In order to give time for Animals Asia founder Jill Robinson & vet nurse extraordinaire Animals Asia Wendy Leadbeater to tell their respective partner/husband I have waited before writing about an extreme animal behaviour that could have resulted in a very unpleasant situation for Jill, Wendy, myself and two game scouts.
On Friday 28th October, their second day at Turgwe Hippo Trust, they joined me feeding all the other wildlife at the feeding stations. Then it came the turn of Tembia hippo and his family of 8 hippos. It is a drive where one has to engage low range to cross a dry riverbed and climb a very steep bank to follow a route for five kilometres that is real tough on a vehicle. The average speed can be no more than 20km per hour due to the narrowness of the route, and we are the only people ever driving up there. Jill & Wendy were in the front of the Land Cruiser with me. Chengetai and Peter, the two game scouts, in the back sitting on bales of hay. We were carrying 160kg of hay, 100kg of meal and 30kg of game cubes.
Chengetai (who is very nervous of elephants) suddenly tapped the roof and points down in the dry river bed; perhaps 20 meters away from us are a small family of elephants and with them looks like a new born, totally wobbly on his feet. I slowly keep driving past as I was level with them and thought it foolish to try and reverse. Then, from above the riverbed and on the opposite bank, from a distance of at least 150 meters comes a charging elephant. Sex unknown, for as she charged I put my foot down, taking off along the twisting route trying to avoid mopane trees which are close against the track. Jill was looking behind and telling me: “Karen, the elephant is getting closer!” Wendy was concentrating on the drive as we belted along for at over 100 meters with the elephant directly behind and catching up. As we reached the bend to turn down into the Chichindwi River, I had no option but to stop the vehicle, as you have to engage low range to get up the steep bank on the other side; a four wheel drive in high range won’t make it. As I ground to a halt the guys jumped from the back of the vehicle and ran around to the front, and Jill told me: “Karen the elephant is right at the back of the vehicle”. She had chased us for over 300 meters at full charge, the head had come down I was told later with trunk between her legs for a short moment. I fully expected at that second, as I struggled to get the gear engaged, for us to be hit by a four ton elephant.
I didn’t know how badly we would be hurt, as she could either tusk the vehicle or turn it over, but either way I expected the impact as I desperately fought to get the low range engaged. Fortunately at home I had changed the hubs on the wheels to 4 x 4 and did not, as I normally have to do, have to get out of the vehicle and turn the hubs before putting her into low range. Somebody was really looking after all of us because my foot slipped on the accelerator as this was all happening, and the vehicle made a loud revving sound.
According to the scouts, who were at the front hanging on to the bumper, they said this made the elephant stop in its tracks and turn to one side. As she did, I got into gear and shouted at the guys to hang on or jump in, and we tore down into the riverbed then up the other side and drove for at least five minutes before I stopped to take her out of low range. All of us were totally shaken up, hands shaking like mad in my case, adrenalin at peak performance, throat so dry one could hardly swallow, and basically in shock.
My biggest problem though was that I knew we had to return through the same route as there is no other way of driving back home. I had to get Jill and Wendy home safely, but how? I knew the elephants would probably remain in that area. We carried on up to Tembia’s hippo, put out his food and Wendy and Jill even managed to take photos of the hippos even though we were all still very shaken up. I was though absolutely impressed by the way both of them handled the whole experience. Not one of us had given anything but total respect to the elephants. No loud noise, sudden movement, nothing to attract a full blown charge. All I could think was that the new born was the reason for the other elephant to charge, thinking we were a threat. Perhaps she was the mother’s eldest daughter; we will never know.
Or worst case scenario that elephant has been hurt by man and hence has a dislike of vehicles. This is a possibility as well, as within the area the elephants move in, people do sport hunt elephants!!! Or even poachers could have caused a problem. In my thirty odd years of living with African wildlife I have had serious full blown elephant charges twice in my life, this was the second time. I now needed to get Jill and Wendy home.
We started the return trip, leaving food at 2 of the 4 feeding stations for the other animals, but I was concerned that if we had to walk we had to make it before dark. There was one other route we could drive, which had not been driven upon for 16 years, but it would not take us all the way home, so I would use it as a last resort. Half a kilometre from the elephant charge we again see an elephant to our left, this time running away but I believe part of that small family group. I immediately reversed up the very steep part of the route we were on, turned the vehicle and returned to the old road. We drove along until a tree blocked us in a small river crossing, and then we got out to walk.
