Gentle Baby Giants
My last stop was a very special orphanage for elephants. When I entered the David Sheldrick Wildlife Sanctuary it felt like being in a dream. We walked into a big field and within minutes we were surrounded by groups of baby elephants. The baby elephants were orphaned due to poaching. Poachers seek elephant ivory from the animal’s tusks because it is a luxury item in Asia. Selling it, they make lot of money. Poaching is illegal but it still happens all the time. Places like the David Sheldrick Wildlife Sanctuary are working hard to stop poachers and take care of the orphans.
I felt so blessed to spend time with these gentle giants. I met a baby elephant who was only two months old and had just arrived at the sanctuary. He touched my heart. He was shy, scared, and still traumatized from losing his mother. He was not ready to be playful with the other members of his adopted herd. He was so sweet, looking for a little love and one of my friends hug his trunk. It was an amazing gift to meet the baby elephants.
They explained to us that in some ways elephants are not that different from humans. When we are happy, cared for, and loved, we thrive and the same is true for elephants. I will never understand how someone could kill or harm an animal as beautiful and special as an elephant. We need to speak up for these animals or they will continue to be in danger. One of the best ways to help protect the elephants is to help educate people about their plight. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Sanctuary is doing an amazing job educating local populations in the area about the elephants and the role they play in health and well-being of the ecosystem. It is very cool that they employ a lot of the local people at the sanctuary.
We protect what we care about, and we care about what we understand. Education on these issues is crucial. We must understand what’s at stake and that we need to take action now. A simple step is to never buy anything made with ivory. Another easy step is visiting the website of the orphanage (http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org) and learning more about the elephants and share what you learn.
Lots of love, G
Learn more about the African elephants. A species in danger due to poaching for ivory.
Read more from Equipe Übersite
There are 24 comments to “Gentle Baby Giants”
Quando vemos cada um daqueles resgates, e depois o trato e a inclusão dos elefantinhos órfãos, é mágico, esplendido de verdade. Ao ver que uma pessoa de tão bos vontade e grande notoriedade como você esteve lá, nossa, que orgulho de ser brasileiro rsrs. Porém ainda mais pela marca que você deixa ali. Um exemplo. Devemos cuidar, cada um daquilo que seu coração direcionar. Se uns cuidam dos idosos, outros das crianças, de arvores, do ar, das águas, de cada ser vivo. Eu amo os elefantes. Quando cuidamos de um ser, de um vegetal que seja, honramos Deus e suas criações. Que dera que cada ser cuidasse de outro ser. De nada me serve se eu não servir.
Obrigado Gisele, por ser mais que a número UM da moda.
Por ser também mais UMA em defesa e preservação da vida.
Marcos Machrysller
Giselle – you visited the babies and may have some understanding of the poaching crisis in Africa. We fight day and night to protect these gentle giants. The problem is not the level of protection and support in Africa – the problem is the people buying the Ivory. Tonnes and tonnes of bloody elephant carcasses – leaving orphaned babies – for a useless ivory sculpture??? We are fighting a loosing battle if the demand for ivory continues. We need people like you who care about our environment and the ecosystem. There are tribes in Kenya who cannot marry without elephant. A simple ad campaign ANYTHING to raise awareness to prevent the massacre and BLOODY IVORY TRADE.
I really hope you can help. Thanks Julia
Northern Kenya Laikipa/ Samburu
The rate of illegal killing has increased significantly and is now at a level that is no longer manageable; it is likely that Kenya’s second largest elephant population, after two decades of recovery, will go into decline if this level of poaching continues. The proportion of illegally killed elephants in 2011 (61% across the entire Samburu/Laikipia MIKE site) is the highest reported since the MIKE programme began in 2002. There is an urgent need to address the drivers of poaching both nationally and internationally whilst also increasing the resources and skills of conservancies in anti-poaching. Dr Juliet King
People who kills elephants by sport, is an insane monster. How can they kill this marvellous creatures?
They must be non hearted and tiranic people.
Thanks for helping to love them and stop this awful thing of killing elephants.
[...] to the ivory poaching. She urges her fans to save these endangered elephants from extinction. Read her blog on her Elephant visit here. Bob Barker is a hero of [...]
paraberns pelo seu trabalho la no Quenia com os elefantes precisamos de gente assim que tenha piedade com os pobres inocentes animais. Mais uma vez obg
Oi Gisele é um GRANDE prazer ter conhecido este teu blog primeiramente !!! Interessante é que eu estou a fazer um curso aonde me pediram para achar um blog e comentar sobre ele ; e advinha qual achei hihihihi pois é o teu ou melhor agora nosso eu como seu visitante amigo e cooperador em o que precisar ok !!!! Não falei né mais adoro tudo relacionado a animais e ecologia em geral !!!! GDE ABRAÇO!!!
