Beyond The Secret Elephants

"Beyond the Secret Elephants is the continuing story of Gareth Patterson’s almost two decades of research into the secretive Knysna elephants. Significantly, however, it also reveals his startling discovery of a much more mysterious being than the elephants – a relict hominoid known to the indigenous forest people as the Otang. Gareth had long heard about the existence of the Otang from the local people but he mentioned it only briefly in The Secret Elephants, focusing instead on his rediscovery of the Knysna elephants and their survival against the odds. He was reluctant to blur the story of the elephants with his findings about the Otang. That is, until now. The possible existence of relict hominoids is today gaining momentum worldwide with ongoing research into Bigfoot in North America, the Yeti in the Himalayas and the Orang Pendek in Sumatra. Eminent conservationists and scientists – among them Dr Jane Goodall, Dr George Schaller and Professor Jeff Meldrum – have publicly stated that they are open-minded about the possible existence of these cryptid beings. In the course of his unannounced research into the otang Gareth heard many accounts – mostly spontaneous and unprompted – of otang sightings by others in the area over a number of years. These accounts, documented in the book, are astonishingly consistent both in the descriptions of the otang and in the shocked reactions of the individuals who saw them. Gareth Patterson’s work supports the increasing realisation that humankind still has much to learn about the natural world and the mysteries it holds. The possibility that we may be sharing our world with other as yet unidentified hominoids is today being viewed as something that should not be discounted. And as humankind, we need to reassess our role and our responsibility towards all forms of life that coexist with us on planet Earth."--Back cover.

Gareth Patterson rediscovered the most southerly elephants in the world, the highly endangered and secretive Knysna elephants of the southern Cape, South Africa. It was during this time that he also made the startling discovery of a being even more mysterious than the Knysna elephants – a relict hominoid known to the Knysna forest people as the ‘Otang’. Gareth was at first reluctant to blur the remarkable story of the Knysna elephants with his findings about the otang, That is, until now. The possible existence of relict hominoids is today gaining momentum world-wide with ongoing research into the Sasquatch in North America, the Yeti in the Himalayas, the Yowie in Australia and the Orang Pendek in Sumatra. Eminent conservationists and scientists – among them Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. George Schaller, Dr. Ian Redmond, Professor Jeff Meldrum and Professor Gregory Forth – have publicly stated that they are open-minded about the possible existence of these cryptid beings. In the course of his unannounced research into the otang Gareth heard many accounts – mostly spontaneous and unprompted – of otang sightings by others in the area over a number of years. These accounts, documented in this book, are astonishingly consistent both in the descriptions of the otang and in the shocked reactions of the individuals who saw them. Gareth Patterson’s work supports the increasing realization that humankind still has much to learn about the natural world and the mysteries it holds. The possibility that we may be sharing our world with other as yet unidentified hominoids is today being viewed as something that should not be discounted. And as humankind, we need to reassess our role and responsibility towards all forms of life that coexist with us on planet Earth. Beyond the Secret Elephants continues the story of Patterson’s search for and eventual familiarity with the remaining Knysna elephants, while also revealing...the presence of an even more legendary creature, a relict hominoid known to the indigenous people as the otang. Dr. Jeff Meldrum. Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology, Idaho State University ...it is impressive when a renowned field researcher writes a book like Beyond the Secret Elephants – following in the erudite footsteps of the late Lyall Watson... Ian Redmond OBE

The elephants of the Knysna forest have long been the subject of mystery and conjecture. Over the years they have taken on an almost mythical quality, with many doubting whether they existed at all. In 1994 the local forestry department maintained that there was only one surviving Knysna elephant, the seldom seen female known as The Matriarch. The Knysna elephant was thus described as 'functionally extinct'. This was the official stance until September 2000 when forest guard Wilfred Oraai encountered and photographed a young bull from a distance of some thirty metres. The question arose: who was its mother? And, indeed, who was its father? In 2001 Gareth Patterson began an independent study of the Knysna elephant. For the next seven years he covered thousands of kilometres on foot, following ancient elephant paths through the dense Afromontane forest and the surrounding mountain fynbos. He found abundant signs to suggest that, far from dying out, the Knysna elephants are, quietly and secretly, holding their own. Patterson's fieldwork, and his dna research in collaboration with conservation geneticist Lori Eggert, established that at least five young females exist, lending support to Patterson's growing evidence that the Knysna forest and its surroundings are home to a small herd of young elephants. The Secret Elephants is the story of these remarkable animals that fought their way back from the brink of extinction without any help from humankind.

Environmentalist, independent researcher and author, Gareth Patterson has spent his entire adult life working tirelessly for the greater protection of African wildlife and, more particularly, for that of the lion. Born in England in 1963, Gareth grew up in Nigeria and Malawi. From an early age he knew where his life's path would take him - it would be in Africa, and his life's work would be for the cause of the African wilderness and its wild inhabitants. His is an all-encompassing African story. From his childhood in West and East Africa to his study of a threatened lion population in a private reserve in Botswana to his work with George Adamson, celebrated as the 'Lion Man' of Africa, we witness Gareth's growing commitment to his life's mission. This is nowhere more evident than in his account of his life as a human member of a lion pride, experiencing life and death through its eyes, as he successfully rehabilitated three famous orphaned lion cubs back into a life in the wilds. At considerable risk to his own personal safety, he exposed the sordid canned lion 'industry' in South Africa, bringing this shameful practice to international attention. After moving to the Western Cape he took up the fight for the African elephant, notably the unique endangered Knysna population, and published his astonishing findings in his 2009 book The Secret Elephants. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the stressful nature of his work, Gareth suffered a massive physical and mental breakdown in his forties, which he discusses here for the first time with an openness that underlines his courage. Lesser men might have been broken, but his 'lion's heart' fought back and he ultimately overcame his illness. Gareth Patterson's long-awaited autobiography is a moving account of one man's single-minded dedication to the preservation of Africa's wildlife. It is also a stark reminder that if the human race does not want to lose Africa's priceless wild heritage, there is no time to waste. 'The lion is my totem animal, and this is the story of my life in Africa, for the lion.'

We Bought a Zoo meets Jurassic Park in a gripping story set in an elephant sanctuary, featuring the perennial appeal of human-animal friendships. Samantha (Sam) lives at the elephant sanctuary her dad runs and views the elephants there as much a part of her family as her single dad is. When a beloved elephant dies in childbirth, Sam develops a special connection with the baby, named Woolly because she has an unusual amount of hair. It soon becomes apparent that Woolly is . . . different. Woolly's mother was part of a special breeding project, and Woolly's DNA is not elephant but that of a rare specimen -- a woolly mammoth -- procured by the eccentric billionaire genius who runs the program. He will stop at nothing to protect Woolly, his multimillion-dollar investment, even it means turning Sam and her dad's world upside-down. An astonishing fact-based look at elephant behaviour and an endearing girl-elephant friendship.

There is a problem in the scientific community. They are more than happy to debate those who believe the Earth is flat. Yet, when one brings up Sasquatch, they quickly ignore the subject and shun anyone in the scientific community who does look into the evidence. The Sasquatch paradox shows that the scientific community does not live up to its ideal. We should not be surprised at this fact as this has been the case since the scientific revolution. And so the question remains, and the scientists still haven't provided an adequate answer to this one fundamental question. What is leaving ape footprints in the woods of North America?