Yatta, an 18-year-old elephant who was released back to the wild over eight years ago, showed up at the sanctuary with her newborn calf in tow last month to introduce him to the people who took her in as an orphan in 1999..
“She’s a proud momma,” caretakers said about Yatta. “And in a show of absolute trust and affection, she brought her newest baby back to meet the people who saved her.”
Yatta allows a caretaker to remove ticks from Yoyo’s ears | David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
“We have not only saved an orphan baby and raised her, but she has successfully returned to the wild and started her own family,” Brandford said. “For elephants, family is everything — so it’s no surprise that they choose to share their new family member with their former human carers, for they are part of their family.”
Family vacation packages
Yatta’s ex-orphan herd returning for a visit | David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Rescuers are calling Yatta a “miracle mum,” as she has now given birth to two healthy calves fathered by wild-born elephants.
“Imagine our delight when she chose to share her second birth with us, returning to her former stockades and her human family, so that we could be a part of celebrating the arrival of her new baby — a healthy little boy,” caretakers added in an update.
The celebration wasn’t over, however — the caretakers soon noticed that two of Yatta’s adopted orphan “sisters” who live alongside her had also given birth to calves that same month, bringing DSWT’s total count of wild-born babies to 28.
New wild-born calves are a welcome sight for DSWT, which saves countless orphaned and injured elephants each year — many of whom are victims of poachers.
That was the case for Yatta, whose mother was killed for her tusks when she was only 1 month old. Men working nearby heard young Yatta’s cries, and they helped transport her into DSWT’s care.
She is now one of more than 100 orphaned elephants returned to the wild by DSWT, which also has a field team that patrols wild habitats to keep the animals safe from poachers.
“We are delighted to witness the ex-orphan herds beginning to expand so naturally,” caretakers added. “There could be no greater gift for us, or testament to the success of the Orphans Project, than to share the joy of such perfectly healthy baby elephants like our three ‘October kids.’”
ild after a tragic lightning strike, this one-day-old elephant calf was rescued and brought to an elephant orphanage. There, she found best friends—and a brand new beginning filled with hope.
Orphaned after a lightning strike killed his parents’ herd, baby African elephant Eliot had a traumatic start to life.
But since being rescued on Christmas Day and taken to a sanctuary aged just three days old, he has been helped through the tough times – by two friendly older elephants.
Like Eliot, his new playmates Kadiki, aged three, and Beatrix, one, were also orphaned and narrowly escaped death.
Kadiki survived deep wounds after a lion attack at only a day old, while Beatrix was rescued after she became trapped in a gully.
Eliot the baby elephant (right) pictured with Beatrix (left) and Kadiki (centre) – all three are orphans
Like Eliot, his new playmates Kadiki, aged three, and Beatrix, one, were also orphaned and narrowly escaped death
Since being rescued on Christmas Day and taken to a sanctuary aged just three days old, Eliot has been helped through the tough times – by two friendly older elephants
When Beatrix arrived at the sanctuary, Kadiki took on the role of mother. Pictures of Kadiki gently wrapping a reassuring trunk round Beatrix captured the hearts of Mail readers last year.
Now they are passing on their love to three-month-old Eliot. All three live at the Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery near the capital Harare. Animal campaigner Roxy Danckwerts, whose charity Wild is Life runs the site, said: ‘The other two immediately comforted Eliot because they’ve been through it. The intensity of the emotion and care is extraordinary.’
Academic research has revealed elephants typically have ‘very strong social bonds’ within family groups.
Once the three are strong enough, the nursery hopes to move them to a reserve near Victoria Falls – which is safe from poachers – to integrate with wild elephant herds.