Elephant Appreciation Day - September 22

I discovered a web site that taught me a lot about elephants.The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is committed to saving orphan elephants and black rhinos and releasing them back into the wild. That is only part of what they do. They are active in conservation, education and outreach. 

The story of Schmetty both filled me with wonder and then sadness. She was the first baby elephant that was successfully raised on a formula. Baby elephants nurse for two years and their milk is very different from cow’s milk. In 1974 Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick discovered that the addition of coconut oil was the secret to  keeping baby elephants alive. She had tried to raise many, only to watch them weaken and die. Schmetty was the first one to thrive.

But Schmetty taught her another lesson. Elephants bond to their family and grieve when they are separated. Schmetty died in her arms after Daphne returned from a trip to attend her daughter’s wedding. From then on, the babies were attended by a rotating staff of caretakers. They had plenty of affection and love, with caretakers even sleeping with them, but it would not be the same person all the time. Gradually, the youngsters were allowed to mix with the adults, including the wild elephants. When the time was right, the wild adults would take the orphans and they would become members of an elephant family. They did return periodically to visit. In fact, they somehow knew when a new baby was being brought in and would congregate at the orphanage to greet it.

There is no planned agenda for Elephant Day, but I think we should all remember the crisis elephants are in right now. It saddens me to think that such a large and intelligent animal is so vulnerable. There was an attack in Southern Africa recently by helicopter that took the lives of 22 animals. I can’t even imagine the horror of it. In March of 2012 NBC news reported that about half of the elephants living in Camaroon Park had been slaughtered and as many as 200 elephants have been killed since January by poachers.

The ivory ban of 1989 was credited with saving the elephant from extinction, but lately wildlife parks have begun to look like war zones with soldiers helping understaffed park rangers prevent poaching. Much of the problem is blamed on China’s middle class who can now afford to buy the ivory.

On September 11, 2011, News24 reported that poachers were using poison in watering holes to kill elephants along with other animals. Authorities fear that local residents could be endangered by these practices as well.

In addition to poaching, there is loss of habitat and conflict with farmers that is reducing the elephant population. It will take more than a handful of dedicated people to change things for the elephants.

It's a helpless feeling when you think you can't do anything to help a wonderful animal like the elephant. Some of us don't have money to donate and certainly can't go to Africa to try to save the elephants.

The only thing some of us can do is to try to raise awareness, educate, raise money, or donate to a sanctuary. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has a wonderful fostering program that only asks $50 a year to support an orphan. If you have the money, please take a look at it or any of the other deserving orphanages or sanctuaries.