Safari guide
Javier Remón
was spotting lions in western Uganda when he learned that
a small elephant had been trapped in a well
near him .
In that region of the country there are areas where the ground is affected by craters and tunnels -remnants of ancient volcanoes- that from time to time cause a problem.
The news, communicated by a group of tourists who were in a 4x4 touring the area, reached the ears of the Argentine at around seven in the morning.
The elephant, Javier is encouraged to argue, would have fallen into the well during the night because it is an animal that, unlike the eagle and like the owl, sees poorly and hears well.
To be the victim of such a painful accident, the individual would have had to have become detached from a group of females (the cubs do not walk alone or with males) and, sadly, as a consequence, they must also have seen how the herd left without his presence having failed in his attempt to get him out of there.
The most recent photo of the Argentine.
Photo: Javier Remon
Not long after the report, Javier and a group of
rangers
- as park rangers are called in Africa - were in the Queen Elizabeth National Park with one goal:
to get the elephant out of the well
.
Remón celebrates that the animal fell into a Ugandan hole because in neighboring countries, like Tanzania, there are humans who may be less contemplative in situations like this...
The rescue
There is a series of videos where you can witness the hard work of the
rangers
, Javier and the staff of the Uganda Conservation Foundation and other park workers in order to rescue the animal.
No less work compared to what the poor elephant did in his attempt to get out of the hole.
The biggest problem, for the most confident, was one: that the elephant did not come out.
For others, however, the issue was complicated for two reasons: because the elephant could not come out and because, if it did come out, it could attack everyone who had helped it to do so.
On this last point, Javier affirms that it was very unlikely that it would be fulfilled.
The little elephant was trapped inside a well.
They think it fell at night.
Photo: Javier Remon
In the images, we said, you can see how a
ranger
digs on only one side of the well with the aim of creating a ramp that helps the elephant to get up and out.
Once the unevenness was achieved,
the next step was to turn the animal
.
To achieve this, Javier and those who were there tried to get the victim to do it by his own means, which they did not take long to achieve.
But since the ramp did not help, the rescuers resorted to a sand truck to improvisely build a firm ground that would act as a base for the elephant so that it could step on, rise and leave.
And plan B worked:
the animal, with the help of the sand, pushed itself enough, climbed the wall of the well on two legs almost as if it were a human and was finally able to surface
.
Already at the same level as everyone present, the individual set out on a journey to who knows where and no, he did not attack anyone as some believed and Javier knew very well.
The elephant rescue lasted 4 hours.
Photo: Javier Remon
safari man
The rescue of the little giant is one of the most incredible things Remón experienced on his last safari.
"
It is exciting to see him making the effort
," Javier shared in a dialogue with Clarín.
But like these episodes, dozens.
For him, the most spectacular thing about safaris is seeing an animal hunting.
Witnessing a cheetah run is not far behind either.
Having a lion watching you a few meters away, much less.
Once, for example, he "faced" face to face (or bonnet to trunk), almost like a
Fordian
duel , with a determined bull elephant.
The animal was walking with great impetus on the same road where he was traveling in a car and one of the two had to run yes or yes.
Javier did what his own manual says: he stopped his car and waited.
The elephant, then, reached a few meters in front of him, made a strange movement with his trunk, as if complaining, ran away and continued on his way.
Javier Remón started working as a safari guide for a Spanish company.
Photo: Javier Remon
On another occasion, an elephant -let's remember, they have poor eyesight- "crashed" into their car and accidentally stuck a tusk through the window.
So that the enormous tooth of the animal would not continue to enter, Remón slightly stopped the fang with the palm of his hand, the tooth made a stop and the animal backed off calmly.
A scene that shares tension with anyone who appears in Jurassic Park.
Also, and this is no less spectacular, he saw a hundred of these mammals together carrying out an incomprehensible conclave.
Notes on danger
“
Is it dangerous to go on safari in Africa?
”, we asked Javier.
"It is more dangerous to live in Buenos Aires," he replied.
Remón assures that most of the animals are not dangerous unless they are given a reason.
Photo: Javier Remon
For the specialist there are only three animals that attack you if they see you: the Bengal tiger, the polar bear and the crocodile (the only one that can appear in Africa).
“
If you follow the rules it is difficult for an animal to kill you
.
The possibility is one in a million”, affirms Remón.
The most normal thing is an accident, he tells us, while he clarifies that animals “
do not attack just because
”.
What is it like to go on safari?
The Argentine, with his company Kifaru Expeditions (@javierremonsafaris), offers "
tailor-made safaris
" of various types, including one on a motorcycle.
There are different difficulties and for different levels of adrenaline.
Remón and the lions.
Photo: Javier Remon
If a person wants to go on a safari in Africa, they can contact him and the first thing he will do is ask him questions.
He will ask you what animals he wants to see, how many days he intends to go, how many people will accompany him and where they want to stay (camping or hotel, for example), and based on that he will create a budget.
The amounts can be varied.
Those who prefer camping will pay less than those who want to sleep in beautiful hotels.
For example, a family of four that he guided recently paid for a “semi-luxury” (yes, not all-luxury) safari about $27,000.
Once the matter has been agreed upon, Javier picks up the adventurers on duty at the corresponding airport (or sends someone to do so) and together they set off on a car trip to the chosen area as soon as possible.
On a safari you can find many species of animals.
Photo: Javier Remon
The safari goes in and out of national parks and includes meeting local tribes.
On a four-day tour Javier led recently they saw 75 lions, 13 cheetahs, 3 leopards, hunting hyenas and mating lions.
There are times when the
pack is complete
.
Adventurous spirit
Javier does not stop traveling
.
He thus landed on the most mysterious continent of all and managed to constantly move like a fish in water among 19 of its countries.
He got to know the safari world after crossing the entire territory and for having an adventurous and extremely sporty spirit (and past).
He arrived from Patagonia to East Africa but not before having dreamed of being a veterinarian and studied law, played in the Argentine kayak polo team, led kayak expeditions, worked as a photographer, climbed Aconcagua, Everest and Kilimanjaro or scuba diving. in seas and lakes of four continents.
Javier represented the kayak polo team worldwide.
Photo: Javier Remón
Before being a safari guide in Africa, he earned a place doing different jobs, the first being that of a rescue kayaker on rafting tours.
After spending more than a month in Egypt meeting the right people to help him satisfy his demand for adventure, Remón returned home hoping to set foot on those lands as soon as possible.
And the power of his agenda kicked in: he was only out of the territory for a year, soon after being contacted to work on the Zambezi River.
Once again in Africa, a Spanish safari company summoned him to obtain his services as a safari guide.
It would be there where he would get his
expertise
on the subject and where he would extend his adrenaline-fueled and adventurous stay on the continent for years, and even he knows when.
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