Name: Khanyisa

Name Origin/Meaning: ‘Light’ or ‘Sunshine’ in Shona language  

(“As she took her first steps out into the lush green gardens of the orphanage, she looked so peaceful and almost angelic, with the morning sunshine emphasising all the colours of her surroundings and her unique self. Adine decided to name her Sunshine, and Dr. Rogers gave her the closest Shona translation, which was Khanyisa, meaning light.”) (8) 

 

Date of Birth: 26 September 2019 (estimate from HERD vets) (5)

Age When Rescued: four months (rescued on 7 January 2020) (12)

 

 

Gender: Female

Where Now: HERD (Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development) ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE South Africa  (1)

 

Foster /Adopt This Sweet Elephant  (2)

 

For additional photos see Khanyisa’s gallery  (2)

Location of Rescue: near Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary in Mpumalanga, South Africa (4)

 

Baby Elephant’s Rescue Update Video:    

 

Source (3)   

   

Adine Roode, Founder HERD Elephant Orphanage South Africa:   “This is little Khanyisa and she was found in the southern side of Krueger in Mpumalanga and due to human animal conflict… and she was found with a snare over her head which cut very deeply, um, into her skin in her mouth, cheeks and behind her ears. And, you know, they basically fetched her and then also, you know, brought her to us.  Adine speaking of Khanyisa’s wounds: “Look behind the ears. You see that has been stitched all the way to the… but the stitches is getting loose and then also this part of her ear was cut off. 

(Speaking to carer) And you also just want to (unintelligible) that side, it is all stitched.”

(Adine is shown kneeling down next to the orphaned elephant resting on the hay inside the enclosure at the elephant orphanage and comforting Khanyisa)

“Albinos are very rare and usually, you know, you get them in certain areas and it is just genetics but it is very rare. We also have one on the reserve as part of the wild elephant herd.” 

(Adine is shown doctoring Khanyisa with salve) 

(Adine speaking in foreign language to man with Khanyisa exploring the gate!)    Source (3)

 

 

Elephant Became Orphaned Because of: trapped in a poacher’s snare

Situation Surrounding Orphaned Elephant’s Discovery:  The severity of her wounds suggested Khanyisa’s frantic struggle to break free from the deadly wire snare trap.

 

Insights into Orphan’s Elephant Herd:  Her elephant herd was long gone by the time Khanyisa was rescued.   It will never be known if the calf was abandoned after she became trapped by the poacher’s snare or before the crisis. The more likely scenario would be the former as elephant herds often leave weak or injured calves behind.  (10)   

Condition of Orphaned Elephant When Rescued: The calf suffered from “severe lacerations” that wrapped from the edges of her mouth all the way through to her cheeks. The snare also sliced off the top of her right ear, and cut through her neck and along her earline in back. (2)   

 

 

Lifesaving Measures Taken:  The orphaned calf was transported to the nearest wildlife sanctuary, Care For the Wild (A Rhino Sanctuary) in Mpumalanga to begin rehydration fluids & to stabilize Khanyisa before her transport to HERD Elephant Orphanage South Africa. (4) 

For Complete Story see Khanyisa’s Orphan Profile at HERD Elephant Orphanage South Africa (2)

 

Upon Arrival at the HERD Elephant Orphanage South Africa Nursery: On the evening of 8 January 2020 Khanyisa arrived, weighing just 273 lbs. (8)

During her ordeal (the baby elephant had been confined for several days, entangled in the wire snare trap) she had become severely dehydrated as the severity of her wounds had prevented her from drinking, and eating. (7)

On top of that, Khanyisa’s ‘eyes had swollen completely shut (from the pressure building from the snare, and the swelling around her head’). It would take a miracle for this little elephant to survive. (6)

 

To Be Continued: KHANYISA: Elephant of the Week at HERD Elephant Orphanage South Africa: ‘Sunshine’: Part 2 

 

 

Images: screen shot Khanyisa feeds herself milk! (FB post sat 16 July 2022) (11); ‘Baby albino elephant rescued in SAfrica reserve’ by AP Archive YT CH (Feb 19, 2020) (3); ‘Unseen Footage of Four Month Old Albino Elephant, Khanyisa & Her Blue Eyes’ (10)

 

Sources: 

(1) HERD (Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development) ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE, South Africa https://herd.org.za

(2)  https://herd.org.za/animal/khanyisa/

(3)   https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Pe7S0G2c6vI    ‘Baby albino elephant rescued in SAfrica reserve’   by AP Archive YT CH (Feb 19, 2020)  

(4) Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary in Mpumalanga, South Africa   https://careforwild.co.za

(5)  https://herd.org.za/blog/khanyisa-turns-one-happy-birthday-braveheart/

(6) https://herd.org.za/blog/a-baby-elephants-journey-of-healing-from-snare-victim-to-survivor/ 

(7) https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/south-african-albino-elephant-beats-odds-thrive-among-herd-2021-05-28/

(8)  https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WkbAgP7t5js  cc YT HERD ‘Seven Weeks of caring for Albino Baby Elephant, Khanyisa at HERD’

(9)  https://www.youtube.com  /watch?v=rbxDbVFP8gQ  Cute Unseen Footage of Baby Albino Elephant Orphan, Khanyisa & Her Blanket Change! (see also “Meet Little Ele Khanyisa the Brave, Rescued By HERD Elephant Orphanage, South Africa: A More Action, Less Talk Video!” https://elephantspokenhere.com/2022/08/19/meet-little-ele-khanyisa-the-brave-rescued-by-herd-elephant-orphanage-south-africa-a-more-action-less-talk-video/

(10)   https://www.youtube.com/  watch?v=6_eRQ2J82SU   ‘Unseen Footage of Four Month Old Albino Elephant, Khanyisa & Her Blue Eyes’ 

(11) https://www.facebook.com/HERDElephantsSA/videos/776469490192992/   Khanyisa feeds herself milk! (FB post sat 16 July 2022) 

(12) https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=Sg3tSHzPhkE “A Baby Elephant’s Journey of Healing from Snare Victim to Survivor” cc YT HERD CH Aug 31 2021  19:40

 

 

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