, without threat from poachers.

They are aggressively poached for their tusks which are made of a material known as ivory. This material is used in traditional Asian medicine, believed to contain healing properties, however the efficacy of the material as a medicine is yet to be proven. Ivory is also used for ornamental purposes, carved beautifully it reveals some stunning results. However, my appreciation for these magnificent creatures supersedes any decorative object and so I do not patronize art made from this material.

There's evidence that the poaching of African elephants does not really happen within the Togolese boarders, however Togo is now a major transit hub, particularly via the Lome port. A recent study shows that the largest outbound ivory shipments are destined for China and Vietnam, with much of the ivory sourced from Central African (notably Cameroon and Gabon). This is a troubling trend that requires extra scrutiny. I believe country's that demand specific ingredients in their medicine or art markets should grow their own. If ivory is required, then farm your own elephants.

Curious eyes mirror mine for a brief moment during a brief pause from foraging.

There are other elephant groups at Oti - Keran and Oti Mandouri, Fazao-Malfakassa and Abdoulaye, all of which are protected areas for them to roam but in the Kara region, Djamde (the smallest of the reserves) houses 2 female African elephants. The pair are quite young, still in their 20's and females of the species are able to breed from 10-15 years. Males have to wait till they are almost 30 to compete in size with other bulls for mating rights. These two are well past their prime breeding years, and introducing a male could help grow the tiny herd.

Before you go to the park, buying bread and fruit for them is necessary. They spend bulk of their day eating, and their stomachs are the best way to get their attention. They can eat up to 200kg of plant material everyday in order to sustain their size.

Before we interacted with the elephants, the rangers gave us some information about the park while the bread we brought was torn into smaller bits. There are several other animal species but the park is famous for the elephants.

The reserve is home to a variety of species that benefit from the protection of the reserve

The rangers handle them with a lot of respect, using simple commands and light tools for emergencies. These are powerful creatures so a mutual respect is important. This has made them gentle and familiar with human interaction. Sometimes though, because of their intelligence and curiosity, they can be quite mischievous. These factors contribute to elephant-farmer clashes, and is why protected reserves like Djamde are important.

I knew elephants were a thinking species but I was taken aback because you can actually see it in their eyes. They gaze, analyze and process visual information, then their trunk, a thick muscular appendage, investigates everything and everyone further. I was curious too, I had to touch them, and the time to interact had arrived.

I approached cautiously as the handler threw the bread bits around and I placed a hand on her ear. Such magnificent creatures, their skin felt rough like a truck tire, but warm, alive, and constantly shifting beneath my hand. It was a beautiful moment, at that size, nothing can rush you and so they move slowly, gracefully, almost gliding, making the scene feel like a dream.

An interspecies hi five, highlighting the curiousity and intelligence woven into the natural world.

The elephants have become an important symbol in Togo and many other countries for their wisdom, strength, spiritual protection and longevity. Though not the national animal (the African lion), their place in the cultural imagination is undeniable.

The hours on the road seemed to melt away in that singular moment, this interaction is going to sit with me forever and I hope to come back one day and see these two with calves of their own. Kudos to the teams behind this initiative, safeguarding important wildlife is a great responsibility, and I pray the efforts are continuously blessed. We all have a role in stopping the rapid loss of not just our wildlife resources, but our resources in general, and I applaud governments that take this seriously. Perhaps with more aligned efforts, future generations might also get a chance to meet these beautiful creatures.