Hasbeen
Well-known member
In 1986, Mkele Mbembe was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University. While hiking through the bush, he came upon a young bull elephant standing with one foot raised and seemingly distressed. Approaching slowly and carefully, Mkele could see a piece of wood protruding from the pad of the foot. As carefully and gently as he could, Mkele used his hunting knife to remove the wood from the wound.
As soon as it was out, the elephant gently placed it's foot on the ground as if to test it, then slowly turned toward the man and for several tense minutes just stared at him. Mkele realized he was defenseless, but after sounding a loud trumpet, it turned and walked away.
Mkele never forgot that day and what had occurred so twenty years later while walking through the Chicago Zoo, he was amazed to see a large bull elephant staring at him. It then lifted it foot and trumpeted loudly. Mkele watched as the elephant repeated this process again and again, staring straight at him the whole time.
Recalling the 1986 events, Mkele couldn't help but wonder if this were the same beast. Summoning all his courage, he scaled the wall and jumped into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder as the elephant trumpeted loudly. Finally the elephant gave one more loud trumpet, wrapped his trunk around Mkele's leg, and slammed him into the retaining wall, killing him instantly.
Probably wasn't the same elephant.
As soon as it was out, the elephant gently placed it's foot on the ground as if to test it, then slowly turned toward the man and for several tense minutes just stared at him. Mkele realized he was defenseless, but after sounding a loud trumpet, it turned and walked away.
Mkele never forgot that day and what had occurred so twenty years later while walking through the Chicago Zoo, he was amazed to see a large bull elephant staring at him. It then lifted it foot and trumpeted loudly. Mkele watched as the elephant repeated this process again and again, staring straight at him the whole time.
Recalling the 1986 events, Mkele couldn't help but wonder if this were the same beast. Summoning all his courage, he scaled the wall and jumped into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder as the elephant trumpeted loudly. Finally the elephant gave one more loud trumpet, wrapped his trunk around Mkele's leg, and slammed him into the retaining wall, killing him instantly.
Probably wasn't the same elephant.
