We are all here! Cheryl arrived late last night, and at 9 AM, we began our adventure with the Nairobi National Park Elephant orphanage.

The first little one we met was the 11 month old baby black Rhino! Rana

Her keeper served as surrogate mom and she followed him closely, everywhere

Next 12 of the littlest of the 27 little elephants came out. All the elephants are under the age of about 3. being cared for by the team there, all orphaned, found in snares, malnutrition, mired in mud, or standing by their dead mothers. All of them would have perished without this care. First 12 of the youngest were fed by bottle and then some branches on the ground.

Keepers were ready for the little stampede
Emmett’s gentle touch, as we could pet them
I saw a couple cross their legs!
Note this one’s long trunk
And this naturally shot trunk
Back to their enclosure

This behavior is called dusting and is to keep flies or the sun off

Next, the larger 15 came roaring out, trumpeting for breakfast!

You can tell these are a little older and bolder

Each elephant is known by name from the place when they were found. They are taken at about 3 and a half or 4 years old to a wild herd area and introduced slowly to the group. When they are accepted, they will stay the night. Otherwise, they return to the keeper’s protection naturally. The elephant chooses when to leave. It is a wonderful program of preservation since 1977

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