A Heart Warming Visit to The Elephant Orphanage of Nairobi

One of the most fun and educational side trips I’ve ever done is to visit the elephant and rhino orphanage just outside of Nairobi.

The orphanage is run by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Their mission statement is impressive.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust embraces all measures that compliment the conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife, which include anti-poaching, safeguarding the natural environment, enhancing community awareness, addressing animal welfare issues, providing veterinary assistance to animals in need, rescuing and hand rearing elephant and rhino orphans along with other species that can ultimately enjoy a quality of life in wild terms when grown.

Humans can relate on many levels to elephants – especially with regards to family. Family is as important to an elephant as it is to a human and baby elephants are emotionally fragile. In fact during the first year of life when an elephant is totally dependent on milk, the human family or ‘keeper’ must stay with the calf 24/7. This is done on a rotating basis with each orphaned elephant so that when the keeper has a day off the elephant doesn’t become distressed in their absence. The keepers live with the elephants in the stable so they can be fed during the night on demand – with the elephants eventually settling into 3 hour feedings.

Baby elephants need toys and daily stimulation to thrive. In the case of the elephant orphanage they also need boundaries and discipline to encourage acceptable behavior around humans. It doesn’t take long for them to understand changes in tone and a wagging finger does wonders. Elephants are renown for their long memories so it’s especially important that they are treated with kindness when young. They should never be fed food by hand; otherwise they may lose their life if they search for food around human settlements in later years.

The goal of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is to return the elephant orphans to the wild elephant community in Tsavo National Park where they have the space to roam. Eight thousand square miles of Tsavo Park is now home to over 12,000 elephants. Between 1987 and 2009, the trust has successfully hand reared 85 newborn and very young elephants. Thirty six former nursery elephant orphans are leading entirely wild lives in Tsavo and many have had wild born babies.

The orphaned elephants can make friendships that will last a lifetime. An elephant never forgets. If you are moved to save the orphans then please contact the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

I’ll save the rhino story for another day.

Leigh McAdam

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