Planning a trip to Kenya for safari? I highly recommend visiting the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to support an incredible wildlife initiative.
Not heading to Kenya anytime soon? You can donate, adopt an elephant for yourself or as a gift for someone else, and learn more about their initiative. Keep reading to find out all about this incredible work.
This post is all about the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust!
All about the sheldrick wildlife trust!
In 1977, Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick founded the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in loving memory of her husband David Sheldrick. The two were famous naturalists and lovers of the beautiful wildlife in Kenya.
One of Daphne Sheldrick’s greatest feats is that she created a milk formula for baby elephants and rhinos.
The Mission: “The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust embraces all measures that complement the conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife and habitats”
The Trust offers mobile veterniary units, aerial surveillance to patrol against illegal activity, community outreach to support education, habitat preservation, anti-poaching efforts with canine units and their animal orphanage.
why are these animals orphans?
The animals, predominantly elephants, are orphans due to a wide variety of reasons. These reasons range from things like “found alone” and “mother died” to “panic separation/stampede” and “trapped in a well”.
Unfortunately, the two most common causes are poaching and drought related.
When the orphans are found many of them are dehydrated, malnourished and/or injured. The elephants are cared for, nourished, bottle fed if necessary and protected until they’re able to be released.
is it like a zoo? do they stay here forever?
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust raises the animals the proper way. The animals are raised in a way that allows them to successfully integrate to life back in the wild. According to their website, they’ve successfully raised 327 elephants and 20 rhinos.
Currently there have been 91 babies born to parents who were orphans saved by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. This statistic is a direct reflection of their incredible work.
How can I get involved/show my support?
If you’re heading to Kenya to book a visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi click here to book! I would highly, highly recommend this experience.
Not heading to Kenya? One of the easiest ways to give is to visit their website to donate and/or adopt an orphan. This is a great way to support and can even be a great gift to give someone. It costs $50/year and you can choose which animal to adopt, learn all about them, and you’ll receive monthly updates. Click here to read about adopting an elephant!
You can donate as a general donation or select a specific thing to donate. Click here to donate! The options regarding the animals are:
- A 25-kg bag of milk powder for $70 USD
- A pair of wire and bolt cutters for $60 USD
- One day’s milk for an elephant $48 USD
- Milk for an infant $6 USD
- 10 plastic milk bottles for $50 USD
- 20 milk bottle tops for $50 USD
- A 5kg bag of green clay for injured animal wounds for $70 USD
- Lined elephant blankets for $25 USD
and much more!
Other things you can donate:
- Water hydration packs for rangers for $80 USD
- A school field trip for 30 Kenyan children to visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for $350 USD
- Keepers’ dust coat for $15 USD
- Keepers’ hat $12 USD
- A special meal for the keepers for $130 USD
- Head flashlight for $45 USD
- Hand held radio and charger for tracking poachers $700 USD
- Soccer ball and air pump for $52 USD
- 50 tree seedlings for $35 USD
- A pair of sturdy boots for the rangers $40 USD
and much more!
Like this article about the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya, here are more articles about Kenya:
Learn how to make Kenyan Dawa Tea!
Visit Amboseli National Park in Kenya
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