The HERD team has shared an incredibly touching sighting of a wild baby elephant interacting with its herd; the baby can be seen waking everyone up from naptime.
Greater Kruger, South Africa (17 March 2023) – The HERD (Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development) Elephant Orphanage is the first of its kind in South Africa. It is vital to have wildlife orphanages as poaching is rife in South Africa, and often calves are left to fend for themselves after their mothers have been poached.
The orphanage was established near an adoptive herd. The Jabulani herd at the Kapama Private Game Reserve is mainly made up of orphaned elephants. The herd has been welcoming to any orphaned elephants that have needed a family structure. Elephants rely heavily on their family structure, so having an adoptive herd is excellent!
Over the years, we have seen so many orphaned elephants arrive at the orphanage. The stories have always moved us.
The team recently shared the most precious baby elephant sighting from the reserve. The herd is a wild one so not part of the programme but the sighting was equally as touching!
“Senior Guide at Jabulani lodge in our reserve, Reece captured this beautiful moment with one of the wild elephant herds in our wilderness. It’s so heartwarming and encouraging to see the herd thriving with so many calves.
In 2021, African Savanna Elephants were listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as over 60% of the population is estimated to have been lost since 1965. The principal threat: poaching for ivory, and increasingly, human-elephant conflict as suitable habitats for elephants decrease.”
The team works tirelessly to raise and rehabilitate orphaned elephants, using the incredible Jabulani herd to reintroduce them to the wild. You can support the work being done by HERD using Facebook or via the website.
Take a look at the precious moment below.
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