Elephant bird The bones of these domesticated fowl have been found in subfossil sites in the island (MacPhee and Marx, 1997: 188), such as Ambolisatra (Madagascar), where "Mullerornis" sp. and "Aepyornis maximus" have been reported. Also reported by these authors, ratite remains have been found in west and south west Madagascar, at Belo-sur-Mer ("A. medius", "Mullerornis rudis"), Bemafandry ("M. agilis") and Lamboharana ("Mullerornis" sp.). Recently human tool marks have been found on elephant bird bones dating to approximately 10,000 BC. This not only vastly extends the range of human existence on Madagascar's prehistoric past, but suggests a more complex relationship between these
Seeing the elephant trip westward progressed pioneers began to write in their journals that they were beginning to see glimpses of the elusive animal. Joseph Wood wrote: "Now methinks I see the elephant with unclouded eyes." As travelers became tired and hungry and saw family members and travel companions die of disease and accidents, reality began to set in. The elephant was not everything they hoped it would be. On June 3, 1852, Polly Coon wrote: Found our mess very much dejected with their nights watching and drenching but consoled themselves that they had seen some of the Elephant. Everything being wet we