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Our Keepers sleep beside their orphans every night, feed them every three hours, and guide them through the bush each day. Over time, these elephants become family. At Kaluku, Keeper Joseph knows the day will come when the older bulls move on to Ithumba or Voi – another step... show more

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

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16,174 views • 7 months ago •via X (Twitter)

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A rumble of reassurance and a protective, draped trunk is the older orphans equivalent of telling new arrivals "you're safe now." Their soothing presence is just as important to a rescued baby’s recovery as our Keepers, creating a strong emotional support system that carries vulnerable elephants through their darkest hours, so they can one day go on to thrive back in the wild when grown. Find out how you can become a part of our support system for orphaned elephants from wherever you live through our adoption programme:

A rumble of reassurance and a protective, draped trunk is the older orphans equivalent of telling new arrivals "you're safe now." Their soothing presence is just as important to a rescued baby’s recovery as our Keepers, creating a strong emotional support system that carries vulnerable elephants through their darkest hours, so they can one day go on to thrive back in the wild when grown. Find out how you can become a part of our support system for orphaned elephants from wherever you live through our adoption programme:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

67,782 views • 9 months ago

As the sun rises, our rescued orphans venture into the wilderness. Guided by their Keepers, they spend the day exploring and learning the skills they will need to live as wild elephants. It’s a long journey from orphaned baby to independent adult — for some taking upwards of a decade until they feel ready to reclaim their place in the wild — but every step in their journey paves the way. You can support the orphans on their path through an adoption at:

As the sun rises, our rescued orphans venture into the wilderness. Guided by their Keepers, they spend the day exploring and learning the skills they will need to live as wild elephants. It’s a long journey from orphaned baby to independent adult — for some taking upwards of a decade until they feel ready to reclaim their place in the wild — but every step in their journey paves the way. You can support the orphans on their path through an adoption at:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

20,930 views • 1 year ago

When orphaned elephants lose their mothers, they lose everything. That’s where we step in. Our Keepers guide them, as their lost mothers would have done, hand-feed bottles of milk and even sleep bedside them. Walking, side by side, until the orphans are ready to return to the wild. Adopt an orphaned elephant in our care and you can become a part of their family, helping us to provide care, comfort and protection. Adopt for yourself at:

When orphaned elephants lose their mothers, they lose everything. That’s where we step in. Our Keepers guide them, as their lost mothers would have done, hand-feed bottles of milk and even sleep bedside them. Walking, side by side, until the orphans are ready to return to the wild. Adopt an orphaned elephant in our care and you can become a part of their family, helping us to provide care, comfort and protection. Adopt for yourself at:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

20,053 views • 6 months ago

When orphaned elephants lose their mothers, they lose everything. That’s where we step in. Our Keepers guide them, as their lost mothers would have done, hand-feed bottles of milk and even sleep bedside them. Walking, side by side, until thr orphans are ready to return to the wild. Become part of an orphan’s family by adopting and your donation can help us provide care, comfort and protection. Adopt for yourself or a special someone at:

When orphaned elephants lose their mothers, they lose everything. That’s where we step in. Our Keepers guide them, as their lost mothers would have done, hand-feed bottles of milk and even sleep bedside them. Walking, side by side, until thr orphans are ready to return to the wild. Become part of an orphan’s family by adopting and your donation can help us provide care, comfort and protection. Adopt for yourself or a special someone at:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

28,463 views • 7 months ago

Have you met our orphans? Each one has their own story — of loss, rescue, recovery, and a second chance at life. From spirited newborns to gentle older calves, they are all part of our extended family. You can meet them on our website, follow their adventures in our Keepers' Diaries, and support their journey back to a life in the wild through an adoption! Start exploring:

Have you met our orphans? Each one has their own story — of loss, rescue, recovery, and a second chance at life. From spirited newborns to gentle older calves, they are all part of our extended family. You can meet them on our website, follow their adventures in our Keepers' Diaries, and support their journey back to a life in the wild through an adoption! Start exploring:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

16,106 views • 1 year ago

At all our reintegration units the focus is on supporting the orphans as they transition back to the wild. For the female elephants this leads on to starting a family of their own. To date, we know of 77 calves born to elephants we’ve rescued and raised: their wild-living mothers choosing return, so that we might share in their joy. Three of the births in the last year have been in Umani. Babies Sulwe and Zigi, under the watchful gaze of mothers Sonje and Zongoloni, are two of them. Your support helps us rescue orphans, who in turn herald a next generation of elephants. Meet them at:

At all our reintegration units the focus is on supporting the orphans as they transition back to the wild. For the female elephants this leads on to starting a family of their own. To date, we know of 77 calves born to elephants we’ve rescued and raised: their wild-living mothers choosing return, so that we might share in their joy. Three of the births in the last year have been in Umani. Babies Sulwe and Zigi, under the watchful gaze of mothers Sonje and Zongoloni, are two of them. Your support helps us rescue orphans, who in turn herald a next generation of elephants. Meet them at:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

