Windy Ridge Purchased
14th June 1998
Purchase of a small game reserve of 1500 ha called Windy Ridge.
Francoise at the boma after arrival of the herd at Thula Thula
8th August 1999
The first herd of 7 arrived NANA, FRANKIE, ILANGA, NUMZANE, MANDLA, MABULA, MARULA.
The main farm house
5th September 1999
Sept 1999, the main farm house where we lived and where the herd arrived in our garden.
Enfant Terrible arrives
1st January 2000
Elephant safari lodge
1st May 2000
Thula Thula ELEPHANT SAFARI LODGE opened!
6 months to Bagdad
23rd March 2003
Lawrence Anthony went to Bagdad for 6 months FROM MARCH TO SEPTEMBER 2003
Babylon’s Ark
13th September 2003
Babylon’s Ark, by Lawrence Anthony was published
Rescue of baby Thula
4th April 2004
Cared for 24/7 by our dedicated rangers and stayed in our guest room.
Francoise and Lawrence get married
30th June 2004
After 17 years of life together, Francoise Malby and Lawrence Anthony marry.
United Nations Earth Day Medal
19th October 2006
Lawrence Anthony receives United Nations Earth Day medal for his work in Baghdad
Opening of our luxury tented camp
5th December 2006
Gobisa was introducded to the herd in 2007 as a Patriarch
1st January 2007
Lawrence Anthony introduced Gobisa to the herd in 2007 after Numzane died as a Patriarch
Fundimvelo added to Thula Thula
5th May 2008
2008 Kwa Zulu Natal Parks Board, now Ezemvelo, gives us the rights to drop the fences and take over with the adjoining community land of Fundimvelo, adding a further 1200ha to Thula Thula game reserve.
The Elephant Whisperer
19th March 2009
By Lawrence Anthony was published in English (now translated into 12 languages)
Heidi poached
24th August 2009
Poaching of our last rhino : Heidi, a female white rhino
Thabo and Ntombi arrive October & December 2009
18th December 2009
Our two rhino orphans arrived, Thabo arrived first followed by Ntombi
Partnership with neighbour increases land
11th March 2010
A partnership with neighbouring land owner’s increases Thula Thula with a further 1500ha
Mkhulu Dam
2nd June 2011
Mkhulu dam (means grandfather in Zulu and named after Lawrence) was built on the Fundimvelo land. This was Lawrence spiritual place where he would meet his elephants.
Farewell Mkhulu
2nd March 2012
Lawrence Anthony passed away at the age of 61
Elephants pay respects on exactly the same day at the same time
4th March 2012
The elephants march to the main house to pay their respect to Lawrence
The Last Rhino was published
29th March 2012
Honorary Doctor of Science degree awarded
3rd April 2012
Lawrence was posthumously awarded honorary Doctor of Science degree by College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science
Thula Thula Rhino Fund
1st May 2012
Thabo our male rhino gets shot at and the Thula Thula Rhino Fund was created as a non-profit organisation by Francoise, to raise awareness and for anti-poaching actions for the protection and conservation of rhinos.
Elephants at mine dam
1st October 2012
Beginning of the contraception treatment of our male elephants as Thula Thula has now reached its maximum capacity in terms of habitat for the growing herd
Elephants pay their respects
4th March 2013
The elephants march to the house on the anniversary of the death of Lawrence, exactly same day and same time as precedent year.
Anti-Poacher Protection Measures
1st October 2013
October, horn infusion with poison and indelible dye for Thabo and Ntombi as additional protection against poachers
First Rhino Sanctuary in KZN
1st March 2014
The Thula Thula Rhino orphanage is created, as the first rhino sanctuary in Kwa Zulu Natal
Return of the Elephants
4th March 2014
The elephants return for the 3rd consecutive year to mourn Lawrence. Same day. Same time as the 2 previous years.
South African Conservation Fund
2nd July 2015
Creation of the South African Conservation Fund by Francoise Malby Anthony, as the Thula Thula non-profit organisation, to raise funds for the expansion of the land for our elephant’s habitat.
Renovations
1st January 2016
Full renovation of the luxurious tented camp for its 10th Anniversary! A full face lift of our Elephant Safari Lodge will be finished mid-December 2016.
Elephant Walk
2nd June 2016
Birth of our 29th elephant., Themba, which means faith and hope, a symbol for hope in the African elephant crisis and the heavy poaching in Africa, killing one elephant every 15 minutes.
Dehorning
3rd August 2016
Dehorning of Thabo and Ntombi as poaching escalates in Kwa Zulu Natal
Attack on Thula Thula
21st February 2017
Attack of the Thula Thula rhino orphanage by poachers, killing two young rhinos.
Francoise’s book
2nd July 2018
The sequel of The Elephant Whisperer, written by his wife Francoise, AN ELEPHANT IN MY KITCHEN, is published and becomes a bestseller.
Trophee des Français de l’etranger
12th March 2019
Francoise receives the Trophee des Français de l’etranger in Paris at the Ministere des Affaires etrangeres.
German Book Release
3rd April 2019
Mona and Lisa Arrive
10th May 2019
Arrival of two female rhinos, Mother and daughter, Mona and Lisa, in the hope of increasing rhino population at Thula Thula.
French Book Release
1st June 2019
The release of the French version of An Elephant in My Kitchen
Rhino dehorning and GPS Collars fitted
13th August 2019
The Elephant Whisperer French Book Release
2nd September 2019
UK Book Release
11th September 2019
An Elephant in My Kitchen released in paperback in the UK
USA Book Release
5th November 2019
Release of An Elephant In My Kitchen in the USA.
Chinese version of the Elephant Whisperer released in 2020
1st January 2020
German and Dutch version of An Elephant In My Kitchen released in 2020
1st January 2020
Baby rhino, Lisa born to Mona passed away
7th January 2020
Birth of baby rhino to Mona
20th March 2020
Most unexpected birth of baby Sissi, our lockdown baby rhino with Mona as the mother.
Pandemic closes ThulaThula’s doors
26th March 2020
South Africa in total lockdown due to Coronavirus. Thula Thula closes its doors to guests.
Hippo Juliet gave birth to her third calf, Jo
17th July 2020
Rhino Dehorning
12th October 2020
Thula Thula Land expansion for the elephants started
22nd October 2020
US paperback version of An Elephant in my kitchen released in United States on 5 November 2020
5th November 2020
US paperback released Nov 2020
Frankie the Matriarch passed away
17th January 2021
Savannah arrived
20th January 2021
First Cheetah back on Thula Thula since 1941
Savannah was released
19th March 2021
Savannah was released and is now free in her forever home at Thula Thula Exclusive Private Game reserve.
Marula takes over as matriarch
1st May 2021
Marula, Frankie’s daughter, has taken over as Matriarch of Frankie’s family.
Mona & Sissi dehorned
11th October 2021
Historic Land Merge
28th October 2021
Thula Thula private game reserve and the UBIZO CPA signed an agreement to join their land for the purpose of a greater conservation land.
First step of the Greater Zululand Wildlife Conservancy.
26th November 2021
Fence dropped between TT & Zulweni Game Reserve
Thabo & Ntombi Dehorned
19th December 2021
Fertility tests and OPU (Ovum Pick-Up) procedure performed
Rambo Arrived 20 December 2021
20th December 2021
New Book Launched
15th September 2022
The Elephants of Thula Thula
