Elephants Raping Rhinos??

A friend of Caroline's pointed us to this article about elephants in the New York Times Magazine. The article describes how, in the absence of older bull elephants to keep the younger bulls in check, the younger elephants go into musth too early, get out of hand, and go on testosterone-fuelled rampages.

The results are shocking, and particularly devastating to local rhino populations. Between 1991 and 2001 in Hluhluwe-Umfulozi Park in South Africa, 63 rhinos were killed by elephants. Similar incidents have been reported in other parks, especially in the absence of older bull elephants.

The idea of elephants killing rhinos is pretty crazy. I mean, aren't rhinos supposed to be tough, with that big horn and leathery skin? But here is where the truly disturbing part comes in. Right there, at the bottom of Page 1, the author states that in this park, young male elephants were "raping and killing" rhinoceroses. What? I was so caught off guard that I went to the article that Siebert cited in the Journal Pachyderm. I read the article twice and found no mention of any "raping" going on. And then I began to wonder: is this really true? Is that even possible?

I am no expert on elephants, so I remain open to the possibility that Charles Siebert is correct, and that this wasn't just a bit of literary embellishment for effect. But deep down, at the core of my skeptical, elephant-loving soul, I seriously have my doubts.