I found out the next day that that specific spot was where the head of a woman from the illegal settlers was found last year, believed killed by elephants!!! I was hoping that no elephant would come along in the night and trash my vehicle as it’s the only one that is capable of feeding the hippos and other animals in that area. We then began the two kilometre walk home, arriving just at dusk. We walked through an area where we have a pride of 8 lions, but it was light enough not to worry on their behalf.
I believe we were looked after that day and since then I have had to return each day to feed the hippos and other animals up there. The following day Jean-Roger had to take Jill and Wendy back to catch a flight from Harare to South Africa, as they had come all the way to Zimbabwe just for 3 nights with us. This was a huge honour and apart from this very frightening event they had seen elephants at close quarters on arrival and many other animals in their short time with us. Also of course, the feeding of the hippos and seeing Kuchek’s family on land at dusk, which is a superb experience. This experience is something that will not only give the three of us memories for a lifetime, but on a positive note that elephant did not hit the car and did not kill us or hurt us, so….
What can I say apart from thank you elephant.
Having Jill and Wendy with us was simply fantastic and a great honour for me to show them the hippos and other wildlife.
Hopefully the next time they come along things will be a little bit less exciting.
Jill and Wendy
Jill and I and the vervet monkeys
Jill and Wendy and the monkeys
Jill about to feed the baboons
Wendy feeding the baboons
We say goodbye until the next time
Sunset on our game drive
To buy tickets please follow the above link and select the donate in £'s. Donate the amount for the number of tickets required and Karen will forward them to you.
Hear about feeding wildlife especially the Turgwe Hippos and many other wild animals in severe droughts where they all would have perished. Presented by Karen Paolillo the founder of the Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Watch video footage filmed from trail cameras in situ at the feeding areas during the 2024 drought. See unusual and interesting footage of various wild animals that fed during that 10-month period. Hippos, Elephants, buffalo, warthogs, wildebeest, zebra etc.
Meet Anthony Martin CBE, of the AVM Foundation.
Watch 15-minute film created by Actor, Filmmaker and Producer Dan Richardson. Filmed on site in Zimbabwe in July at Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Meet Actor and Animal Advocate and Auctioneer for the evening PETER EGAN, After Life, Death at a funeral, Downton Abbey, Chariots of Fire and so much more from stage and screen. Also meet Actor Mark Bonnar, Shetlands, Napoleon etc.
Donate to a cause that helps not just the Turgwe Hippos but any wildlife in the area. Protecting them from poaching, sport hunting, and natural events such as droughts and floods. People that step in every single day to keep them all safe and alive in the wild.
Purchase one or both books, A HIPPO LOVE STORY or HIPPOS A MONGOOSE AND ME published by Penguin South Africa, written and personally signed by Karen Paolillo; memoir and stories about living and protecting hippos and other wild animals in a remote area of the African bush for over three decades.
Purchase ‘Legacy of Love’, a book that celebrates the relationship between animals and actors, artists, photographers, animal charity founders; this includes the Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Purchase the 2027 Turgwe Hippo Trust hippo calendar presenting some of the hippos of the Turgwe River or the 2027 wild animals calendar. Images for both calendars by Karen Paolillo.
Join all of us for an inspiring evening learning more about the hippos, one of Africa’s iconic species, and helping to protect the Turgwe Hippos to continue their wild lives in the south east lowveld of Zimbabwe within the Turgwe River.
Auction items:
1)Stay for 2 people with Karen and Jean-Roger at Hippo Haven, headquarters of the Turgwe Hippo Trust in Zimbabwe for 9 nights, which can include 2 nights in the Gona Re Zhou National Park at a rustic bush camp where you pay National Parks for that experience. Jean-Roger and Karen Paolillo will personally drive you there (2 hours from Hippo Haven) and bring and prepare the food.This does not include air tickets to Zimbabwe or travel by courier service Harare to Hippo Haven and Return. (5-hour drive).Jean-Roger and Karen Paolillo will pick you up at the entrance to the Conservancy which is 70 kilometres from Hippo Haven and return you to the boom at the end of you stay , where you will be collected by the Courier service.
Accommodation in Harare at your own cost, the Paolillo’s can suggest hotels and guest lodges. Dates this is available at this moment are between June to end of September, date to be arranged with the Paolillos by end of November 2026. Winter months in Zimbabwe i.e. cooler nights June to August. August and September hotter around 30 degrees in August in daytime but it can go as high as 36 degrees in September, climate change notwithstanding.You may be lucky enough to meet Max hippo, the Turgwe Hippo Trust house hippo if he is still visiting the house in 2027.
