'Ghost' Elephant Spotted for First Time in 5 Years

An African forest elephant — nicknamed the "ghost elephant" due to its incredibly infrequent sightings — was spotted in Senegal for the first time in five years earlier this June. 

Remote camera footage from Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal shows a lone elephant walking across frame — stopping to seemingly take a quick peek at the camera before moving on. 

The elephant, named Ousmane after a local park ranger, was last seen in January 2020. At the time, it was expected that this elephant was one of only five to 10 African forest elephants left in the 3,500 square mile park. 

Panthera, a conservation organization that owns the remote camera that caught Ousmane, released a statement following the finding. "This male is the only individual that’s been photographed in the park since 2020," the statement reads, "And DNA analysis, collected through dung samples, confirms he’s potentially the only individual left."

View the original article to see embedded media.

The elephant population in Senegal has been decimated over past decades due to poaching and continuous habitat loss. Niokolo-Koba National Park plays an integral role in maintaining the health of the elephant population as well as several other species. 

Niokolo-Koba is also home to the critically endangered West African lion as well as the largest population of leopards left in West Africa, according to Panthera. While Ousmane may be the only African forest elephant left in Senegal, preservation efforts may lead to the transport of others in the species — particularly female elephants — to help somewhat repopulate Niokolo-Koba National Park.