The excitement stemmed from the fact that it was evident that the damage had been caused by one of the few remaining elephants still roaming free in the Knysna forests.
"It was clear that the Elephant was very angry as one could see from the footprints that it had repeatedly stamped its feet against the ground, and disturbed the ground in other places around the tractor," explained Eckley.
He further told how a few Buffelsnek Plantation fire fighters, returning after assisting with a fire in the Jonkersberg (George) on Sunday evening around 20:15, had spotted an elephant on the R339, approximately 20km from Knysna. Eckley said that the lone elephant had immediately run into the forest on the opposite side of the road.
"I went to check the following morning, and noted that the elephant had once again walked along the road in a north-westerly direction, in the direction of Gouna," explained the forester.
Eckley mentioned another incident in the Gouna area, approximately 3km from the recently overturned tractor. In 2009, labourers were fighting a fire caused by lightening.
He explained that the labourers had heard a strange noise and asked the driver to switch off the water pumps. "The next moment they heard the trumpeting of an elephant and branches breaking as the animal charged at them. The labourers ran for the safety of the vehicle as fast as they could. It was already dusk and they could not see the elephant clearly," explained Eckley, adding that this incident prevented them from any further fire fighting until the following day.
SANParks spokesperson, Zanemvula Gozongo, confirmed that it was aware of the latest elephant sightings in the area.
Forester, Tom Eckley of the MTO Buffelsnek plantation, explained that there was evidence of an angry elephant around the recently overturned tractor. In the photograph paw prints suggest angry, repeated stomping of an elephant.
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD REPORTER
