Kenya's Elephant Orphanage: A Second Chance for Lost Calves

Deep in the heart of Kenya lies a sanctuary unlike any other. It's not a typical orphanage filled with children, but a home for baby elephants. These orphaned calves have one tragic thing in common: their mothers were victims of poaching, killed for their ivory tusks.

At the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, Dame Daphne Sheldrick and her team provide round-the-clock care. They act as surrogate mothers, feeding the elephants special milk formulas and offering constant companionship. The calves, some just days old, are incredibly vulnerable and require intensive care to survive.

The dedicated staff works tirelessly to replicate the nurturing environment the elephants would have received from their mothers. They sleep with the calves, play with them, and even take them for walks in the surrounding bush. The goal is to raise the elephants until they are old enough and strong enough to be reintroduced back into the wild, to live as part of a herd in their natural habitat. It's a long and challenging process, but the success stories are a testament to the dedication and compassion of the team at the elephant orphanage.