16,390 views • 11 months ago

Early on, Dame Daphne Sheldrick discovered that the mothering of an orphaned elephant needs to be shared. Elephants can form over-attachments to any one individual and if their presence is missed, and orphan can fall into a deep depression and rapidly lose condition. It's why we have a whole team of caregivers caring for the orphans (that and it takes many hands to feed the orphans). It gives our Keepers extended time at home with their own families, and it means every orphan comes to know every Keeper, so that any one Keeper's absence is understood as a break, not another loss. We believe if we work together, we can have a bigger impact for wildlife. Find out how you can play a role:

Early on, Dame Daphne Sheldrick discovered that the mothering of an orphaned elephant needs to be shared. Elephants can form over-attachments to any one individual and if their presence is missed, and orphan can fall into a deep depression and rapidly lose condition. It's why we have a whole team of caregivers caring for the orphans (that and it takes many hands to feed the orphans). It gives our Keepers extended time at home with their own families, and it means every orphan comes to know every Keeper, so that any one Keeper's absence is understood as a break, not another loss. We believe if we work together, we can have a bigger impact for wildlife. Find out how you can play a role:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

22,772 views • 3 months ago

From tiny orphans in need to wild-living families, we support elephants every step of their lives. Elephant conservation is not the work of a moment, but a monumental, multi-generational commitment. The lifespan of an elephant mirrors our own. As we nurture the orphans of today, we are working on the bigger picture — securing entire landscapes, safeguarding wild lives, and tackling root threats like poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict — to secure a future for all elephants. To date, we have rescued over 300 orphaned elephants and welcomed 77 wild grandbabies of our Orphans' Project. Our fast growing elephant family tree is a testament to the success of this 'big picture' conservation work. Every life saved, every wild baby born, is a result of thousands of kilometres patrolled by rangers, countless hours flown by pilots, long days and sleepless nights worked by teams in the field. Will you become part of the bigger picture? Join us this #WorldElephantDay (and every day) in protecting Kenya's elephants — become a donor or adopt an orphan:

From tiny orphans in need to wild-living families, we support elephants every step of their lives. Elephant conservation is not the work of a moment, but a monumental, multi-generational commitment. The lifespan of an elephant mirrors our own. As we nurture the orphans of today, we are working on the bigger picture — securing entire landscapes, safeguarding wild lives, and tackling root threats like poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict — to secure a future for all elephants. To date, we have rescued over 300 orphaned elephants and welcomed 77 wild grandbabies of our Orphans' Project. Our fast growing elephant family tree is a testament to the success of this 'big picture' conservation work. Every life saved, every wild baby born, is a result of thousands of kilometres patrolled by rangers, countless hours flown by pilots, long days and sleepless nights worked by teams in the field. Will you become part of the bigger picture? Join us this #WorldElephantDay (and every day) in protecting Kenya's elephants — become a donor or adopt an orphan:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

27,775 views • 1 year ago

Wishing a very Happy Father’s Day to all the paternal figures in our lives! Today — and every day — we give special thanks to our Keepers. It takes an extraordinary person to raise an orphaned elephant. Many of our Keepers say they have their human children and their elephant children — but really, they’re all their children! Each one is raised with a lifetime of love, dedication, and support. Orphans like Toto (pictured here as a baby with Keeper Joseph) are guided by their Keepers every step of the way, until they are ready to reclaim their place in the wild. Ask any Keeper about their greatest pride, and you’ll likely hear the same answer: seeing ‘their’ babies grow up happy and healthy, return to the wild where they belong, and one day start families of their own. #fathersday

Wishing a very Happy Father’s Day to all the paternal figures in our lives! Today — and every day — we give special thanks to our Keepers. It takes an extraordinary person to raise an orphaned elephant. Many of our Keepers say they have their human children and their elephant children — but really, they’re all their children! Each one is raised with a lifetime of love, dedication, and support. Orphans like Toto (pictured here as a baby with Keeper Joseph) are guided by their Keepers every step of the way, until they are ready to reclaim their place in the wild. Ask any Keeper about their greatest pride, and you’ll likely hear the same answer: seeing ‘their’ babies grow up happy and healthy, return to the wild where they belong, and one day start families of their own. #fathersday

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

55,641 views • 1 year ago

A day in the life of an orphaned elephant at our Kaluku Neonate Unit is filled with milk bottles, cuddles, mudbaths and playful games. Why? Because when it comes to successfully raising orphaned elephants, tending to their psychological health is just as important as their physical condition. Discover how – with care, caution and experience rooted in decades of raising elephants – we help shepherd the youngest orphans through the most difficult chapters in their lives:

