SheldrickTrust

Treating elephants often requires patience, perseverance, and a measure of good luck. Such was the case with this speared tusker, who took us on a Tsavo odyssey spanning a month and over a hundred kilometres before we were able to give him the help he needed. Read the full story here: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news #sheldricktrust #elephants #wildlife #kenya #africa #tsavo #animalrescue #vet #veterinary #spear #tusker #bull #sheldrickwildlifetrust #treatment #animals

Our favourite bickering siblings (of sorts), Sulwe and Lenny, are constantly trying to outwit and outshine each other. They turn the midday milk feed into a fierce race to the finish line, stout legs pumping and ears flapping. It’s far too contentious to pick a winner — Sulwe is on the left, Lenny right — so we’ll just call it a draw! Ironically, the trophies waiting at the end — the milk bottles — aren’t even for them, as they only nurse from their mothers, Sonje and Lima Lima - and occasionally matriarch Murera! They’re simply racing because it's fun and baby elephants in a protected space can have as much fun as they please! Meet Lenny, Sulwe, and the other ‘grandchildren’ born to our Orphans’ Project: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/calves #Sheldricktrust #elephants #babyelephant #Running #calves #animals #rescue #wildlife #kenya #games #milk #sheldrickwildlifetrust #africa #cuteanimals #Siblings #family

Happiness: a bale of lucerne and an attentive audience! The identity of this member of our orphan herd is given away both her playful behaviour and her positioning. She’s striking her signature pose, which generated her nickname ‘little frog’. When a rescued orphan is this happy, you know you’re doing something right. That’s made possible by our foster parents and Keepers. If you want to be part of the success, consider adopting Korbessa at: swt.bio/korbessa #SheldrickTrust #animalrescue #elephant #elephants #kenya #animal #wildlife #africa #animalsoftiktok #playtime #sheldrickwildlifetrust #silly #adopt

At just a day old, our SWT/KWS Meru Vet Unit collected this baby bull buffalo yesterday afternoon, after he was found all alone with no sign of his mother. We flew him down to Kaluku where’s he’s joined our growing menagerie of orphans being afforded a second chance. You can support our lifesaving work at: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/donate #sheldricktrust #animal #kenya #wildlife #buffalo #rescue #animalrescue #conservation #vet #veterinary #kws #sheldrickwildlifetrust

Peering into a derelict tank, a herder on Galana Ranch was confronted with a most unusual sight: a young female lion, trapped at the bottom.  He reported the sighting to one of our teams on Galana, who went to investigate. The tank was deep and smooth-sided, making it impossible for her the trapped cat to clamber out. Given her condition, she had probably been stuck there for at least two days. If she was to get out, she needed a helping hand, and we were ready to offer it. Read the full story: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news #sheldricktrust #lion #animal #animalrescue #lioness #kenya #sheldrickwildlifetrust #rescue #veterinary #wildlife #animalsoftiktok #africa #conservation

By ground and air, our teams are patrolling every day to protect Kenya’s wildlife. This impressive tusker was successfully treated by one of our six SWT/KWS Mobile Vet Units last year, after our pilots had sighted the tell-tale signs of a poison arrow injury. After watching this successful treatment, made possible by donor support, please visit our website to read the full story and view an extended video. Full story: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news/updates/big-bull-poaching-attempt #sheldricktrust #elephants #animalrescue #wildlife #vet #veterinary #animal #kenya #wildliferescue #treatment #sheldrickwildlifetrust #tusker

After his neck became caught in a poacher’s snare, this buffalo carried a horrific injury for more than 60 kilometres as he tried to outrun his fate! One of our SWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Teams identified the tracks of a buffalo dragging something. Experience suggested the animal had been snared and in attempting to free itself from the noose had managed to break the fixture to which it was attached. Now, the buffalo was both snared and dragging a heavy weight! They followed the trail for 25km until darkness forced them to call off the search. The next morning our pilot picked up the search from the last track coordinates; after 4.5 hours of flying, he located the buffalo. Suspicions were confirmed and by this time the buffalo had travelled over 60kms from where his tracks were first located. With every step forward he had only succeeded in tightening the cable snare in which he’d become trapped! We rapidly organised a veterinary intervention and are delighted to report the buffalo was both freed and given a positive prognosis for full recovery. Our conservation mission is made possible by our donors, if you’d like to contribute to operations that save lives, please donate on our website via the link below, where you can read the full details of this case: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news #sheldricktrust #veterinary #animalrescue #wildlife #buffalo #tracks #rangers #animal #kenya #wild #sheldrickwildlifetrust #vet #wildliferescue #treatment #aerial #aviation #lifesaving

