Almost. Abu was a bull elephant, born in the wild in South Africa. He was orphaned during a cull and shipped to a wildlife park in Texas, in the United States, before being brought to Botswana, along with fellow elephants Cathy and Benny, to appear in the 1989 movie Circles in a Forest. Back in the 1980s, it was unusual for anyone to train African elephants for films.
Yes, but they were Indian elephants, wearing prosthetic tusks and ears to emulate their African cousins. Moving on with the story: in the 90s, Abu became, in CNN's words, "Botswana's biggest star". His movie roles included a part opposite Clint Eastwood in White Hunter Black Heart and he was trained by Randall Moore, the human founder of Abu Camp.
He's an American who found his calling in animal training, first at a US ranch and then in Africa, after filming a television show about returning three elephants to the wild. One died but the other two thrived. Later, he returned with Abu, Cathy and Benny, and won support from the Botswana government to start Africa's first elephant-back safari. In 2010, Moore sold Abu Camp, which is now part-owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The herd has grown to eight, with Cathy acting as matriarch.
These animals were either saved from a cull or captivity; found as infants abandoned in the wild; or born into the herd. Over the years, nine elephants have been released back into the wild. Though two later died, researchers have discovered they can successfully integrate with wild elephants.
Elephant handler Wellington Jana says the elephants used to be chained up when not taking safaris. Then, in 2011, came the decision to unchain them. "We took the chains off and Cathy charged towards a termite mound," he recalls. "She was running around, trumpeting, very excited. Now, it's up to them if they run away."