A day in the life of an orphaned elephant at our Kaluku Neonate Unit is filled with milk bottles, cuddles, mudbaths and playful games. Why? Because when it comes to successfully raising orphaned elephants, tending to their psychological health is just as important as their physical condition. Discover how – with care, caution and experience rooted in decades of raising elephants – we help shepherd the youngest orphans through the most difficult chapters in their lives:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

37,328 views • 8 months ago

Reintegrating elephants and rhinos looks a little different. But the end result – a life in the wild – is always the same. Central to the successful rewilding of both species is gradual acceptance by the locals. Our elephant orphans hone their survival skills over years through face-to-face interactions with wild elephants, and we tend to find herds are accepting of their presence. Rhinos are different. Deeply territorial, they don't welcome newcomers. Our rhino orphans learn through scent, dung piles and the slow process of being recognised by the wild rhinos around them. Every day, dawn to dusk, their Keepers walk them along the trails and dung piles left by their wild neighbours. The calf contributes its own, and gradually – over years – it becomes an accepted part of the local community. Apollo here is mid-way through that process. Read more:

Reintegrating elephants and rhinos looks a little different. But the end result – a life in the wild – is always the same. Central to the successful rewilding of both species is gradual acceptance by the locals. Our elephant orphans hone their survival skills over years through face-to-face interactions with wild elephants, and we tend to find herds are accepting of their presence. Rhinos are different. Deeply territorial, they don't welcome newcomers. Our rhino orphans learn through scent, dung piles and the slow process of being recognised by the wild rhinos around them. Every day, dawn to dusk, their Keepers walk them along the trails and dung piles left by their wild neighbours. The calf contributes its own, and gradually – over years – it becomes an accepted part of the local community. Apollo here is mid-way through that process. Read more:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

11,605 views • 2 months ago

Elephants don't drink through their trunks – they drink with them. A trunk can hold up to 8 litres of water in a single draw. The elephant pulls it up, then curls the trunk to release the water into the mouth. On a hot day at Voi, that sequence repeats over and over. It takes young orphans time to master. Calves are born without full trunk coordination – in their earliest weeks, many kneel at the waterhole and drink directly with their mouth. The trunk comes later, learned by watching older members of the herd. These orphans have it well and truly mastered. Step into Voi:

Elephants don't drink through their trunks – they drink with them. A trunk can hold up to 8 litres of water in a single draw. The elephant pulls it up, then curls the trunk to release the water into the mouth. On a hot day at Voi, that sequence repeats over and over. It takes young orphans time to master. Calves are born without full trunk coordination – in their earliest weeks, many kneel at the waterhole and drink directly with their mouth. The trunk comes later, learned by watching older members of the herd. These orphans have it well and truly mastered. Step into Voi:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

19,192 views • 3 months ago

Mbegu and little Busara are sharing a tender moment, showcasing the deep bonds that define elephant relationships. Family is everything to elephants — their lives revolve around their herds, with each member playing a vital role in nurturing and protecting one another. Even orphans like Busara find a new family among their fellow rescues, creating bonds that are just as strong and enduring. It's thanks to your support that we can help offer orphaned elephants a forever family:

Mbegu and little Busara are sharing a tender moment, showcasing the deep bonds that define elephant relationships. Family is everything to elephants — their lives revolve around their herds, with each member playing a vital role in nurturing and protecting one another. Even orphans like Busara find a new family among their fellow rescues, creating bonds that are just as strong and enduring. It's thanks to your support that we can help offer orphaned elephants a forever family:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

16,228 views • 1 year ago

Lunchtime at Voi, and there are lots of rumbly tummies. Like little race cars, the orphans speed down the track for their bottles. Long before these elephants can live wild, they depend on something simple – milk, around the clock, every day for years. Each orphan drinks its way through many bottles of milk a day. You can help cover a milk feed by donating:

Lunchtime at Voi, and there are lots of rumbly tummies. Like little race cars, the orphans speed down the track for their bottles. Long before these elephants can live wild, they depend on something simple – milk, around the clock, every day for years. Each orphan drinks its way through many bottles of milk a day. You can help cover a milk feed by donating:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

15,815 views • 1 month ago

How do our orphans spend their evenings? At our Nairobi and Kaluku Nurseries, each orphan returns to their own stable at dusk – a stable lined with freshly cut branches and browse. A Keeper sleeps on a raised platform inside the stable, within reach of the elephant's trunk - so should a trunk snake up reaching for comfort at any hour of night, they will always be rewarded. Milk is mixed fresh every three hours through the night and hand-delivered in two big bottles. At our Voi, Umani and Ithumba Reintegration Units, the orphans share larger, communal stockades and Keepers sleep nearby rather than inside. For more #BehindTheScenes, take a look at our videos (a great way to while the weekend away):

