Adoption of Elephants

Update August 14, 2023

Last August 12, including donations, we raised €671.05 for Galla and Sileita. We have extended the donation of both elephants for another year and have also been able to transfer a generous extra amount thanks to you!

Update August 10, 2023

Last year in August we decided to adopt Sileita. Sileita is a female elephant of almost 2 years old. She was found on March 28, 2022 next to her shot dead mother. Sileita is severely traumatized and has zero trust in people. The caregivers slowly gain her trust and she drinks her first milk bottle.
Sileita is first considered a shy girl, but gradually becomes more confident and assertive. Sometimes she is even mischievous, especially at feeding time, trying to get more water bottles by sneaking along with a second group of elephants. Over the last month she has been turning more and more into a mini-matriarch. She looks after the little ones (also called the blanket babies) and often gives them trunk hugs. How sweet is that!

In the meantime, Galla is almost completely on her own two feet. Now that Galla has become a large elephant bull in his own right, there are few updates about him. Galla has formed a mini herd together with fellow sufferers. Galla still shows up at Sheldrick's house every day to eat with the little orphan elephants, but chooses to sleep outside.

Updated August 16, 2022

We raised €895.97 for Galla on August 12. Because Galla is doing so well and there are relatively few new updates about him, we decided to adopt a second elephant. You chose Sileita by a majority of the votes. We would like to introduce her to you!

Sileita is a female elephant who is almost 2 years old. She was found on March 28 2022 next to her mother who had been shot dead. Due to extreme drought, there is a serious human-wildlife conflict in the area. Sileita is at that time about 16 months old and still completely dependent on breast milk. She was rescued by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and taken to the Nairobi Nursery Unit. Sileita is deeply traumatized and has zero faith in people. She initially refused the bottle, but luckily drinks from a bucket. Slowly the ‘keepers’ are gaining her trust and the first milk bottle from human hands has since been celebrated. Because she is still relatively young, she is spoiled by the older elephants and she is often the middle of a real elephant sandwich. This brave girl has found a new family and although she will always carry the grief for her mother with her, she does have a future full of love.

Update 11 August 2022

Galla, who is more that 7 years old, is doing so well! Last year around this time, Galla was still in 4^th grade, as he increasingly joined 5^th grade elephants. Galla was officially in class 5 in October 2021, but already showed a strong urge for independence there. Galla and Kamok have formed a mini-heard, bound together by their great desire for freedom. In November they rarely sleep inside the fence. In December, Galla also starts skipping milk bottles. Earlier he had to be reminded that it was time for a bottle, but at one point he didn’t even come at all. At the end of December it was decided to officially remove Galla from class 5. Class 5 has been supplemented with class 4 elephants and Galla seems to have taken the leap to a life in the wild, along with a few other elephants. What a change! Of course Galla is still regularly seen and the ‘keepers’ usually know where he is. But he no longer appears in the diaries every day and Galla’s photos are also becoming scarce. Galla is now officially an ex-orphan and is affectionately referred to as ‘the late night gang’ along with his heard. We are so proud and happy for our Galla. He had such a difficult start and now a full life in the wild, with the safe ‘keepers’ still in the background.

Galla in front with Jotto behind

Galla left, Jotto right

Update 13 August 2021

On World Elephant Day 2021 we raised €822.15 including donations. This amount will be donated in full to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. We look forward to continuing to follow Galla again next year. Our thanks go to all customers who placed an order, made a donation and / or left a heartwarming message.

Update August 11, 2021

Galla is now in class 4 of the Ithumba Reintegration Unit of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. In total there are 5 classes and Galla is therefore getting closer to a life in the wild. He is now over 6 years old and increasingly spends time with the class 5 elephants and a herd of wild elephants. Many wild elephants live around Ithumba, many of them former orphans who were also rescued by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Mutara is a 12 year old elephant cow with her own herd. She takes the class 5 elephants on an adventure every day. Galla also joins the class 5 elephants more and more often and then goes out with them. The caretakers are always present in the background. Class 4 elephants are much more under the guidance of the caretakers and are back at the stables in the early evening. The class 5 elephants, including Galla on a regular basis, decide for themselves when they are tired and want to return to the safety of the stables. Mutara brings the young elephants back every evening when they are ready. The caretakers will soon put Galla full-time in class 5.

Meanwhile, Galla is still fond of pushing and pulling games. Mapia in particular, another young elephant bull, is a sought-after opponent. The two frolic a lot. And occasionally Galla shows his dominance by climbing on Mapia. He is not very pleased with that and usually ends the game at that moment.

Last month, the young elephants encountered two buffaloes. The young ladies Nabulu and Maisha were shocked by this and retreated. Galla and two other bulls found the buffaloes very interesting and felt tough enough to chase them away. They seemed very happy with their success.

Galla ontop of Mapia

Galla takes a lovely sand bath

Galla (left) tries to push down a tree. Ndiwa (right) pushes just as hard on the other side.

Update 14 August 2020

Galla is already a year older and is now more than 5.5 years old. How big he is! Galla really enjoys romping and pushing and pulling games. He still lives with many other elephants in the Ithumba Reintegration Unit. This unit is often visited by elephants who grew up with Sheldrick and are now completely independent in the wild. The young elephants learn a lot from these special visitors! On World Elephant Day 2020 we raised €249.62 for Galla. This amount was partly due to our Galla diapers (Galla luiers), which we had specially made for this day. The auctions of various elephant items have also yielded a nice amount and many customers have also donated extra for this sweet elephant bull. Thank you all! With this amount we can extend his adoption for a year and support the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Enjoy the pictures of Galla!

Here Galla takes a sand bath, by throwing sand over herself.

Galla playing with Tusuja, trunk wrestling!

Here Galla walks with Mapia in search of food.

Galla has an itch, so having a nice scratch

And the whole heard relaxing=)