Gisele: Thank you so much for taking the time to describe your visit. My wife and I are strong supporters of African Wildlife protection and the Foundation and hope to visit ourselves one day. We need strong action on an international scale to stop poaching and so-called “big game hunting” that is being condoned by corrupt governments that seek financial gain. The recent killing spree by the trump sons in Zimbabwe is an example that need to be exposed. Thank you again.
Ed
The pictures of Donald’s son holding the dead elephants detached tail was disgusting!
I wonder how much they paid to do that and if it was worth it!
Gisele, What you do is amazing, hope it can be extente to human’s life. With best wishes always. Denise.
Protect those elephants!
Thank you for visiting and your blog! I only wish to visit someday and see Shimba and all the others! The more we can spread the word about these babies, the better off they will be. God blesses every kind soul, including those with 4 legs!
As a foster mother of two (Shukuru and Kithaka), I know the desire to get the word out to help all the orphans and to stop poaching in the first place. Thank you for your article and for using your celebrity to garner awareness for such a good organization!
Disse tudo Gisele: Responsabilidade, Proteção e carinho para com os animais só nos faz bem. Sua luta é exemplo e quem ama os bichos sabe que o amor deles é incondicional. Afinal, Deus está no modo de olhar de cada um. Beijos no coração!
thank you so much for spreading the word about this wonderful organization! The more people know about these orphans, the sooner that the horrors of poaching will be stopped
Hi,
Thanks for writing about such an amazing and moving place. I visited last year and was amazingly inspired! I agree with your comparison to a dream. For me it struck me how much the elephants acted like human children it. It felt like I got a glimpse into an elephant family for a while. Good luck with your work promoting environmental sustainability. I am currently working in a project inspired by another UN ambassador (but for peace) Dr. Jane Goodall! Good to know their are many people out there working towards a better world.
All the best
You are very blessed to have been there. I am a partner with the foundation for two years now. I love all the hard work they do on behalf of the animals. There are angels working there.
Gisele,
I had the opportunity to visit The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust August 2011. I agree it’s an amazing place and the car givers are truly the elephants angels here on earth! The baby elephant I fell in love with, Mumbushi died 3 weeks after her little 3 month old trunk was caressing my hand. My understanding from what I read online, although comforted by her caregiver, as her all of her teeth started coming in at once, she was once again traumatized for the lack of comfort from her Mother. The work DSWT does must and will continue with the support from all of us! Visit, foster and lend support! I’m now the proud foster partent of Kilhari thanks to my traveling girlfriends that made the visit happen. After visiting DSWT we also climbed Kilimanjaro together. Hope you were able to go there! A great stop in South Africa, Ukatula, an amazing Lion Reserve.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the world! Patrice
I too had the honor of visiting DSWT in August and feel head over heels for Mumbushi and the work of all the caregivers. I now foster two elephants for myself and gifted a foster to a 4 year old boy. So proud to be a small part of this organization, they are amazing.
They are so beautiful and peaceful looking! Thanks for the link Gisele, will definitely look into it.
Thank you so much, Gisele, for sharing your special time at The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust with all of us. It is an amazing place and I am a proud and loyal supporter. I foster 4 elephants (so far) there and will be meeting them all for the first time next month. I know I will feel exactly like you when I first come through those gates…..it is a place of love, hope and second chances. These orphans will get that second chance at living wild and free….thanks to the dedication, love and caring work of all at the Trust. Thank you again for bringing this out to so many more people…
Thank you so much for the wonderful article on the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. I absolutely love this organization. I hope you were able to foster one of the orphans. They have such a wonderful fostering program. I foster 5 orphans and the number keeps growing!
I really enjoyed reading the account at the DSWT.We have visited 3 times and am looking forward to our 4 th visit this August.
I hope that you will be able to raise awareness of the terrible fate the Elephants now face,due to poachinng.
Gisele,this is a massive ask,as I know you are flat out with so many projects,but I was wondering if there is any way you could help highlight the dreadful suffering of Circus Elephants.
Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey circus in America,have a long history of violence and ill treatment to their animals,especially the Elephants.
They have just been fined $270,000 for failing to meet standards.
There are so many statements and photos and videos of them abusing Animals.,but they still get away with it.
Can you suggest anything at all to help and add weight to this ?
Once again,thank you for your lovely account.
Very best wiishes,
Henn.
I am foster Mother to two Elephants at DSWT for a couple of years now and hope
one day to visit.
Please send me tips on how to make this happen.
Flights accomodation etc. etc.
Thank you in advance.
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