Bumi Hills Anti Poaching Unit (BHAPU)

25/04/2026

Discretion is often the better part of valour at times! As 'Elizabeth' - who is seen here on one of her bad days - lets us know who is large and in charge. This is followed by frantic banging on the roof of the Cruiser, accompanied by shouts of "She's coming - she's COMING!" in ever rising octaves...😆
(Photo: Phil Craig Photography).

25/04/2026

Did you know that impala are fitted with a what is known as a ‘lateral dental grooming apparatus’? They possess specialised lower incisor and canine teeth that are adapted to act as a toothcomb for grooming, functioning differently from the firmly embedded teeth of most mammals. These teeth are loosely fitted in the jawbone and can move independently. These 'wobbly' teeth are used to groom themselves and each other (allo-grooming) to effectively remove ticks and other parasites. Because of the movement, hairs can pass freely between the teeth, while staying in close contact, enabling ticks to be removed effectively.
In wildlife areas with high animal population densities, it has been shown that there can be as many as 60 million ticks/km2 at certain times of the year! So adaptations, such as the 'lateral dental grooming apparatus' system becomes even more important!
Not forgetting the usefulness of oxpeckers too - an adult oxpecker can consume 14.7 g of ticks daily per adult bird, which is roughly the same as 7,195 larvae or 60 engorged female blue ticks! But that is a story for another day...

17/04/2026

17/04/2026

A couple of weeks ago we talked about the highly specialised tactile sensors covering an elephant's trunk, with a particularly high density at the tip, facilitating an extraordinary sense of touch that compensates for poor eyesight. These function as passive, 'physically intelligent' sensors. Elephant eye lashes also serve the same purpose, serving as protective, sensory 'whiskers' for their eyes. These long, stiff lashes act as a warning system that triggers a blink reflex before dust, debris (like this annoying grass seed), or insects make contact with the cornea.
Elephants have sparse hairs all over their body, including the chin and ears, that contribute to their overall sense of touch. Hence the ability to detect and remove something as tiny as a grass seed, as 'Lucy' admirably shows us how, here!

15/04/2026

We were delighted and honoured to receive a visit from a young Yellow-Spotted Nicator earlier today. Not often seen, seldom photographed, but more commonly heard, he had clearly got news about BHAPU's successes with our snare recoveries and had to check it out for himself. Venturing forth from his usual hiding places in thick cover, he is seen here posing on a 'nest' of deadly wire and cables snares - each one recovered potentially a life saved. His visit was a great way to start the day!

11/04/2026

What with the prices of diesel and other fuel now, our strategic supplies need to be used wisely - and you would think we'd have to curtail patrolling? Not so - always ready to roll - courtesy to our ever faithful pachyderm supporters - elephant power steps in to save the day. So keep an eye out next time you see a Bumi elephant - we could well be on it!

01/04/2026

Another recent day in the life of BHAPU.

28/03/2026

Nature never fails to amaze us! After reading this, we'll never look at clouds in quite the same way again - who would have thought that a cumulus cloud can weigh as much as a hundred elephants?! Read on:

An average cumulus cloud (fair-weather cloud) weighs approximately about 500,000 kg or 551 tons, which is roughly equivalent to 100 elephants or a large commercial airplane. Despite this immense weight, clouds float because the water droplets are spread out over a large volume, making them less dense than the surrounding dry air.
Key Facts About Cloud Weight:
Volume vs. Density: While they look light, clouds are made of billions of tiny water droplets and ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.
Weight Varies: Small, wispy clouds weigh less, while large storm clouds (cumulonimbus) can weigh significantly more—up to 1 million metric tons.
Water Content: A 1 km³ cumulus cloud contains about 500 tonnes of water, notes Dr. Karl on National Geographic.
Why They Float: Clouds float because the moist air inside them is less dense than the drier air around them, allowing them to remain buoyant.
The weight is only noticeable when the droplets become too heavy and combine, resulting in rain or snow, which then falls from the cloud.

24/03/2026

Now here's something we didn't know and thought worth sharing:
Did you know that sensory hairs, or trunk whiskers, are highly specialized tactile sensors covering an elephant's trunk, with a particularly high density at the tip, facilitating an extraordinary sense of touch that compensates for poor eyesight. These stiff bristles, numbering around 1,000, do not move independently like cat whiskers but instead function as passive, 'physically intelligent' sensors, according to a 2026 study published in Science.
The hairs allow elephants to navigate, detect distances, and manipulate objects with extreme precision, such as picking up a single peanut or potato chip without breaking it.
Each follicle is densely packed with nerves (approximately 90 axons per follicle), enabling them to pick up tiny vibrations. Fascinating.
(with thanks to 'Lucy' from our BHAPU resident herd, who posed very obligingly).

16/03/2026

Wilbur Smith once said "The Leopard Hunts in Darkness". How true that is - passing by, unseen and unheard. Just like BHAPU. Working from a concealed Forward Operating Base (FOB) in any particular area deemed vulnerable, our rangers are very active after sunset, especially over full moon periods, when poachers too try their luck at nefarious activities, hoping to get away undetected. Not if we can help it - be it day or night...

10/03/2026

May we introduce one of the most reliable rainfall forecasters ever?! Commonly known as the foam-nest tree frog, this rather special frog can predict rain with 90% certainty (or so we find anyway!) - better than any televised or other media weather bulletins! So when you hear him calling in the morning, sure as anything, it will rain sometime during that day. That is why we pay close attention as to what he has to say, before patrols depart, which in turn decides 'whether' to take a rain coat or not (excuse the pun)!