Value of Stay at Hippo Haven, Turgwe Hippo Trust Zimbabwe £3700
Transport Harare to boom and return to Harare 900km. £800 to be paid by winning bid
CHITAKE This is one of several paintings I have done of Zimbabwe’s Chitake Springs, one of the wonders of the wildlife world. The Chitake river bed itself is sandy and dry for most of the year, flanked on both sides by cliffs gouged out by the river over hundreds of years. On top of the cliffs the iconic towering baobab trees, perhaps a thousand years old, add to the grandeur of this gem of wild Africa. A spring wells up and is the only water for many miles. When myself and my family camp here the best times are when we are alone – just us with no noise other than those of a wild world that pays no attention to us. On the occasion of this painting the Cape Buffalo herd of over a thousand has not yet arrived, the lion pride of over 30 individuals is waiting patiently in the shade of the giant baobabs, and the elephant have ambled up for their midday drink. Small numbers of Impala are left after the main herd has finished drinking, Helmeted Guineafowl have arrived, and huge numbers of Cape Turtle Doves are milling around, drinking as fast as they can, then leaving in a flash of wings before the Lanner Falcons strike. This is raw untamed Africa at its best and a paradise for me as an artist.
Value of Chitake £3700 Ant Fynn
Framed size 26”x 36”
IMPALAS by ANT FYNN
Size 14” x 23” value £400
Richard Symonds passion and commitment to wildlife spans over 20 years.
He has held a number of exhibitions and auctions in and around London including Christies and Sotheby’s and his work can be found in private and corporate collections worldwide.
In 2006 Richard hit the headlines with his life size oil painting of an African bull elephant which sold for a staggering $100,000 to a private collector. With a large donation from that sale going to the Born Free Foundation. Richard has always pledged to himself that whilst making his living from his wildlife art it only feels right to balance his success with giving back to the wild by raising funds through the sale and auctions of his originals and prints.
Value of LION by Richard Symonds
£3500
Framed 24”x38”
I've known about Karen's dedication towards hippos, warthogs and other creatures living locally to her area for a few years now and am happy to help through my art whenever possible. So when she contacted me recently about her latest event being organised for the Turgwe Hippo Trust, I chose this special framed print for her auction at the Royal Geographical Society. Having the THT patron, Peter Egan as the esteemed auctioneer will surely help as he's one of the good guys, involved in many wildlife charities.
Besides 'Hippo' being an embellished print, which means I have personally added many thousands of new pencil strokes over many hours on top of the print making it more dynamic and quite unique. It becomes much closer to an original drawing and this particular copy has also been co-signed by two shining lights of the conservation world, Dame Virginia McKenna and Rula Lenska.
I've been fortunate to have witnessed serene scenes like this many times over the past 36 years, in Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, Botswana and most of all in South Luangwa, Zambia where hippos abound in their thousands.
Value of HIPPO by Gary Hodges £845 unframed
Size 45.5cm x 15.5cm
Suzie’s animal sculptures have gained great acclaim over the last 35 years and she now has a loyal following both in the UK and abroad. She has undertaken many private and business commissions including sculpture exhibits for a museum in Taiwan and two public installations, one of Nelson the Seal at Looe Harbour in Cornwall, the other of Police Dog Finn at Layston Court Gardens, Buntingford, Hertfordshire. Her work reflects her love of animals and her fascination with their character and form. She often produces work to aid animal charities close to her heart and this has taken her to the Animals Asia bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam as well as the Turgwe Hippo Trust in Zimbabwe. In recognition of her own four cats who double as artist’s models, Suzie is also a keen supporter of Cats Protection. Her initial work is in clay and her originals can then be cast in bronze resin and/or foundry bronze. All of her work is suitable for the home or garden.
Value of stoneware HIPPO Suzie Marsh £2000
Weight 10kg 45cm long x 24cm deep x 29.5cm high
She is a one-off original sculpture made in stoneware clay.
The Turgwe Hippo Trust does its best to promote indigenous artists by suggesting to guests and volunteers which markets to visit. In Gift’s case many of the Trust’s volunteers have purchased his work as his talent shines through in the details and accuracy of the shape and look of the wild animals he sculpts.
We so look forward to meeting you all and hope you have a wonderful evening with us.
