At 10am on the 5th of August just one day after the dramatic rescue of baby
Turkwel, a young calf and its ailing mother was seen by a passing tourist who
passed the report to the KWS vet Dr. Dominic Mijele, of our Mara Mobile
Veterinary Unit.

By the time the Mobile Veterinary Unit located the elephant and its calf, the
mother was in a pathetic and horrific state of collapse, able only to move her
front legs and trunk, her baby clinging to her in a state of sheer terror and
confusion. Dr. Dominic Mijele immobilized the mother to assess the cause of her
suffering and found that an injury had shattered her femur, it caused nerve
damage so sever that she was left paralyzed, with no hope of recovery or
survival, and it is assumed that the injury was caused by a bullet wound but
that could not be confirmed.

The Trust was alerted of yet another rescue, the team arriving at the Olkiombo
airstrip where Dr. Dominic Mijele and KWS Rangers waited. From the airstrip they
were then driven to the ailing mother and her terrified baby some 20 kilometers
away so that the Keepers expertise could ensure an smooth and effecient capture
of the calf. It was a heart-wrenching scene that greeted them, the mother
attempting to protect the terrified baby who was clinging to her and climbing on
her in an attempt to evade a hated enemy responsible for the suffering of her
adored mother. There were no dry eyes that day as the Keepers moved in to try to
capture the baby once the mother was darted to immobilize her and prevent her
flailing trunk from injuring the men, and to minimize any further stress.

The calf was still strong at approximately 1 year old; also quite capable of
injuring a man, so the keepers needed the assistance of the KWS Rangers. Once
the baby was loaded and on its way to the waiting plane, the vet euthanized the
mother, thus ending her unbearable suffering.

To view more photographs from Olare's rescue please click on this link:
http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/orphan_profile.asp?N=222

To foster Olare please click on this link:
https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/foster.asp?nn=1&G=&LP=982009754-pic7a.jpg&addn=222&N=222&FN=Olare

To make a donation to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust please click on this
link:
https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/is/donate_now.asp

Photos at: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/orphan_profile.asp?N=222

Another sad story..................another ellie destroyed - but gladly one ellie rescued.

It's hard to bear when humans do to harm animals. On the other hand it's wonderful to know there are people who care. To me often it seems these are two different species.

Couldn't agree with you more Pippa.

I have decided on to another "present" for new clients for Kenya.
Instead of sending them materialistic stuff I adopt an ellie, they get the certificate and then book them for the afternoon visit to the orphanage.
As they mostly leave the Mara on the am flight they have time to kill prior to their long-haul back to Europe.
Two flies with one clap - and seemingly it's very well received.

Awesome idea Pippa!! It would be even greater if all tour operators could be convinced to do the same thing. There are probably a lot of first-time safari goers who know nothing about the wonderful work the Trust does or know about the desperate situation of baby elephants and rhinos, particularly since the drought. Hopefully, once the adoption paper has been given to the tourist, they will consider keeping the adoption up for years! That would be a big help to the Trust in being able to continue with their work.

Jan,
I buy it for them and hand it over prior to the trip.
It has some advantages:

- the get the afternoon appointment
- they have a day room anyway but time to kill which is excellent at the orphanage
- they do good and keep of course the year as it has been paid for already
- they might adopt the following years

Of course it would be excellent if more TA/TO do this. But don't forget: 50US$ gifts don't come often
I have always been very generous with give aways (Kinesi bean bags incl. water/sand inlets, Moleskine books, Tracks and Tracking, brics travel necessaire, Rick Stevens packing cubs etc etc) but clients
who go to Kenya get now a forster certificate and the afternoon visit. I think that makes sense and it's appreciated very well. And it makes a difference.....particularly when they leave Kenya they have an even better feeling.