Following our celebration to mark the last day of Kiswahili classes at Hekima, we headed out of Nairobi some twenty minutes to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and Foundation, where we spent the rest of the morning learning about the foundation and the baby elephants they help rescue from the wild. After a brief introduction from one of the elephant handlers who explained to us the mission and operation of the David Sheldrick Foundation, we were introduced to the fuzzy little orphans who came trotting down the hill towards us and anxiously to their respective handlers and milk bottles.
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| The young elephants trot down towards us. |
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| The elephants eagerly reach for their bottles as the handlers hold them up for them. |
Once the little trumpeters had had their fill of yummy elephant formula we had the opportunity to pet them as the curious youngsters ventured towards the rope partition separating us and allowed us to reach out and touch them. Unlike most of our group, I chose to stand on the opposite side of enclosure with a bunch of Kenyan students (whom I assume were there on a field trip). Although due to this choice I was forced to contend with the Kenyan idea of personal space, I enjoyed my post amongst the students, especially when one of the handlers came to speak to them and I had a chance to put my Kiswahili comprehension to the test.
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Despite the look on my face (notice I'm not the only one!), I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the elephant orphanage.
Photo Credit: Kendra Sultzer |
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