Adopting a Baby Elephant or Rhino
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Offers a Way to Help Animals in Need
Jul 30, 2008
For those who have always wanted to keep a baby elephant or a baby rhino as a pet, but their family was just never as keen to the idea for some reason or another, this may be the next best thing. In fact, they won’t even have to worry about their pets outgrowing the doorway!
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, based in Nairobi, Kenya, allows people to adopt an elephant or rhino either for themselves or as a gift for someone special.
How the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was Established
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was established in 1977 in memory of the famous founder Warden of Tsavo East National Park in Kenya.
David Sheldrick transformed the Tsavo East National Park from an empty and unknown region to one of the world’s greatest National Parks in terms of biodiversity and conservation.
While David was working hard to manage the Tsavo East region, his wife Dr. Dame Daphne Marjorie Sheldrick was working hard to develop and perfect the first-ever milk formula that can be used to feed infant elephants and rhinos.
Since the death of David Sheldrick in 1977, Daphne and the rest of the staff at the Trust have dedicated their lives to providing a brighter future for African Elephants and Black Rhinos in need.
How the Baby Elephants and Rhinos are Rescued
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has one headquarters on both the northern and southern sides of the Tsavo East National Park, along with a nursery for the youngest elephants in Nairobi.
Out of these headquarters, the Trust staff members scout out the National Park in search of abandoned and endangered baby elephants, rhinos, and even some other animals.
When an abandoned baby animal is discovered, the Trust first searches for the young animal’s family or a nearby herd. If none is discovered, the baby animal is rescued and brought to either the Trust headquarters or nursery (depending on age) where they can either frolic with other orphaned animals, or be cared for by the staff at the nursery.
While there, the baby elephant or rhino will stay in the constant company of its human family (the staff) and other orphans. The orphans have free access to the Tsavo East National Park, but they will travel with the other orphans and their human family until they usually decide after several years to stay with one of the nearby wild herds.
A full TV series was filmed about the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust by BBC called the “Elephant Diaries.” The series also moved to America, and is being broadcasted on the Animal Planet channel.
How to Adopt a Baby Elephant or Rhino
To adopt a baby animal, or to give the certificate of adoption to a friend or loved one, visit the fostering page on the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust website.
By making a donation to the Trust, foster parents of these baby elephants and rhinos pay to keep their baby animals cared for.
By becoming a foster parent to one of the Trust’s baby animals, the donor or gift recipient will receive a certificate of adoption, monthly updates from the keeper’s diary on how the animal has been doing, and frequently updated photographs of their special elephant or rhino all via e-mail.
It may not be quite as exciting as having a new baby elephant or rhino living in the house, but rest assured that any wildlife expert would be quick to confirm that sometimes the backyard just isn’t big enough.
References:
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
