Latest news with #Oupoot
The South African
21-07-2025
- General
- The South African
Stunning sighting of last remaining Knysna elephant
A rare sighting of Oupoot, the last known elephant of the Knysna forest, has sparked excitement and prompted a conservation response. The footage, captured by Karatara farmer Oubaas Fourie late last week, shows the elusive female elephant calmly traversing farmland near the forest. Oupoot is named after the beloved character in Dalene Matthee's novel 'Kringe in 'n Bos.' The video quickly went viral, drawing national attention due to Oupoot's near-mythical status in the region. Knysna elephant Oupoot photographed by farmer Oubaas Fourie SANParks confirmed it is aware of the footage and is working to verify the sighting. 'We are in contact with our rangers in the area to confirm whether it is indeed Oupoot roaming in Karatara, which is highly likely,' said Phokela 'PK' Lebea, SANParks Regional Communications Manager. Oupoot is believed to be the sole surviving member of the once-thriving Knysna elephant population, which declined over decades due to habitat loss, human encroachment, and hunting. The elephants once roamed freely in the forested areas of the Garden Route, but sightings have become extremely rare in recent years. SANParks is currently conducting a comprehensive risk assessment to guide future decisions about the elephant's protection. 'We remain committed to ensuring that any decision taken is informed by sound scientific, conservation, and stakeholder considerations,' Lebea added. Karatara is a town in the Knysna Local Municipality in the Western Cape province. It is situated 5km west of Barrington and some 40km northwest of Knysna. Think the last remaining Knysna elephant is safe or should it be relocated? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
![[Video] Rare sighting: Last known elephant of Knysna forest spotted](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.caxton.co.za%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F110%2F2025%2F07%2FFeatured-images-6.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Video] Rare sighting: Last known elephant of Knysna forest spotted](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.citizen.co.za%2Fassets%2Fimg%2Fcitizen-icon.png&w=48&q=75){kind=icon}
The Citizen
19-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
[Video] Rare sighting: Last known elephant of Knysna forest spotted
A rare sighting of Oupoot, the last known elephant of the Knysna forest, has sparked excitement after a video showing the lone elephant roaming farmland in the Karatara region went viral on social media this week. The video, captured by local farmer, Oubaas Fourie on Thursday, July 17, shows the elephant calmly moving through his property – a rare event, given Oupoot's elusive nature and the declining visibility of forest elephants in the region over the past decades. In response, Phokela 'PK' Lebea, SANParks Regional Communications Manager, confirmed that they are aware of the video and is working to verify the sighting. 'We are in contact with our rangers in the area to confirm whether it is indeed Oupoot roaming in Karatara, which is highly likely,' said Lebea. 'SANParks is currently undertaking a comprehensive risk assessment process to guide any future decisions regarding the protection of the Knysna elephant. At this stage, the process is still ongoing.' Oupoot is believed to be the last surviving member of the once-thriving Knysna elephant population, which has dwindled over the years due to habitat loss, human encroachment and historical hunting. 'We remain committed to ensuring that any decision taken is informed by sound scientific, conservation, and stakeholder considerations. We will communicate publicly once the process is concluded,' Lebea added. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
