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The History of the CB Family  I first met the CB family on October 20, 1973. They were in a large aggregation of over 100 animals and all I could do was just photograph individuals. It took many more sightings over the next two years to begin to sort out who made up the family. In fact I did not see the family again until March 1975, but from that point on I began to see them regularly. I have to admit that the CB family has always been one of my favorites. When I first got to know the family it had a marvelous, old matriarch who had large, droopy ears. She was eventually named Cassandra but I always called her "Droopy Ears". What I liked so much about her was that she was a very fierce defender of her family. Even as early as 1972 when I started the study in Amboseli, the elephants were very tolerant of vehicles. Having worked with Iain Douglas Hamilton in Lake Manyara I was accustomed to being charged by the much more aggressive elephants there. I did not like being charged, but I did admire the bravery of those big females. In Amboseli the elephants hardly looked at my car when I drove up. Some of the families that used the Park less frequently ran away when I tried to approach, but the only family that responded by charging was Droopy Ears's. Something unpleasant associated with a car must have happened to her in her long life and she was determined to defend her family from the danger she perceived. I liked her spirit. See the full history and more photos in the attachment.
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I feel the suffering that you have spent
Sat, 2012-02-11 21:56 by echo2009
I think about Droopy Ears, Chloe, Celeste, Camila and all the big females that it has lost this family and believe that they have suffered unjustly through the fault of the human (massai or poachers). I am sorry about it very much for this females, for his sons and daughters and for Cynthia and the rest of persons who accompany them in the bad moments. But now I have many hopes that Cerise will be able to take care of the family CB.
An embrace and all my forces for one of the most suffering families.
Wonderful Story
Thu, 2010-11-18 04:19 by hge
Thank you Cynthia for another wonderful story.
I am just wondering did you have any record that shows after Droopy Ears died who took care of the young "twins". Cerise is the current matriarch and Craig is possibly the oldest male from CB now. Back then without care and protection, these 4-year-olds were not likely to make it on their own and in a drought year. Maybe then there was no other young calf in the CB family but 5 young females available to take care of them. But they weren’t move as a family together for a while, so I am just curious how they managed to survive. And Chloe and Celeste did a remarkable job to lead the family as teen age leaders. It's just such an amazing story.
There are some typos in the story: in the chart on page 9, Cecilia's mother should be Celeste, as Calandre's 83 calf died. Sadly she did not have any calf that survived. In the chart on page 7 Cecilia's 00 calf was named Casey but in the chart on page 9, he was named Chico. I notice those because I draw a family tree of the family, just like the ones in “Elephant Memory”. It is very interesting to read that way. Thank you again.
Best Regards
Helen
History of the CBs
Wed, 2010-11-17 23:13 by niall anderson
Once again, thank you, Cynthia, for another fascinating upload: I really look forward to each instalment.
CB's
Wed, 2010-11-17 13:57 by DFord
Wonderful Cynthia!! I thought there was an elephant named Chris also, right??
Anyways, Great report
Darby F.
C Family
Sat, 2011-01-08 14:44 by Chris Sandusky
Hello Cynthia, I am new hear, and I have heard that you only give out information once the family history's are "released". Well now that the CB family history is out, can you tell me what the elephant "Cybil's" calves are? I love Cybil, but since she was not in the CB family history, I imagine shes in the CA family?. Thanks
The CA Family
Sun, 2011-01-09 08:20 by cmoss
I will have to go through the alphabet twice, so it will be some time before I get to the other C family. Cybil's family was the CAs. It is a relatively small family but one of my favorites. Cybil was the matriarch until she died in the drought in 2009. Her daughter Crystal is now the matriarch. All the members of this family are either Cybil's sons and daughters or grandchildren.