When treating nature’s giants, we use all the tools at our disposal: people, planes, helicopters, cars, and even metal detectors. After an elephant is arrowed, the arrowhead often remains lodged inside. This can have lethal complications — especially if the arrow is poisoned, which is a favoured tactic of ivory poachers. That’s why we left no stone unturned in this treatment. Read the full story: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news #Sheldricktrust #elephants #wildlife #animal #rescue #veterinary #vet #treatment #conservation #injury #help #animalrescue #kenya #sheldrickwildlifetrust

Treating a giraffe is a high-stakes operation. Immobilisation is essential, given their size and strength — but full anaesthesia is risky, due to their physiology. The patient is darted from the air. As soon as he begins to show signs of sedation, ground teams move in and rope his legs so they can safely lower him to a recumbent position. Once down, they secure his head. Giraffes cannot stand up without swinging their head, so this ensures the patient remains, quite literally, in safe hands for the duration of treatment. This treatment unfolded last year, following a sighting by Wildlife Works rangers. The giraffe had a cable snare around his neck; a favoured weapon of bushmeat poachers. Fortunately, it had not yet cut into the skin — but left untended, it could have caused a lethal injury. More about the lifesaving work of our SWT/KWS Mobile Vet Units: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/projects/veterinary-unit #Sheldricktrust #wildlife #giraffe #treatment #vet #veterinary #aerial #rescue #animal #animalrescue #kenya #sheldrickwildlifetrust #treat #wildliferescue #rapid #response

Our Voi orphans enjoyed a treat this week, when impressive ex-orphan bull Laikipia dropped in for a visit! Ambling up - cool, calm, & collected - in that way he does, let's call it the 'Laikipia Swagger', it was as if he'd never been away. That's what makes these visits so special: Laikipia knows he always has a home base he can visit, whether just passing through as on this occasion, or for those times when he fancies a few days with his extended human-orphan family. Visit 26 year old Laikipia's profile page to read his original rescue story and updates since then! Go to: https://swt.bio/laikipia #sheldricktrust #wildlife #Home #swagger #elephants #animal #kenya #africa #voi #tsavo #tsavoeastnationalpark #rescue #animalrescue #living

You'll not usually see a giraffe sitting down: It makes them vulnerable to predators, and it's rather awkward getting up too! But, our girl Twiggy is not the norm! Rescued as an orphan, just days old, Twiggy's been hand-raised at our Kaluku Unit. Here, with her Keepers close by, she knows she's safe from external threats. With that knowledge, on hotter days she can sometimes be found taking a load off and relaxing in the shade! Read this special individual's rescue story at: swt.bio/twiggy #sheldricktrust #giraffe #animal #wildlife #kenya #animalrescue #conservation #sheldrickwildlifetrust #twiggy #sitting #rare #leggy #africa

Baby elephants learn from their mother, their herd, and first(trunk) experience. Everyday is filled with discovery. Finding his route blocked, Lenny - Lima Lima’s little boy - uses his trunk to inspect the cause of his rapid halt. Too big to move, too low to go under, too high to step over: you can almost see his mind whirring! Given it’s Lenny, you know what he wants to do is just run right through the big old branch! Enjoy the story of Lenny’s arrival into the world, which you can read on his mum’s profile page: https://swt.bio/lima-lima #sheldricktrust #elephants #baby #babyelephant #wildlife #sheldrickwildlifetrust #animal #kenya #africa #challenge #learning #lessons #trunk

Raha the Rhino Update! Our intrepid little girl in blue is doing well. While her journey remains a unique and unprecedented one, we are happy with her progress. Raha is more energetic, eating well (though still reluctant to consume the roughage that makes up a typical black rhino’s diet), and her injured rear end isn’t giving her any major issues at the moment. We continue to take things day by day, but at present, all is good in Raha’s world! Read this brave girl’s full story at: swt.bio/raha #SheldrickTrust #animalrescue #rhino #blackrhino #wildlife #animalsoftiktok #kenya #africa #animal #rescue #sheldrickwildlifetrust #endangeredspecies #heal

