LUNCH AT ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE IN NAIROBI

Following our visit to the Giraffe Centre

we went to the

Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

in Nairobi.

This is a sanctuary where young orphaned elephants

are brought from the bush or wild when they

have lost their mothers to poachers, accidental

death, traps or other means.

The youngest elephant here was 2 months old

(and was not on display) and the oldest are about

three years. At three they are taken to another reserve

for two years as they are integrated into the

Tsavo Game Reserve. At five years they are

then released to be on their own in the Reserve.

The younger ones are brought to the feeding area first

then the older ones are brought.

They drink from bottles. It took a long time and a lot of experiments

to find a nourishing mixture for the

elephants that would imitate the mother's milk.

I was interested in the back of their ears.

They look like a huge veined leaf and

has the feel of smooth rubber!

Just as with out own babies as soon as they are

strong enough and smart enough they get to hold their

own bottle!!

I think this one might be washing its face or

maybe blowing bubbles in the tub!!

Feeling the very rough baby elephant!!

These are young ones and new to the orphanage.

The blanket resembles their mothers side and they

run to here to get their lunch. Later they will

not use the blanket but right now it is security for them.

A nice suck of water after a bottle of food is really good.

Then the water is squirted or sucked into the mouth!!

How refreshing can it be!!

The a nice chew on a tasty young branch!!

They were very adept at holding the branch and

turning it in the mouth to scrape all the leaves off.

Each elephant has a caretaker to be in charge of them.

Every two to three months their caretaker is changed so they

won't be so attached they won't leave into the bush when it is time.

The caretaker even sleeps near them at night to give them comfort

and peace. They are with them 24 hours a day!!

The babies will have nightmares and cry out

just like our own little ones!! 

During the day they are taken out into the bush area to

help prepare them to being on their own and getting

them accustomed to their natural habitat.

This is a white rhino that also lived in the orphanage.

He was found at the Nairobi Game Park.

He was blind at birth and could not stay with his mother

 because he could not see her.

The mother abandoned him when he couldn't stay with her.

He was very lucky to be found by the orphanage workers!