Dear Elephants: Whew! World Wildlife Day, 3 March 2019, slipped up on us yet again! Yes, we promised to do better, didn’t we? But here we are just in the nick of time. 🙂 Though this year’s WWD theme may be “Life Below Water : For People and Planet,” as always our focus, here at … Continue reading »
The young African elephant looks almost angelic as if peacefully asleep until one is jarred into reality by the small bullet hole, trickling blood, in a direct center hit on her face. Almost immediately one’s attention is focused on the awkward position of her body, front legs tucked under and head butted up against a … Continue reading »
Name: ORWA Name Origin: named to honor “members of the Orwa community” who first alerted KWS of a little elephant in need of rescue Date of Birth: 3 December 2010, a Friday Age When Rescued: About twelve months Gender: Male This baby elephant is growing up! ORWA is an adolescent now! Where Now: The … Continue reading »
The following was transcribed from the video “Tranquilized Elephant Mother risks crushing her baby / BBC Earth” See little Pink Foot the baby elephant in peril. Watch her African elephant mama, Sylvia, being helped by KWS vet as rangers desperately work to keep her at an arm’s length away from her baby. Narrator: “The dart falls … Continue reading »
The following was transcribed from “Kings Without Kingdoms : Orphan Elephants From Kenya ” Video: “GoPro : Orphans From Kenya” “My name is Julius Shivega. I began doing these studies about ten years ago as an elephant keeper. Some of them are here because of the … Continue reading »
How Baby Elephant Adjusted to New Elephant Family at DSWT: As the very first orphan at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust there were no other baby elephant orphans there! His human Keepers, unsurprisingly, spoiled him rotten. Is it any wonder that, given such a vibrant personality, Ajok could (and would!) charm the socks off anyone? … Continue reading »
Name: AJOK Name Origin/Meaning: Ajok means ‘Hallo’ ” in the Turkana tribal dialect” Date of Birth: May 1990 Age When Rescued: one week old Gender: Male Where Now: A fully independent orphan (Ajok was slowly released INTO THE WILD with the elephant herds of Kenya , Africa from The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust after living happily and thriving at the elephant … Continue reading »
A captivating and unique occurrence takes place on the Uganda Kenya border involving elephants. At Kitum Cave, “one of five named ‘elephant caves‘ of Mount Elgon” elephants have, “for centuries,” been discovered deep inside. On a mission, they work hard, scratching the walls of the cave with their tusks (“tusk art“) effectively “mining” the salt they so love … Continue reading »
Upon Arrival at the DSWT Nursery: On Day 2 after arrival baby elephant surgery was performed. A team of three veterinarians in a “three hour operation” worked to completely reattach Enkesha’s dangling trunk. Almost immediately afterward, despite her grogginess from the sedation during surgery, the curious little elephant began to undo the “painstaking stitching” that … Continue reading »
Name: ENKESHA Date of Birth: 18 February 2016, a Thursday Age When Rescued: 12 months Gender: Female Where Now: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery Nairobi Kenya Africa Foster This Sweet Elephant Too Cute For Photos see Enkesha’s photo gallery Note: some of the photos are graphic for they show the baby elephant’s injury & … Continue reading »