Mighty Maxwell savouring every mouthful of today’s breakfast treat of lucerne pellets! Max breaks the mould, being our only longterm resident at the Nairobi Nursery. Rescued as an orphan in February 2007, he is irreversibly blind. For this reason, he can never be safely rewilded, due to the fierce territorial fights that take place between male black rhinos. With a constant flow of visitors, including Keepers, orphan elephants, and lots of the local warthogs, our boy isn’t short on company when he wants it. But right now, it’s all the food! Read Maxwell’s story: https://swt.bio/maxwell #sheldricktrust #rhino #blind #blackrhino #wildlife #sheldrickwildlifetrust #animal #kenya #nairobi #rescue #eat #eating #breakfast #orphanage

There’s nothing like the joy of welcoming a wild-born calf into the world. Each calf mothered by an orphan we’ve rescued, raised, and rewilded represents life, hope, and the success of our pioneering approach in the hand-rearing of orphaned infant elephants. Your support makes this possible! Meet the 70 wild-born calves that we know of - a new generation alive today thanks to actions taken to save and nurture their mums - at sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/calves #sheldricktrust #elephants #baby #babyelephant #wildlife #animal #sheldrickwildlifetrust #kenya #africa #wild

What do you get when you cross a rhino, buffalo, kudu, warthog, eland, and a giraffe (look behind the bush!)? A glimpse into the lifesaving impact of our Orphans’ Project! Best known for our pioneering work in the rescue and rewilding of infant elephants, our door is open to any wild orphan in need. Each member of this eclectic herd is on a path that will lead them back to a fully wild life. Journeys you help make a reality when contributing to us. Get involved: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org #Sheldricktrust #elephants #kudu #giraffe #rhino #eland #warthog #mud #buffalo #swt #kenya #animals #rescue #wildlife #africa #herd #animalrescue #sheldrickwildlifetrust

As the day winds down, Chamboi makes his way back to the stables, where one of his Keepers is adding the finishing touches to his bedroom - some extra hay for his bed! It appears to get the 'squeak of approval' too! This little bull has come so far since his rescue, growing in confidence with each passing day. You can be part of Chamboi’s journey through an adoption: swt.bio/chamboi #sheldricktrust #wildlife #swt #rhino #blackrhino #bedtime #bed #animal #rescue #animalrescue #kenya #africa #sheldrickwildlifetrust #stable #bedroom #squeak

It looks like Lima Lima’s calf, Lenny, has been taking some training tips from Kiombo - the Messi of our Umani Springs herd (check our Instagram or X feeds to see Kiombo in action!) We’ll have to wait to see if Lenny sticks at it and takes his talents to a similar level, perhaps becoming the Ronaldo of the team! A healthy and protected herd is one full of fun. Your support makes that a reality at our orphan elephant reintegration units. sheldrickwildlifetrust.org #SheldrickTrust #Footwork #wildlife #elephants #baby #babyelephant #animal #play #sheldrickwildlifetrust #messi #ronaldo #conservation #cute

Our conservation journey began with the profound dedication of David and Daphne Sheldrick. For over 25 years, as the founding Warden of Tsavo East National Park, David laid the groundwork for wildlife preservation, while Daphne pioneered the hand-rearing of orphaned elephants and rhinos. Today, their legacy continues through the SWT. From anti-poaching initiatives to habitat preservation and community outreach, our mission remains rooted in the principles established by David and Daphne: a deep respect for nature and an unwavering commitment to safeguard wildlife. It's a commitment to all wild creatures in need. A heartwarming example is our Mr. Bean. #BehindTheScenes #animal #sheldricktrust #kenya #sheldrickwildlifetrust #animalrescue #legacy #wildlife #conservation #elephants #rhinos #nature

Newly rescued infant elephants crave love, comfort, companionship, and lots of milk! At our orphanage, we offer all this and more. We help these orphand overcome physical and psychological trauma, so that one day when grown they can return to a wild life. But first, it’s all about a soft bed of hay, a secure stable, and a Keeper sleeping by their side. Discover more at: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org #sheldricktrust #elephants #wildlife #kenya #africa #babyelephant #sleep #sleeping #comfort #rest #animalrescue #orphan #animals #animal #sheldrickwildlifetrust