Sheldrick Wildlife Trust | Haven for Elephants & Rhinos
Yes, a stampede occurred. They were a raging herd of dozens, and nothing could halt their historic advance. As they sprinted forward, trumpets blaring, the earth quaked. A raging hunger consumed them. A group of young elephants lumbered over to their caretakers, who were holding what appeared to be the largest infant bottles you had ever seen. The young elephants gulped down quarts of the frothy white formula, clinging to their enormous milk bottles.
They were ecstatic, as if they were in heaven while nursing newborns. It was an adorable scene that would break your heart. The David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi National Park is hosting yet another fantastic afternoon. Now you know just where to start your exploration of Nairobi, Kenya. One of the most visited sights in Nairobi experiences consistent lines of people eager to witness this feeding time phenomena. Globally, no orphanage has been more effective in rescuing and rehabilitating elephants than this one. Drought, accidents, or the poaching of their mother and maybe other family members for ivory caused these tiny animals to be separated from their herd.
The abandoned babies are distraught by the loss of their moms and suffer from physical malnutrition when they reach the nursery. The keepers keep in touch with the infants emotionally and physically during this months-long mourning process, showering them with the same amount of love that the elephants’ own family would have given them. The new orphan’s life depends on this since it will die without love. Thankfully, the orphanage has achieved remarkable success in caring for more than 200 baby elephants.
Over the years, it has successfully returned more than a hundred abandoned animals to their natural habitat in Tsavo National Park. The sanctuary also takes in sick or abandoned young rhinos and helps them recover.
Bath Time
As is the case with infants worldwide, a bath is an essential part of the routine after eating. However, in this area, infant elephants would rather play in the mud than wash and get spotless. Their caretakers continually splatter them with dirt as they slither and leap into the mud ponds. Their young hides are protected from sunburn by the mud. When babies are this young, they are continually wrapped in care; when it gets cold, they are covered up with a blanket. Their caretakers are prepared to shelter them from the scorching sun by holding umbrellas.
Dame Daphne Sheldrick
Elephants rely on breast milk for sustenance during their first two years on the African plain. Yet what about an orphaned baby who needs food? How about the specifics of what you feed it? “Elephant formula” is the correction. The best in the world was developed right here. The Elephant Orphans Project’s founder, Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick, has a long list of achievements, including this one. Throughout her life, Kenyan-born Daphne Sheldrick and her husband David have cared for a wide variety of animals. In 1977, following David’s passing, Daphne established the David Sheldrick Trust to save abandoned elephants. They are nurtured and restored here, both physically and psychologically. According to Daphne Sheldrick, elephants show all of their emotions—from happiness to sadness—to anyone who gets to know them. It is said that one may genuinely see a baby elephant’s smile, according to the woman who founded this sanctuary many years ago.
About the Elephant Orphanage
Nairobi National Park is situated approximately 45 minutes away from the city center. Nairobi experiences a warm climate with heavy rainfall all year round. Temperatures of 20 °C (68 °F) are typical here. Hours of Operation: One hour a day, from 11:00 to 12:00, the orphanage is open to the public so they can observe the feeding and bathing processes. Making it there: Natural World Kenya Safaris is an agency in Nairobi where you may arrange for a safari. For those travelling by air, Nairobi’s primary airport is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Things to Do and See
Adopt an Elephant: Not only is this refuge unlike any other on Earth, but you get the opportunity to “adopt” a newborn elephant from the herd. For $50 a year, you can adopt an orphan and receive a certificate with their picture and details. In addition to receiving updates about your elephant once a month, one great perk is that you’ll get to go back to the orphanage for a second visit in the afternoon.
Maxwell the Rhino: Lost rhinos are also taken care of at the sanctuary. Maxwell, a blind rhino, has a dedicated enclosure where you may see him protected. He can be found at the Kenya Wildlife Service workshop, which is situated approximately 1km (.6mi) away from the orphanage.
Discover the Elephant Orphanage
This renowned sanctuary for malnourished and neglected wild children is proof of our most admirable and compassionate natures. Elephants and humans alike can’t help but grin when they see dozens of infant animals being cared after and playing with other orphans.