A Project Visit Diary – Walking with the Giants of Tomorrow

Earlier this year, in September, a team from David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) visited three of our Field Partners based in Southern Africa.

As a charity, we recognise the expenditure these visits represent, and we’d like to reassure our supporters that we strictly limit such trips to what is necessary. However, they do provide us with incredible opportunities to review operations, identify new ways we might be able to help, and strengthen our partnerships even further.

Luke Phillips (yours truly), PR & Marketing Manager here at DSWF and Mark Ellis, our Education Manager, spent nearly two weeks visiting with Game Rangers International (GRI), Musekese Conservation, and Painted Dog Conservation (PDC). Our insights will prove invaluable in optimising our Education Programme with these projects, as well as how we can showcase our joint work to the world and the incredible impact your support has. And joining us was this year’s ‘Art of Survival’ winner and DSWF partner artist, Stephen Rew.

We’ll be sharing a series of posts and blogs on the trip, starting with what is always a supporter favourite – the Elephant Orphanage Project in Lusaka National Park, Zambia.

Perfectly Placed

At first glance, Lusaka National Park might not seem like the obvious choice for the Elephant Orphanage Project to call home. It is both Zambia’s smallest and newest National Park, being only 67.15 km² and having only been opened to the public in 2015. It also lies just 30 km from Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city and bustling commercial centre, where over 3 million people reside.

Yet, those factors are all subtly beneficial to the specific needs of the elephant babies and the project itself. As Lusaka’s scrubland is relatively new, and still recovering from illegal charcoal burns, the brush is conveniently at the right height to enable the orphans to learn how to browse for themselves. Being close to the road network and other major transport links means it’s a great base hub logistically, even allowing for some of the rescued orphans to be flown in so they can get immediate veterinary care and support. And it also makes something very special accessible to thousands of school children across Lusaka province.

A Centre of Discovery

It was only in 2022 that the renowned Elephant Orphanage Project relocated from Kafue National Park, nearly 400 km to the northwest of Lusaka. And as construction commenced, so came to life one of the final visions of our founder, and the co-founder and former Chief Patron of GRI, David Shepherd CBE. His wish to see conservation education in Zambia brought to life for all was manifested in the DSWF-funded Wildlife Discovery Centre.

The original concept had been for an open-air bush classroom, but it quickly evolved into a much more interactive and immersive space, spanning multiple learning spaces. Today, it is a hub with dedicated satellites to Zambia’s birdlife, the work of the dedicated rangers, and much more. From sustainable features, such as pathways made from recycled plastic to a shop championing local, Zambian independent businesses, it sets a new standard in conservation education and community outreach.

We’ll cover an education-focused update in another blog, but the team were honoured to take part in an entire day of activities with local school children, brought to the centre by the DSWF-funded Wildlife Discovery Bus.

All Bottled Up

The five orphaned elephants currently in the care of the Elephant Orphanage Project all have stories that will tug at the heartstrings. Ludaka wandered alone for four days, at which point it became clear his herd were not returning, and the decision to rescue was made. Chikumbi was separated from her mother as their herd moved past local villages and could not be reunited. Daliso’s mother was fatally wounded and fell asleep beside her vulnerable son, never to awaken. Wamwayi was found in a mudhole at only two months old and would have died without rescue. And of course, earlier this year, we brought the story of Mataya to you all, suffering from machete wounds after a human-wildlife conflict incident.

The rescue facility gives them a vital second chance at life. Under the vigilant round the clock care of the dedicated keepers, the physical and psychological trauma they’ve experienced is slowly repaired through years of rehabilitation, with the eventual goal of successful rewilding – but more on that in a later blog.

With charges that need feeding every three hours, 24/7 care is necessary. And those feeds come in a form familiar to any parents, bottles. However, in this case, the bottles are scaled up to elephant size and each one is made up especially for each individual elephant. The recipe is usually made up of raw milk, oats, manuka powder, as well as key vitamins and other supplements.

Luckily, as you can see below, the orphans quickly learn how to feed themselves with their trunks – although their table manners could be improved.

Walks on the Wild Side

Another key part of the rehabilitation process is enabling the orphans to explore the environment, just as they would in a natural herd. The keepers take them on extended walks each day, out into the escarpments of Lusaka National Park. Here they can learn to browse and build up their confidence and independence. Again, the relatively small size of Lusaka is in their favour, meaning they can stay relatively contained whilst still being free to wander.

Yet, it’s not risk free – and there is still some exposure to the natural threats they will face in the wild. On one evening walk, as we returned to the boma with the orphan herd, a Mozambique spitting cobra reared up on the path ahead. Luckily, both parties decided retreat was the better part of valour, and in turn, the orphans learnt another vital life lesson about an animal they should be naturally wary of.

And if you’re wondering what the boma is, it’s a dedicated, elephant-sized stable with bedding and protective sides so that the orphans can sleep comfortably and securely, with their keepers on a platform above, looking after them as always.

First Steps in a Joint Journey

Just as Lusaka is the first port of call for the elephant orphans, before they move on to the release facility in Kafue, it too was the first stop in our own journey.

For most of us, camp life was something quite new. From zebras walking through camp to never knowing quite what you might meet on the way to the latrine in the night, it all made for an exciting and incredible experience.

We’d like to thank Theo, Rachael, and Christina for their incredible hospitality – and we look forward to sharing the other legs of the trip very soon.

Our latest appeal, ‘In the Footsteps of Giants’, not only celebrates our 40^th anniversary and legacy, but also focuses on the three species on our logo, of which the elephant takes pride of place. If you’d like to support the vital, life-changing and species saving work we do, you can make a donation here.