SAVING OLLY – NOW NAMED MADIBA
As Christmas is upon us, the Trust has been dispersing a small pamphlet to promote our online Fostering Programme, which reads “What do you dream of having for Christmas?” The answer is of course, “A Baby Elephant”. This was not, of course, aimed at us, since we already have 8 in the Nairobi Nursery and another 34 growing up down in Tsavo – a BIG family, by any standards. However, on the 23rd December for us, “the dream” was enacted in a very unusual way – the arrival by air of a tiny Southern African orphan named “Olly”, despite immense pressure from many quarters in that part of the world from those who think that only humans are worthy of compassion, and all other living creatures are a mere commercial commodity on earth for man to do with as he will. Fortunately, not all people think that way; hence the saving of “Olly”. Said the famous Naturalist Albert Schweitzer, “until mankind can extend his compassion to the animals, he will never find peace”. We, in Kenya, are proud to be the one country in Africa whose wildlife policy incorporates the vital ingredient of compassion and animal welfare, something that is demonstrated on a daily basis by the hundreds of Kenyans who flock to our Nairobi Nursery to watch and wonder as the infant elephant inmates take their noon mudbath.
Despite having such a large elephant family, both here in Nairobi and growing up in Tsavo, we welcomed little “Olly” with a feeling of great joy, knowing that that this tiny elephant had evaded a future of bondage either as an exhibit whilst still young and “cuddly” and ultimately as a captive to satisfy man’s insatiable greed for money. We thank the kind people in South Africa who battled long and hard, and withstood mounting pressure, in order to offer this tiny elephant orphan the priceless gift of freedom and a quality of life amongst wild kin when grown. Especially commended are Karen Trendler and the Staff at Wildcare and a very special thanks needs to go to the Tanzanian based Air Charter Company called Coastal Air who very kindly airlifted him in a PC 12 from Johannesburg to Nairobi Kenya, a seven hour non-stop flight at no cost.
Olly was rescued in Botswana, found in a riverbed suffering from a deep head wound, possibly inflicted by a predator, which left him confused, able only to walk in circles, and abandoned by his elephant family who had obviously given all hope for his survival. After difficulty, he was moved from Botswana to Wildcare near Pretoria, a small Shelter that accommodates four-legged waifs and strays. From there, and with the assistance of IFAW and other caring individuals, the wheels were set in motion for the elephant to be able to come to Kenya and join our orphaned elephant family. And on the 23rd, after a 7 hour journey, lightly sedated and crated, he arrived at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, at 6 p.m. in the evening, accompanied by Karen Trendler, and once at the Trust’s Nairobi Nursery, walked out of his crate into the Nursery stable next to little “Sunyei” where he spent the night with Keeper Edwin. The next day, he was out and about with the other 8 Nursery inmates, cosseted by them all, and particularly by the Mini Nursery Matriarch, “Wendi” who is delighted to welcome into the group another very small, very furry, baby of 3 months, tiny for his age, smaller even than 2 month old ”Ndomot”.
With the permission of Wildcare, we have changed his name to reflect his Southern African origins and henceforth he will be known as “Madiba”, the name by which famous Nelson Mandela is called affectionately in South Africa.
To see more photos of this epic journey please click below:
http://sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/html/elephant_orphan_profile_MADIBA.html
If you would like to foster Madiba please click below:
http://sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/fostering.asp?G=2&N=60
Most Sincerely,
Dr. Daphne Sheldrick M.B.E.
http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org