Photo by @amivitale | Mike Learka cools goat's milk after pasteurizing it for elephants. For years, baby elephants lived off powdered formula—the same used for human infants—at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (@r.e.s.c.u.e) in northern Kenya. But when global supply chains were severely disrupted by the coronavirus, the sanctuary had to find a more dependable source of food for its calves, which had been either orphaned or abandoned.
Fortunately, the answer was right in their backyard. The sanctuary switched to local goat's milk instead of the expensive formula shipped from thousands of miles away. After extensive research, they put it the test and fed the baby elephants the goat’s milk. Reteti's elephant keepers quickly noticed that the young elephants were getting healthier—the goat milk was working better than the powdered formula from tin cans.
Today the elephants are thriving. They went from a 50% survival rate of newly arrived young orphans to almost 100% survival rate at this most vulnerable stage. It’s also brought about a shift in the relationship between the community and the calves. Not only is it more nutritious for the elephants, it's also more sustainable for the planet and empowering the women in the community who are benefitting from a new source of income. Follow @amivitale and @r.e.s.c.u.e to learn more including how to help. @sararafoundation@kenyawildlifeservice#babyanimals#elephants#kenya#conservation
Photo by @amivitale | Baby elephant Long’uro is fed at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (@r.e.s.c.u.e) in northern Kenya. Long’uro was 18 months old when he brought to the sanctuary with severe injuries. He had fallen into a well, and a hyena had eaten a third of his trunk. The prognosis was poor. His keeper, Mary, spent many sleepless nights looking after Long’uro until he recovered. Today, thanks to her love and all the keepers of Reteti, little Long'oru is thriving. Follow @amivitale and @r.e.s.c.u.e to learn more including how to help.
@sararafoundation@kenyawildlifeservice#babyanimals#elephants#kenya#conservation
Photos by @amivitale | In northern Kenya, an elephant sanctuary turned a pandemic challenge into a win—for the calves, the community, and the land. I am honored to share this beautiful story from Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (@r.e.s.c.u.e). For years, baby elephants lived off powdered milk formula, the same used for infant humans. But when global supply chains were severely disrupted by the pandemic, the sanctuary had to find a more dependable source of food for its calves, which had been either orphaned or abandoned.
Fortunately, the answer was right in its backyard. The sanctuary experimented using local goat’s milk instead of the expensive formula shipped from far away. After studying the human formula and conducting extensive research, the new goat’s-milk formula was put to the test and fed to the baby elephants. Reteti’s keepers quickly noticed that the animals were getting healthier.
The new formula has also brought about a shift in the relationship between the community members and the calves. Using locally sourced goat’s milk was not only more nutritious for the elephants but also more sustainable for the planet. And it’s empowering the women in the community who are benefitting from a new source of income. Read more about this in my Nat Geo story “For Kenya’s orphaned elephants, goats to the rescue,” and follow @amivitale and @r.e.s.c.u.e to learn more, including how to help. @sararafoundation@kenyawildlifeservice#babyanimals#elephants#kenya#conservation
Photo by @amivitale | Happy Mother’s Day! At the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in northern Kenya, Mary Lengees brings her daughter to greet the animals in her care. Mary is one of the first Indigenous Samburu women elephant keepers in all of Africa. Traditionally in Kenya, women are married young and are meant to take care of their children and homes. But as keepers, they are now recognized as an integral part of the sanctuary. As women and mothers, they feel they instinctively know how to comfort and tend to the young orphaned baby elephants in their care. Their work has made them role models for their own children as well as other women and girls. And the community has embraced the program. People are excited to hear what these women have accomplished and eagerly await news of each of the elephants in their care.
Follow @amivitale and @r.e.s.c.u.e to learn more, including how to help. @sararafoundation@kenyawildlifeservice#mothers#mothersday#elephants#kenya#conservation
Photo by @amivitale | A blanket covers an intravenous catheter delivering fluids to a young elephant at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in northern Kenya. This elephant, estimated to be about a month old, separated from her herd after she fell into a well and couldn’t get out.
@r.e.s.c.u.e is the first ever community-owned elephant sanctuary in Africa. Orphans arrive there as a result of human-elephant conflict, climate change, and drought-related issues; only one came because of poaching. The sanctuary provides a safe place for the injured animals to heal so they can later be returned to the wild.
Follow @amivitale and @r.e.s.c.u.e to learn more, including how to help. @sararafoundation@kenyawildlifeservice#mothers#mothersday#elephants#kenya#conservation
The phrase 'It never rains, but pours' seems somewhat fitting to describe the flurry of rescues we had last week. In the span of three days, we rescued three young calves - orphaned due to reasons related to extreme drought.
Nowadays, most of our rescues are from calves who have became separated from their herd because they have not been able to keep up with the vast distances that their herd has had to cover to find food and water, and fallen behind. Other times, because they have fallen down a well searching for water.
The first few days at Reteti are understandably hard for a new orphan and the bond that these calves form with the keepers is crucial, and the younger babies especially suckle their keepers hand or dust coat for comfort. ❤️
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Video @Amivitale#reteti#retetielephants#elephants#northernkenya#rescue#drought#climatechange#communityconservation#namunyakconservancy