David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

I squash myself back against the fence and the ominous rumble grows closer. The air fills with dust and out of the gloom an elephants appears, moments later and they are upon me. A stampede baby of elephants. The elephants ignore the humans and rush gleefully past us, for them it’s supper time. They tumble into their stables and suck greedily at huge bottles of milk.   We follow after them, the smallest of them finish suckling quickly, their carers cover them in warm blankets and they lay on the hay. It’s time for bed.  The teenagers are acting up, they don’t want to sleep.  They trumpet to each other over their enclosures, whilst their keepers whisper to them softly.  Calm descends and the visitors leave.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rescues orphaned often critically ill baby elephants from all over Kenya.  Upon arrival at the Trust the long process of rehabilitating a psychologically and often physically hurting elephant begins. An elephants relationship with their mothers is similar to that of a human, they feel the loss of a parent keenly and if not carefully managed will slip into a depression and simply pass away.  Every orphan is given a keeper who stays with the elephant night and day; sleeping in their stable, applying sunscreen, feeding them with giant baby bottles.  They are a substitute parent. 

Visitors to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust can come every day at 11.00 to meet the babies and learn about them through an interactive talk.  Adopt an elephant and you can come in the evening to watch them return from playtime, have supper and be put to bed.  You will get a chance to speak to each keeper about the elephants and their unique way of life.

Visit every day at 11.00 or adopters can visit at 17.00

Cost $5 per person – adopters are free