Captive elephant bull Tswale finds new home and herd in Eastern Cape
After decades in captivity, Tswale the elephant has been relocated to a private reserve where he has successfully integrated with a wild herd.
Tswale, a well-known elephant bull who lived in captivity since his birth in 1992, has finally been relocated to a private nature reserve in the Eastern Cape.
According to Lowvelder, he now lives at Bellevue Forest Reserve, where he has successfully integrated with wild elephants and has found a herd to call home.
For more than 20 years, Tswale resided at Lowhill Farm, where he was used for educational purposes and human interaction under the care of his handler, Amos Jivendava. In May 2024, the farm’s owners, Shofeeds from Parys in the Free State, obtained an interdict to have Tswale removed after the farm was illegally occupied by Sonell Joubert and her partner, Johann Möller, who claimed ownership of the elephant.
When they failed to comply with the court order, the Mpumalanga High Court authorised the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) to remove Tswale. He was first moved to a secure, undisclosed facility near Skukuza, where he underwent quarantine and medical testing.
Once cleared, Tswale was transferred to the Barberton Nature Reserve at Hilltop. From the beginning, Jivendava accompanied him, with no other human contact, as part of a process to rehabilitate and rewild him.
Negotiations continued to identify a permanent home where he could safely join a wild herd. Four weeks ago, the final plan was implemented. Fifteen hours after being loaded onto a truck, Tswale arrived at Bellevue Forest Reserve, which was selected for its vegetation, water supply, and balanced elephant population.
At Bellevue, Tswale first stayed in a rewilding enclosure under Jivendava’s supervision before fully joining the herd. Since then, he has adapted well and even displays protective behaviour toward younger elephants.
“Tswale is home. We are honoured to provide him with a place where he can live freely, as nature intended,” said Loodt Buchner, the owner of the reserve. Dereck Milburn of WeWild Africa noted that Tswale’s story demonstrates that elephants raised in captivity can successfully adapt to the wild and highlights the importance of ethical conservation and responsible wildlife management.
The relocation was a collaborative effort involving the MTPA, WeWild Africa, and supporting partners, including the EMS Foundation and Animaltalk Africa Trust. Jivendava has since moved on to assist with the rewilding of other captive elephants.
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