Women in Conservation, Shirley, Khanyisa, Fenya, Rama. Tune in at 130PM to the Elephant in the Room!

Precious Moments with Adine & Khensani ~ Celebrating Women in Elephant Conservation

Happy International Women's Day! Here are a few precious moments with Khensani and Adine, Khanyisa, Lammie and Fenya, the good times when love and kindness win.

Elephant orphans like Khanyisa and Fenya who have been separated from their original herds gain immense value from getting a second chance at not just life, but life with a new herd, a family to once again be a part of.

Because of their high intelligence, sensitivity and complexity, elephants are very different to your usual wild animal. Their needs are diverse and nuanced and require a special kind of rehabilitation, one with heart, soul and respect as well as milk and medicine.

The role of our carers in this journey is vital and acts a replacement for the family - mothers, allomothers, sisters... - that the calf would have lost. Before the orphans can be introduced to and accepted by the Jabulani herd, it is our human herd who provide the little elephants with comfort and companionship, as well as teaching, support, stimulation, and sustenance while they heal.

Our human herd also help to keep the nursery grounds clean and monitor the animals' health, wellness and safety at all times. It is not always easy, and requires great strength of character, will, loyalty, dedication, selflessness and compassion. With many of the herd's carers coming from Zimbabwe with the original herd of elephants, we've endeavoured to employ more people from the community around us, with a focus on women, as more and more opportunities arise at HERD.

Khensani has been one such incredible carer, working her way up from junior nursery assistant to junior nursery carer, with the guidance of HERD Founder, Adine.

This is a story of women inspiring women, women empowering women, women supporting women, wherever possible. Khensani's soft yet strong nature, caring and empathic heart, work ethic that never shies away from hard tasks, calm under pressure, eagerness to learn and growing compassion for elephants is just the beginning of our dream to employ more women, the beginning of the great ripple effect women in conservation can create, as we continue to share the value of elephants with the younger and older generations around us, and to pass on knowledge and experience from generation to generation.

By creating more opportunities for women in conservation we help to give more women a voice and a dream they may never have thought to dream, as well make the field of conservation more equal and truthful. Our male carers are exemplary but there is something about a women's intuition, strength of compassion and touch as natural caregivers that can't be denied...

Naomi Lechongoro takes care of elephants at Reteti elephant sanctuary Lechongoro: Taking care of the animals is like taking care of babies

Shirley

The Sanctuary is still deeply feeling the loss of Shirley, the matriarch of the Asian herd. We would like to extend a big Thank You for the incredible outpouring of love and support since Shirley’s passing on February 22. We have heard from so many of you who have been impacted by her story. Whether it’s sharing memories from Shirley's days performing in the circus or her time at The Louisiana Purchase Zoo and Gardens, how she inspired you to advocate for elephants, or how you enjoyed watching her explore The Sanctuary on the EleCams, we are grateful for each and every comment, call, donation, and email.

Born in Sumatra in 1948, Shirley was captured from the wild and sold to a traveling circus, entertaining audiences for more than 20 years. In addition to the immense hardship of a life in performance, during her time in the circus, Shirley survived capture by Fidel Castro’s forces as well as a highway accident that killed two other elephants. In 1963, the circus ship Shirley was traveling on caught fire and partially sank, leaving Shirley with burns on her back, side, and feet and causing her to lose part of her right ear. In 1974, Shirley suffered a broken leg during an altercation with another elephant.

As a result of her injury, in 1977, she was transferred to The Louisiana Purchase Zoo and Gardens, where she was the sole elephant resident for 22 years. As Shirley aged, the zoo staff decided she needed more space and the companionship of other elephants. Her primary caretaker, Solomon James, accompanied Shirley on her journey to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

When she arrived at The Sanctuary in 1999, Shirley had a loud and joyous reunion with another Asian elephant, Jenny — nearly bending the bars of their barn stalls to be near to one another. It was later discovered that the two performed together in the circus 24 years earlier. For the next seven years, Shirley and Jenny were inseparable in a relationship resembling one of a mother and calf.

A PBS documentary, The Urban Elephant, documented Shirley and Jenny’s explorations together, including Shirley standing guard over Jenny as she took naps in the habitat. Shirley thrived at The Elephant Sanctuary for 21 years, spending her days traversing the hills and meadows, wallowing in the mud, and exploring with other elephants in her herd. At the time of her passing, held the record for the second oldest elephant in North America.

The Sanctuary family celebrates our memories of her wisdom, strength, and perseverance; she demonstrated to us all that it is possible to trust, to heal, and to love again after enduring many decades of hardship. About The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee: Located 85 miles southwest of Nashville in Hohenwald, Tenn., The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee provides elephants retired from performance and exhibition with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being.

The Sanctuary also works to raise public awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity, and the crisis facing elephants in the wild. The Elephant Discovery Center, The Sanctuary’s educational center with exhibits focused on elephants’ role as a keystone species, is open to visitors in downtown Hohenwald. The elephants’ habitats are closed to the public.

An update on Fenya - she has improved overnight!

FENYA is a fighter! We have positive feedback this morning💚. She made it through the night! Her strength slowly gained with her body seeming to have reacted well to the transfusion and fluids she received. So much so, she chased after Joshua a bit earlier! She drank and ate well and slept a bit too, mostly standing up. Her glucose levels were very low - so we have also been focusing on that, which is helping get her energy up. Yesterday she could hardly lift her head and she was very cold.

