When an elephant comes visiting

Oct 09, 2025

Nights at the Gobelo Farm are usually quiet. Quiet enough to hear the crickets and the soft rustle of leaves when the wind moves through. But every so often, something happens to show us that this is not an ordinary place.

Last week, one of our walls and a gate came down after a late-night visit from an elephant. It’s not the first time a curious giant has wandered through, and it likely won’t be the last. Living this close to Hwange National Park means sharing space with wildlife and they don’t mind reminding us of that now and then. It’s never lost on us what a privilege it is to live here and witness the wild this closely. So when an elephant knocks down a fence to see what we are up to, or when a kudu helps itself to the vegetables in the garden only to decide that maybe wild browse tastes better after all, we take it in stride. Most days, it’s peaceful coexistence. Other days, it is a gentle reminder that here, the wild has a mind of its own.

Moses has already started the repairs. He takes it all in stride …measuring, rebuilding and laughing about how many times he has had to do this before, always amazed by how strong these animals are. It is hard to stay upset when you know the elephant was not being destructive, and was simply exploring, following a scent, a memory, or maybe just a moment of curiosity about what lies beyond the wall.

 

Moments like this are part of what makes Gobelo so special. The boundaries we build are practical, yet they also show how fluid life becomes when humans and wildlife share the same space. A gate can be fixed. A wall can be rebuilt. But the experience of living this close to nature, of seeing its strength, unpredictability and the grace it extends to us, is something we never stop appreciating. We know we are guests here and we are grateful to be welcomed as part of this land.

Until next time,
the Gobelo Team