How do our orphans spend their evenings? At our Nairobi and Kaluku Nurseries, each orphan returns to their own stable at dusk – a stable lined with freshly cut branches and browse. A Keeper sleeps on a raised platform inside the stable, within reach of the elephant's trunk - so should a trunk snake up reaching for comfort at any hour of night, they will always be rewarded. Milk is mixed fresh every three hours through the night and hand-delivered in two big bottles. At our Voi, Umani and Ithumba Reintegration Units, the orphans share larger, communal stockades and Keepers sleep nearby rather than inside. For more #BehindTheScenes, take a look at our videos (a great way to while the weekend away):

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

19,024 views • 3 months ago

In the shadow of Tsavo's Msinga Hill, our Voi Reintegration Unit has been preparing orphaned elephants for wild life since the early days of Dame Daphne and David Sheldrick’s pioneering conservation work. Here, orphaned elephants take their next steps toward independence. Each elephant develops at their own pace, as they build confidence and learn from each other, and passing wild herds, the skills they'll need for life in the wild. Since Eleanor's reintegration in the 1960s, Voi has witnessed countless success stories. Some orphans choose to venture far into the bush, others return regularly to these familiar stockades; taking a drink and reconnecting with their extended human family. Learn more about our Orphans’ Project:

In the shadow of Tsavo's Msinga Hill, our Voi Reintegration Unit has been preparing orphaned elephants for wild life since the early days of Dame Daphne and David Sheldrick’s pioneering conservation work. Here, orphaned elephants take their next steps toward independence. Each elephant develops at their own pace, as they build confidence and learn from each other, and passing wild herds, the skills they'll need for life in the wild. Since Eleanor's reintegration in the 1960s, Voi has witnessed countless success stories. Some orphans choose to venture far into the bush, others return regularly to these familiar stockades; taking a drink and reconnecting with their extended human family. Learn more about our Orphans’ Project:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

10,527 views • 1 year ago

Just your average day out walking... with a rescued giraffe and four baby elephants! Twiggy — the tallest member of our herd — sets her own daily itinerary, but more often than not it involves joining Chamboi the rhino, and then Mwinzi, Toto, Natibu, and Korbessa the elephants, for their respective mud baths, and she'll always find time in her day to socialise with the many other orphans in Kaluku too, such as Mr Bean, Bibi, Bombi and the ostriches. A combination of nosey neighbour and mother goose, read how Twiggy came to need our help, and how you can be a part of her story through an adoption at:

Just your average day out walking... with a rescued giraffe and four baby elephants! Twiggy — the tallest member of our herd — sets her own daily itinerary, but more often than not it involves joining Chamboi the rhino, and then Mwinzi, Toto, Natibu, and Korbessa the elephants, for their respective mud baths, and she'll always find time in her day to socialise with the many other orphans in Kaluku too, such as Mr Bean, Bibi, Bombi and the ostriches. A combination of nosey neighbour and mother goose, read how Twiggy came to need our help, and how you can be a part of her story through an adoption at:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

20,840 views • 1 year ago

Our Ithumba orphans make their way to the midday mud bath — a procession full of purpose, personality, and pachyderm charm. Every one of these elephants is here because someone cared. Their recovery, their growth, and their journey back to the wild is only possible thanks to people like you. Your donations make this work possible — from lifesaving rescues to daily care, milk feeds to mud baths. We couldn’t do it without you. Find out more ways you can make a difference: #GuardiansOfTheWild

Our Ithumba orphans make their way to the midday mud bath — a procession full of purpose, personality, and pachyderm charm. Every one of these elephants is here because someone cared. Their recovery, their growth, and their journey back to the wild is only possible thanks to people like you. Your donations make this work possible — from lifesaving rescues to daily care, milk feeds to mud baths. We couldn’t do it without you. Find out more ways you can make a difference: #GuardiansOfTheWild

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

11,449 views • 1 year ago

Thanks to you, Kenya's orphaned elephants always have a place to call home. A safe space where we can help them overcome physical and emotional trauma, allowing them to sleep peacefully in the knowledge they are protected by family. For the very youngest orphans, that looks like having a Keeper beside them through the night. Not in the next room, but right there – sleeping above them, waking for feeds, offering comfort. Donations and adoptions enable us to offer this level of care, giving rescued elephant calves 24/7 Keeper attention at the time in their lives when they need it most. Find out more:

Thanks to you, Kenya's orphaned elephants always have a place to call home. A safe space where we can help them overcome physical and emotional trauma, allowing them to sleep peacefully in the knowledge they are protected by family. For the very youngest orphans, that looks like having a Keeper beside them through the night. Not in the next room, but right there – sleeping above them, waking for feeds, offering comfort. Donations and adoptions enable us to offer this level of care, giving rescued elephant calves 24/7 Keeper attention at the time in their lives when they need it most. Find out more:

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

99,366 views • 7 months ago