Elephant Orphanage in Kenya

Photoblogger Katya Tsvetkova aka travel_kitt says: “Nairobi is not only the capital of Kenya, but the starting point for traveling around East Africa. Often the city and its environs are left without attention, leaving only dust and hellish traffic jams in memory.

We decided to dedicate a day to the outskirts of Nairobi only for the third visit to the city. Watching through the hotel window the expanses of the nearby Nairobi National Park, we did not notice the animals, so instead of the park we decided to go to the elephant rehabilitation center, the David Sheldrick shelter.

It is not as well known among tourists and visited as the neighboring Giraffe Center, but it is unique and leaves a lasting impression. If you have a free first half of the day, you should definitely come here!”

(Total 30 photos)

Source: Journal/ru-travel

The David Sheldrick Orphanage is a center for the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned elephants that have become victims of poachers or victims of the local population. They are brought here not only from all over Kenya, but also from neighboring countries.

Elephants are nursed until they are ready for independent living in one of the national parks.

1. The center exists mainly on donations, and not on income from tourists. Although the entrance fee is low, getting here is not so easy - outsiders are allowed only 1 hour a day, from 11 am to 12 am.

2. By the appointed time, groups of whites gather near the entrance, who, after paying for the ticket, are led past empty enclosures and left near a small fenced area on which bottles resembling nipples for giant babies are placed.

3. After a couple of minutes, an elephant calf appears from the depths of the forest and literally skips towards the bottles.

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5. Having had his fill, he also briskly runs into the bushes. Where are the rest of the elephants? Are they all pets?

6. While waiting, we observe gazelles and warthogs that have entered the center from the park.

7. There is a revival among tourists. "Lead, lead"

8. The smallest are fed first. They are not yet accustomed to a large family and go out in small groups.

9. Not everyone accepts food from human hands, so for those who came to the shelter recently, the elephant is replaced by a large rag, from under which a pacifier is served

10. The skin of babies is delicate and very vulnerable. In nature, baby elephants protect their mother's backs from the sun's rays, and a blanket is used in the rehabilitation center.

11. Elephants are very hairy.

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13. Toddlers consider people in green coats to be their mothers ...

14. ... hold on to them ...

15. ... play ...

16.

17. ... do not lag behind a single step

18. Having quenched their thirst, the elephants themselves go to communicate with people.

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20. Employees of the center do not interfere, but monitor safety. Communication of elephants with tourists is strictly limited to one hour, so that the animals remain wild and can exist normally in the wild.

21. Don't you think they are all the same? No, not elephants, but people. This is no accident. All workers are dressed in uniform so that the elephants do not become attached to one person, but get used to living in a large family.

22. The feeding time has come to an end, it is necessary to give way to the next group. Elephants obediently and without any command follow their leader

23. Workers change bottles. For quite a long time it was not possible to nurse very small elephants. The milk of domestic animals did not suit them and they died. Now the center has developed a special mixture based on baby food for people.

24. The second group is teenage elephants. They are not so obedient and constantly sort things out.

25. Almost everyone is already eating leaves and drinking water.

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27. Take a mud bath

28. splash and play

29. For some reason, elephants are very fond of blowing their noses.

30. Every kid here has his own tragic story. But in a few years, most of them will grow up and move to the Tsavo National Park. There they will be met and accepted into a large elephant family by their older relatives from the orphanage.