Jasper Doest (the Netherlands) shows the final moments of extreme distress felt by an elephant hit by a train.
A violent spray of muddy water from the elephant’s trunk signals its extreme distress after being hit by a train transporting manganese between the southern town of Moanda and Gabon’s capital Libreville.
The collision shattered the elephant’s hip beyond repair, and the Director of Lopé National Park took the difficult decision for it to be killed. Jasper, who was in the park on a different assignment, witnessed the episode.
Despite the Director’s efforts to get the train company to slow down its trains, there are still regular wildlife-train collisions in Lopé National Park, including up to 20 incidents each year involving each year involving these critically endangered elephants.
Trains transport manganese from the Moanda Mine, which holds 25% of known reserves. After iron, aluminium and copper, manganese is the fourth most-utilised metal in the world and is used in iron and steel production.
The Netherlands
Jasper is a photographer who creates stories that explore the relationship between humans and nature. He’s a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine, a Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers and a WWF Netherlands Ambassador.
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