Our weekend delve into fossils and bones at the Natural History Museum in Oxford

inspired by our wannabe Paleontologist granddaughter

A Mystery From The Past

Still magnificent and imposing in your skeletal form

One of Africa’s pride…come to rest far from where you were born

Once a great icon from a distant place

Carrying the rhythm of life…full of wisdom and grace

I lean in and whisper…..

‘Where did you mark the sand with your gigantic tread?’

My thoughts spool away imagining your handsome and noble head

Africa shaped ears fanning….powerful trunk thrown up high

Mellowed by the sunshine from a wide open sky?

A rump full of wrinkles weathered by wind and rain

Kicking up dust as you amble across the rough terrain

Eyelashes lowered and heart pounding to an African beat

Harmony in motion where continent and elephant meet

Loxodonta Africana……I murmur your name

Where did you come from? I beg in vain

My mind wanders…..desperate to unravel your time

A small warm hand slips gently into mine

‘How did this elephant die?’ …..dark brown eyes fill her dear face

‘Did this elephant disappear without any trace?’

‘Who has your rich creamy ivory?’ I yearn to know

Your personal treasure…the almighty on you did bestow

My heart feels heavy…did you die alone

Far away from your sun kissed country …. your home

No one to caress, examine and scatter your bones

Loxodonta Africana….enormous of tusk and limb

Your skeleton on display…..and yet so empty within

Millions of people stop and on you stare

On the fragility of your iconic species….are they aware?

Loxodonta Africana….I whisper…I turn to walk away

On the survival of your kind…we will continue to fight

to ensure another day

We pioneer an intelligence-driven approach to anti-poaching: We equip rangers with the proactive and reactive investigations, apprehension and tracking-pursuit skills they need to anticipate, locate and apprehend poachers.