Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Helping Endangered Elephants
The Riester Foundation is pleased to provide a major grant to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to support their highly successful Elephant Orphans Project in Nairobi, Kenya. Elephants in Kenya and throughout Africa are threatened by poaching for ivory and loss of habitat due to population pressure, conflict, deforestation and drought. The trust has raised more than 150 infant elephants through its rescue and rehabilitation efforts at an elephant nursery. After receiving vital care, orphaned elephants are reintegrated into wild herds in the nearby Tsavo game preserve.
About the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
The trust was founded in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick in honor of her late husband, famous naturalist David Sheldrick.
The mission of the trust is to protect wildlife through a variety of efforts, including anti-poaching initiatives, building community awareness, aiding animal welfare and providing veterinary services. The organization has a particular focus on rescuing elephant and rhino orphans, and also helps many other species. Since its inception, the trust has prided itself in building long-term and sustainable conservation programs that are important for Africa and the entire world.
The Riester Foundation is fostering five elephants in the DSWT Orphan Elephant project. These elephants were saved from dire situations.
Enkesha – Female found caught in a snare which almost severed her trunk
Eleanor – Female found at 18 months wandering near her mother’s carcass (mother killed by poachers)
Jotto – Male discovered in a well at 1 month old by herdsmen who had taken their cattle down for water
Sinya – Female found in a well at 8 months old after her herd abandoned efforts to rescue her from the well
Kiasa – Female found alone with two bull elephants at 6 months old while still milk dependent, believed to have lost mother in drought
Photos Provided By The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.