If the term ‘elephant influencer’ (influence meaning “having the power or authority to affect change“) were to exist during her lifetime, or even now!, the late Dame Daphne Sheldrick, founder of The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, would stand among the great elephant people in her own right. Ironically she shared a birth month with two … Continue reading »
Name: KILAGUNI Date of Birth: 11 December 2008, a Thursday “DSWT orphaned elephants are assigned approximate birth dates as there is no way of knowing the actual day they were born”. Date of Rescue 22 May 2009 Age When Rescued: appox. 5 months Gender: Male Where Now: “Living Wild” Rehabilitated back Into the Wild … Continue reading »
Ongoing Medical Treatment: This baby bull elephant will have a long road of rehabilitation ahead of him. (“How he was going to heal from such severe injuries remained unknown, as any possibility of pinning the leg was not possible given the extent of override of the bone and contraction of the muscles.“) Luggard will continue … Continue reading »
Ongoing Medical Treatment: “Maktao requires 24/7 Keeper care and plenty of specialist formula milk“ How Baby Elephant is Adjusting to New Elephant Family at DSWT: Deep within his little elephant soul baby bull Maktao, for a little while, “remained restless, obviously searching for his Mum”. Despite that initial sadness our little elephant orphan “immediately … Continue reading »
Name: MAKTAO Name Origin/Meaning: Maktao was named after the’Makatao Base’ within the Tsavo West National Park where the elephant calf was first brought to safety. Date of Birth*: 21 July 2017, a Friday *DSWT orphaned elephants are assigned approximate birth dates as there is no way of knowing the actual day they were born. … Continue reading »
Elephants need us. For the holidays please adopt an elephant as a gift for a friend or as a gift for yourself. It is a beautiful way to help save the species, to help keep elephants on this planet for as long as we can. Watch this elephant video “Gift of Life Adopt an orphan … Continue reading »
Even as Dame Daphne Sheldrick so bravely fought against the breast cancer that would take her life on 12 April 2018 at age 83, she was always thinking of her elephants and how she could make it better for them. In a 14 October 2017 facebook message she spoke of the newest addition to the … Continue reading »
Let us not forget: JUMA & BIBI baby bull Juma & Bibi (p. 263-264) who both died tragically; Let us not forget: OLMEG (p.266) who was the first and most likely the only baby elephant to share Jill’s bedroom. And despite the work it had taken to fluff up the floor with a “bed of … Continue reading »
AISHA Perhaps the most famous little elephant that stole Dame Daphne Sheldrick’s heart was this tiny calf. “She was the smallest elephant I had ever seen – still covered in the soft fuzz of elephant infancy, her tiny trunk tinged with pink, toenails of pale yellow – soft and brand new.” (p.229) Prophetically, the chapter … Continue reading »
What an Enchanting Life Among Our Elephants cont’d And yet during their life together (David and Daphne) their selfless journey did not go unnoticed. For their life’s work both David Sheldrick and Daphne Sheldrick were honored by the British government with David being “awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 13 June 1959” … Continue reading »