In the News: Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

‎'The Miracle that is Murera' 

is a testament to the superior care of the most iconic 

orphan sanctuary in the world, 

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust 

This is another heart-warming story from the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya.  I have written about the work they do to save and reintroduce elephants back into the wild in Tsavo National Park in November 2012,  July 2012, and about my visit in January 13, 2011.

When I was in Africa in 2011, I visited the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi – a wonderful compassionate place for orphaned elephant babies and youngsters that are rehabilitated to be released into the wild into an established herd in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya.  I visited an adjacent park, Amboseli, on my safari and experienced for the first time elephants in the wild, big herds of adults, youngsters and babies – a precious sight to see.

 

 

 

http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

Today's story describes the rescue and incredible rehabilitation of a 2 year old baby elephant Murera found with wounds and incredible pain, and the courage and victory - beating the incredible odds against her.

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Miracle MURERA. She came to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trusts Nursery wracked with pain and few believed she would ever heal and lead a normal life again.

A man called Piers Winkworth made it his business to rescue this calf who had been observed in a desperate state in Meru National Park for some time. He called the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and forwarded photographs of her to ensure that she was able to be rescued, for she was clearly over two years old already with ivory showing through her top lip. Having sought KWS permission, our team now on the ground in Meru National Park, she was captured and airlifted to Nairobi arriving 8.00pm at night on the 21st of February 2012.



  


The next day the extent of her agony and wounds was all too evident. With heavy hearts it was hard to believe that there would be a happy outcome, her hind legs terribly damaged, one broken and the other suppurating with poisoned wounds. Her forehead was etched in wrinkled pain, and her body constantly contorted to give some relief from the trauma felt throughout her hind quarters.

For the Keepers to be on MURERA duty over the weeks and months was torturous, for no-one liked to have to witness her discomfort without the ability to offer her respite from it. The vets gave her little chance of recovery, but we believed in time - for over the years we have learnt about the incredible healing powers of elephants.


  


And so it was slowly, slowly, MURERA worked towards rebuilding her life. For months she remained solo in the forest browsing with little Orwa as company and her Keepers close at hand. Her pain was still evident for all to see and her back limb swollen and useless. The foot with the poisoned spike wounds healed over time thanks to the Green Clay applied daily and diligently.

Weeks turned into many months and with the help of turmeric in every milk feed the inflammation and swelling subsided, and her mobility began to come back. Still by July she needed to squat frequently to relieve the pain, and this was now four months later. But it was evident that MURERA was a very special elephant indeed, not that we needed further proof of this for her fighting spirit and courage had touched many peoples hearts by now, but she slowly emerged from her self inflicted isolation to fraternize with the Nursery orphans, with a special friend in SONJE, and this was the moment that we all realized that the struggle to heal MURERA had not been in vain.
  


The useless hind limb that for so many months she had just dragged behind her could now be used in a viable way, and her hollow cheeks began to fill as her condition returned, and best of all she began to play. Six months after this broken elephant arrived at our Nursery there was clear evidence that MURERA was indeed going to live a normal and one day wild life once more.

She began to take charge of the unit as the oldest elephant in the Nursery and even began to nurture the young babies. Ten months in our care now and her movement continues to improve and MURERA is pain free. She is a dignified, serene, and above all heroic elephant who has had to live through unspeakable agony at the hands of man. Yet she has been able to rebuild her life thanks to the second chance she was given by those compassionate people who initiated her rescue, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Keepers who have tenderly treated her through such difficult times sometimes almost too hard to witness, and a global public who have fostered MURERA throughout the year providing the vital financial support needed for her care.

She has shown her gratitude over and over again through her exuberance for life having beaten the odds. We marvel daily at the Miracle that is MURERA.


  

Latest Updates on MURERA:

• 12/14/2012 - The Miracle that is Murera
• 6/11/2012 - Murera's progress at the Nairobi Nursery
• 2/21/2012 - The Rescue of Murera

To foster MURERA please click here.

 

http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

Til next time,

Meggi

In the News: Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

[Artist unknown]

Bull Elephant Rescue

Last year I was privileged to visit the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi Kenya.  Not only take they care of orphaned elephant babies but read the incredible survival story of the injured elephant bull.  Their work is remarkable.  Elephants in Africa are under attack from poachers for their ivory - in very high demand in China.  



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A Unique Survival; A Tsavo Elephant beats all odds - 11/9/2012

On the 6th of November a tour operator reported seeing an elephant with what looked like a wound to the front right leg in the Sala area. The DSWT Tsavo Vet Unit was alerted and waited on standby until the specific location of the elephant was reported. Vague reports continued to come in about the elephant, which was stuck in deep mud, yet no reports could clearly verify the location. The following day, early in the morning, the DSWT aircraft was deployed to locate the elephant from the air. Initially nothing could be seen and after landing at several tented camps in the area there was still no further information. Yet one last check of a remote waterhole proved successful and in the middle of the water laid a lone elephant, almost fully submerged. The elephant had obviously fallen in a waterhole, only managing to breath through its trunk.




Immediately the mobile DSWT Vet Unit was on its way and half an hour later they met with a KWS team and headed to the waterhole, finding the elephant still in the middle of the water, with its head still fully submerged. At this point it was not clear if the animal was still alive. They had a challenge on their hands with how best to proceed but action had to be taken urgently.
  


One of the KWS rangers volunteered to go in and see whether the elephant was indeed still alive. He pulled its tail and pulled harder and suddenly the sleeping giant erupted out of the water sending the 'tail puller' into rapid retreat. Miraculously the elephant rose to its feet, which was a huge relief as no treatment could have been given to it while it lay in the water. Slowly the KWS team 'herded' it out of the waterhole, whilst it tried to charge at the rescue teams, but with its front leg in such a bad way it could do no more than a few frustrated limps.
  

  


Eventually it stood far enough away from the water - if the elephant was darted and returned to the water it would have been a disaster. The DSWT vet prepared his dart and quietly crept up behind the animal, and fired the tranquilizer into its left flank. Within five minutes the animal crumpled to the ground and work began. A bush obstructing its breathing had to be removed first, whilst one person was given the duty of cooling the elephant with water. Others collected a tree stump on which to prop the injured leg, whilst the vet went to work, sweating in the heat, being assisted by the KWS team. It was now mid-afternoon and intensely hot.
  




A deep single wound on the ankle which is believed to have been caused by a poisoned arrow, was soon cleaned out and treated. This took about twenty minutes whilst the elephant snored in deep sleep. Antibiotics were injected into the muscle tissue before another small injection into a vein in the ear was given to finally revive the patient. Within minutes he struggled to get up but with a bit of persuasion he finally rose to his feet and stood motionless accessing the situation. His trunk sniffed his ankle, wondering what the new feelings were and the foreign smells of the medication. Finally he stared at the team of onlookers in an almost thankful way and turned to hobble off into the bush.


  


He will be monitored over the next few days and should he continue to struggle, a follow-up treatment will be carried out, but hopefully he will soon return to health, put weight back on his foot and carry on to wander the plains of Tsavo.

Through your support and the support of Vier Pfoten the treatment of this elephant was made possible. The DSWT is hugely grateful and hopes that through your continued support more lives can be saved.

Reported by:  http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/updates/updates.asp?ID=468
https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/is/donate_now.asp  

The Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage is a truly incredible organization - can they save the elephants from extinction?

Til next time,
Meggi

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The M. Raeder-Photography list of 2013 Photo Opportunities and  Workshops is here - don't delay to check it out and sign up!  Questions?  You can always reach me at mraeder33@gmail.com.

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