An emaciated orphaned elephant calf was rescued from the wild in Kenya after tourists spotted him struggling to survive after a jackal attack- and is now thriving in a wildlife orphanage.
The baby elephant, who was three or four months old at the time, was found wandering and struggling to survive outside Tsavo East National Park in Kenya after a jackal attack earlier this year
Kenya Wildlife Service and David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust responded to reports of the wandering calf on March 18
Angela Sheldrick, Executive Director of DSWT said that the calf was in ‘desperate need’ of rescuing when he was found
‘Small predators – we suspect jackals – had attacked his rear end and hind legs and, due to his wounds coupled by poor condition, it was evident that we needed to respond fast.’
Since the rescue, the elephant has been nursed back to health by rescue teams and now lives in a nursery
The reasons behind why the elephant, who was three or four months old at the time, was abandoned are still unknown, though it is believed his mother may have been a victim of poaching
The elephant was secured and loaded onto a plane and flown to Nairobi National Park, where the DSWT operates an elephant and rhino orphanage
The calf has constant care from keepers night and day and they have even reported hearing him snore occasionally
He has also melted the hearts of the other orphaned elephants, even the older orphans who have previously ignored the babies
Sheldrick said: ‘It was a long while before we saw positive changes in his body condition, but the presence of the others, particularly best friend Laggard, helped his recovery.