Today she is better, and we are very relieved. We knew that her albumen levels were low which blood tests revealed (as mentioned in previous updates), - however, we had been waiting for her strength and weight to increase, to be able to take the sedation. In her condition yesterday turning so weak, we had to make that decision to do it or we could lose her.

Fortunately, so far, it was the right decision. Though she is still very weak overall. It is a blessing to be able to have the blood of an elephant accessible to be able to assist in an emergency. We will do a full blog update about that process tomorrow, and hopefully, answer all the questions you may have then.

While we started sedating her we took the opportunity to move her to Khanyisa's nursery, which has a fenced area with a garden that she can now get some sunshine and enjoy the grass and sand. We have gained her trust enough now to be able to approach her in that area now, without the divisions that we had in the other nursery, which were essential for everyone's safety.

Though we still have to keep our guard, as you will see by a clip where she was chasing Joshua. She could hurt a carer, and their safety is paramount, so we are taking it in stages. She has taken the bottle from the carers and allowed Adine to clean her wounds. This is a big step in the right direction, without the divisions we had previously until now. She has sanded herself which is great.

Of course, this is not ideal for her wounds, but her energy and keeping her going is more important right now. Her dung looks great which is also positive after the procedure, and she is urinating. We are relieved she is doing okay - but we have to remember just how fragile baby elephants are, and having additional emotional and physical trauma has an immense impact on them, and their conditions can change so quickly. It is great to see her outside now and in the warmth of the morning sun. We will keep you updated.

Thank you so much to Doc Rogers and the Provet team as well as our carers for just being so incredible!

Thank you from all of us at HERD to our followers, for your love and support, and immense concern for Fenya. It is really so so heartwarming to feel all the love and prayers from all around the world. Thank you x Thank you to the Whimsical Collection for the blanket previously sent for Khanyisa, Fenya has it on her today

This is to regulate her temperature in cooler mornings.

Baby elephants Khanyisa and Fenya in person without any divisions for the first time!

How exciting! Khanyisa and Fenya met for the first time without any division between them this morning☀️. Carers Josh and Stavros watched with much glee as Khanyisa poked her head around curiously into Fenya's nursery! Fenya kept her distance at first, and then soon decided to join Khanyisa. It was very calm and peaceful as they stood side by side for a short while, but then they both decided to move to opposite sides of the orphanage. Bless! It will take some time. We must say Khanyisa has seemed to be very relaxed with Fenya moving into her nursery, she has adapted well to moving next door. We did that to give Fenya a bigger area with an outdoor area that she can roam freely in as she gets used to the larger area of the orphanage.

Shortly after, Khanyisa left to join the herd, as they set out into the reserve for aa day of foraging. Fenya stayed behind with Lammie and some of our care team and was soon chasing Lammie around. They settled a little while later and enjoyed munching on the orphanage grass together.

Jabulani, an older bull who is also an orphan that was rescued in 1997, made an appearance in the distance but did not come much nearer. Many of our followers will recall how he often came and spent time at the fence with Khanyisa as she was healing. It will be interesting to see if he does the same with Fenya. Fenya is doing okay - her condition is similar to yesterday, though she slept a little bit more, however, she is still not lying down completely. You can see her energy is still a bit low - but it was great to see her out in the orphanage eating and relaxing at her easy pace.

Thanks for all the love and support again! Look out for our "Little by Little" Fundraising campaign we are launching on Monday - details will be posted in YOUTUBE community soon!

Rama's Rescue

Barely into the New Year, 2021, we received reports of a lone calf on El Kerama Ranch in Laikipia.

He was about three years of age, far too young to be on his own. His back legs appeared to be severely bow-legged, which hindered his mobility and added a further element of concern to his situation. This film tells the story of his rescue and early recovery. You can read the full account of Rama's rescue at: https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.or...​

Established in 1977, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) operates the world’s most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program, rescuing and hand-rearing orphaned elephants and other animals that have lost their mothers, all too often as a result of human activity.

But we do much more than this. Through our Aerial, Anti-Poaching and Mobile Veterinary Units, we safeguard the natural environment and provide immediate assistance to wild animals in need. We also secure irreplaceable wilderness areas so that animals will always have space to roam and work with local partners and communities to ensure people and wildlife can live alongside one another.

Elephant happiness when the Jabulani herd spend time in water!

It was family time around the dam, as Khanyisa and the Jabulani herd spent time in their little groups or some alone, soaking up the sun while refreshing themselves with the dam waters💦. Khanyisa was bobbing around in the water, sticking close to Limpopo and Kumbura, but soon Timisa joined them too.

When they finish swimming, the elephants make sure they lather themselves with mud and sand, to protect their skin from the sun and help keep the moisture in too! The mud and sand is also a clever natural insect repellent and remover, as once it is dry, they will scratch themselves against a tree or a rock, and the caked mud helps pull away insects that had made themselves at home on their skin or in the folds of their skin! Remember when Khanyisa took her swim in July last year?

It was about six months after she was rescued. We look forward to sharing similar milestones with Fenya with you too

Elephant in the Room airs every Monday at 130PM at Sunset TV!

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