Orphaned Elephants Stand In Line To Hug Woman Who Cared For Them When Their Mothers Died In Ivory Trade

Oct 15, 2019 by apost team

Each year, a large number of elephants’ lives are cut short for their tusks. They are captured, and their tusks are sawed off and traded for money. It’s a horrible crime that causes lots of baby elephants to grow up motherless.

Because they work after sundown, the people who hunt for elephants always get away with it. It’s very hard to find them. A woman who was devastated about what was going on made the decision to do something about it.

In 1977, Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick started rearing orphaned elephants. She’s been doing it ever since. Every baby elephant she raised was a victim of physical and emotional trauma caused by ivory trading.

apost.com

Until her husband’s passing, Dr. Sheldrick and her spouse spent many years taking care of wild animals. After his death, she kept his legacy going by setting up the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

The elephant babies at the rehab center Daphne established, have a lot of space for running and having fun. Each baby has one specific person who minds it, watches it, and gives it plenty of love.

To ensure that they get the nourishment they need, they are given special milk. The formula distributed is similar in taste and nutritional value to milk from a mother elephant. These young elephants require certain nutrients to grow big and strong.

Daphne wants to make sure these baby elephants get well and develop. She feels that once this happens, they will be able to go out into the world on their own, reproduce, and restore the elephant population.

Motherless elephants weren’t the only animals Daphne rescued and restored to good health. She started to take in rhinos, too, as the rhino population was also decreasing due to poaching. She wished to do whatever she could to help these animals and end ivory trading.

When older and healthier, the animals are transported to Tsavo National Park and later released into the wild. Daphne is eager and happy to have them return to their natural environment.

The affection and appreciation the elephants have for Daphne is obvious. She compares them to humans, but superior and honest. They’re smart, kinder, and more devoted than humans.

View the following video for more information about Dr. Sheldrick’s magnificent efforts.

What do you think about this story? Have you ever heard about the consequences of ivory trading? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this article along to the people you know to spread awareness.