1 July, 2009 - Once the team was assembled, we spent the day sightseeing and shopping in Nairobi. Our first stop was the "Elephant Orphanage" run by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Located in a national park, this orphanage raises elephant and rhino orphans, and then works to reintroduce them to the wild. This particular orphanage was highlighted in the BBC productions "Elephant Diaries" and "Elephant Diaries II." This year, the production company will return to film "Elephant Diaries III," which will highlight the little tykes we got to meet.
Many elephants are orphaned when they fall into wells dug in the deserts by nomads looking to water their own herds. Because the baby elephants can't use their trunks for drinking yet, they bend down to reach the water with their mouths, and often topple in. A
t least four of the orphans we met that day were abandoned by their mothers who could not get them out of the wells they fell into.
t least four of the orphans we met that day were abandoned by their mothers who could not get them out of the wells they fell into.Additionally, they have a single rhino orphan at the orphanage right now named "Maalim." The audience was warned to be quiet when the baby arrived because he was excitable. Little did we realize what that meant! He literally bowled over one lady in his excitement over all the oohing and aahing going on! Then, like most little tykes, after his burst of energy, it was time for a nap! :-)
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