Elephant Orphanage

A friend, Leora, and I went to Sheldrick Elephant Orphange, one of three like it in the world. From 11am-12pm each day, visitors can come and see these orphaned animals being trained to return to the wild. Poaching is still a very real problem in this area, with tusks cashing in around $1,000 per elephant. The Kenyan Wildlife Service has done a remarkable job and elephant populations have been on the rise since the late 70's. However, cuts in funding have decreased their capability to respond to the program. Through private initiatives like Sheldrick, baby elephants are nurtured and returned to the wild.

We learned a lot of fascinating information about elephants. Elephants are a lot like humans. They need a lot of attention, and there is always a keeper with one of the elephants, 24/7/365. Yes, each one sleeps with an elephant every night. They travel an average of 30 miles a day, drink up to 50 gallons of water and eat hundreds of pounds daily. Not being able to sweat, they use their thin, fragile ears to fan their bodies and cool off. They also suck out water from their stomachs with their trunks, using the water to spray their bodies and cool off. An elephant crosses its legs while standing in order to rest. They cannot jump but are known to be adept swimmers.
Elephants have been known to bury their dead, even returning to the spot years later and holding the bones (especially the skull) as part of the grieving process. Elephants don't forget anything, remembering their trainers long after they have been returned to the wild.