Thanks to a growing number of female elephants in the wild, baby elephant populations are growing. Animal conservationists say that this is good news for future generations of animals as well as people who like watching them.
These baby elephants are thriving, and they have goats to thank. The baby elephants were born in the wilds of Africa but were rescued by a wildlife conservation group.
Long’uro, a baby elephant in the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in northern Kenya, gets fed.
At the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in northern Kenya, young elephants were fed powdered formula similar to that given to infant humans for years.
However, when the coronavirus severely interrupted worldwide supply lines, the sanctuary needed to locate a more reliable source of nourishment for its orphaned or abandoned calves.
Fortunately, the solution was there in front of their eyes.
Lmeitekini, an elephant keeper at the Reteti sanctuary, goes on a stroll with some of the elephants.
Mike Learka chills goat’s milk for the elephants at Reteti after pasteurizing it.
The Reteti refuge, Africa’s first elephant orphanage owned and maintained by members of the local community, has been considering utilizing milk from local goats.
The epidemic gave it the impetus it needed to put its idea to the test.
Katie Rowe, who co-founded the refuge in 2016, stated, “It was really about being bold enough to shift, to move away from a formula that you’ve always used.” “The epidemic caused people all over the globe to re-evaluate everything they do at home, including how they cook, shop for goods, and how they should be doing things much more locally.” And it was something we’d always believed was critical: that we shouldn’t be importing milk from the other side of the globe.”
Near the Reteti refuge, young members of the Samburu tribe look after goats and assist collect fresh milk.
Bawa smacks Sosian in the face with his trunk. It’s a soothing and comforting gesture, similar to a human embrace. According to the Reteti refuge, between 10 and 25 elephant calves are rescued each year in northern Kenya.
The outcomes have been outstanding. The sanctuary’s survival rates for its youngest and most fragile elephants have increased after it began using goat’s milk.
“Goat’s milk was the ideal remedy,” stated Rowe. “We’d previously done a lot of studies on how goat’s milk is considerably healthier for elephants and much simpler to digest,” says the researcher. It is, in my opinion, better for all of us. There are less fat particles, making it simpler to digest, as well as various other nutritious components that make it a better recipe.”
Elephants aren’t the only ones that are thriving.
“All that money that was going out of the nation is now remaining in the neighborhood and going to the’milk moms,’” said Ami Vitale, a photojournalist who has visited the sanctuary several times a year since it opened in 2016. “The women own the goat milk, and for the first time in their lives, they are establishing bank accounts and saving money, allowing them to send their children to school and get health care if necessary.”
Women collect goat’s milk to sell to the elephant sanctuary in order to help feed the calves.
Near Reteti, goats are kept in a manyatta, or traditional Samburu household property. Manyattas are often transient as people and their animals travel to find the greatest pastures.
Hundreds of goats in nearby areas provide the milk. The sanctuary purchases around 300 liters of water every day and transports it to its kitchen, where it is pasteurized and tailored formulae for each elephant’s unique requirements are prepared.
On the same day that the goats are milked, it is served to the elephants.
“I love this narrative because it tells us that we are creative, and that if we simply attempt to recreate and reimagine, there are a lot of answers right in front of us,” Vitale added.
An intravenous catheter providing fluids to a juvenile elephant is covered by a blanket. After falling into a well and being unable to get out, this elephant, believed to be approximately a month old, got isolated from her herd.
The Reteti sanctuary, which rehabilitates rescued elephants before finally releasing them back into the wild, now has over 40 elephants.
All of the elephant caretakers are from the Samburu tribe, and Vitale’s photographs show how strong the ties between them and their four-legged pals have become.
“They take care of one another.” “They’re like family to me,” Vitale said. “It’s interesting how the keepers phone and check in when they go home to their own families.” It’s a very amazing thing.”
The Samburu have always had “an enormously deep affinity with elephants, and there’s this concept that they were previously linked,” according to Rowe.
Keeper Naomi Leshongoro is greeted by Meibae the elephant.
Suyian is looked after by Andrew Leshakwet in the refuge. “There has always been that very, very deep link with elephants in their (Samburu) culture,” sanctuary co-founder Katie Rowe said.
A newborn elephant in northern Kenya might be orphaned or abandoned for a variety of reasons. And it’s seldom poaching, according to Vitale, since Kenya’s anti-poaching laws have been a huge success.
A calf would often fall into one of the Samburu’s deep wells built into the dry riverbeds to gather water for themselves and their cattle. Local animals, especially elephant herds, drink from these wells.
“A brand-new baby elephant — little, like a week old — will be shoved in by a larger elephant and fall into the well, and they won’t be able to get out,” Vitale said.
Climate change is exacerbating the problem.
“The droughts are becoming longer and more extreme,” added Vitale. “These wells are getting deeper and deeper,” says the narrator.
Reteti employees move a rescued elephant called Sosian in a specially equipped truck.
The sanctuary’s purpose is to rehabilitate the elephants so that they may return to the wild.
Three elephants were being released back into the wild, and their caretakers said their goodbyes.
A community member will alert the Reteti keepers if a newborn elephant is spotted in a well or abandoned, and they will hurry out to aid.
When they get to the elephant, they normally stay with it for approximately 24 hours to see whether the elephant’s herd returns and the calf may be reunited with its mother. They’ll take it back to the sanctuary if that doesn’t happen.
“It will be constantly watched, with plenty of water, a lot of affection, and a lot of attention to help them get through the terrible experience of being removed from their herd,” Rowe added.
The calf will gradually be introduced to the sanctuary’s other elephants, who are highly interested and often introduce themselves.
Mary Lengees’ kid meets baby elephants for the first time. Lengees was the first woman from the Samburu tribe to work as an elephant keeper.
There are three separate herds at the refuge right present. There’s a smaller nursery herd, a medium herd that’s a little older, and then a larger, elder elephant herd. The new elephant will be assigned to one of these groups based on its age.
They swiftly form friendships after they’ve joined a new herd.
“They’re so wonderful at caring after one other,” Rowe added, “and they’re so loving and interested about each other.”
The elephants are fed every three hours, and throughout the day they are free to roam around with their new herds. Natural matriarchs have arisen, and they will often lead the way, keeping the calves in order and teaching them how to be elephants in certain ways. Outside of their guardians, who will go out with them merely to make sure they are secure and that they all remain together, there is no human contact.
At feeding time, elephant caretaker Lemarash prepares 2-liter bottles of special formula. The elephants are fed every three hours, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Because of climatic change, almost all of the Reteti herd has been orphaned or abandoned.
Since its inception in 2016, Reteti has released ten elephants back into the wild. Elephants need years to develop sufficiently to go out on their own, and the time varies from animal to animal.
“They’re all unique animals with distinct personalities,” Vitale remarked. “You can’t always tell the difference — I mean, the keepers can’t always tell the difference — but once they’re large enough, you can tell the difference by their very unique personalities.” Some people are bashful. Some people are very self-assured and daring. Some of them are very wicked.”
The sanctuary and its caretakers have enjoyed seeing these gorgeous creatures grow, and now, due to the goats, more elephants will have a chance to thrive. As will the communities in the area.
“It’s really reminded us of how intertwined we all are,” Rowe said, adding that “the better the landscape is, the healthier your livestock is, the greater output you’ll have.” “And that has a direct influence on the community’s health and prosperity,” says the author.
According to the Reteti sanctuary, nomadic pastoralists have populated the region in northern Kenya for over two centuries.
In northern Kenya’s conservancies, a security squad assists in the protection of wildlife.
After falling into a well, a week-old orphaned elephant is rescued.
