When a tiny newborn elephant is orphaned, often its mother and family gunned down to serve the brutal ivory trade, its life support gone; any survivors fleeing in terror; its fate now suffering and death in hopeless and lonely isolation it cannot understand. For an elephant, the family is all important; its very existence dependent upon its mother's milk for the first two years of life and a life that should span three score years and ten, equivalent to that of man. In a perfect world that elephant life would be filled with fun and joy through the companionship of friends and a close-knit and loving family, whose love is pure and unconditional all the days of its life.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust allows you to adopt all of their nursery baby elephants. Zany Zak has adopted Jotto, one of the many baby orphaned elephants at the orphanage. Proudly this collar is named after him.
The orphanage is run by Dame Daphne Sheldrick who for the past 40 years, has been caring for baby elephants whose mothers have been killed for their tusks. Some orphans are found next to their mother's who have died of natural causes, however most of the orphans are there due to human wildlife conflict. Please consider adopting an orphan to help their on-going cause.
Our travels took us to Amboseli National Park where herds of wild elephants roam free. Breathtaking views of Mt. Kilimanjaro can be seen off in the distance. Wild zebras, wildebeests, giraffes and many more animals were seen.
After leaving Amboseli, we traveled to Tanzania and spent the majority of our time in the Serengeti. The highlight of the trip was seeing wild lions, cheetahs, leopards and rhinos. We also visited two Masai villages where we traded some of our beaded dog collars for their beautiful necklaces! What a treat to meet these friendly and welcoming people.
We returned back to the United States feeling sad that we left our guides, new friends that we made and seeing all the animals running and living free. We may be home, but we feel like we left our heart in Africa.
What are the benefits of Pet Therapy?
Trained animals are used to benefit patients suffering with emotional and behavioral disorders, depression, autism, substance abuse, and dementia. Animals accept us as we are — they don’t judge and they don’t threaten — so patients can wholeheartedly interact with them safe in the knowledge that there is no hidden agenda.
Individuals with emotionally based disorders in particular may find it difficult to open up and trust another human being, but discover this process is much easier with a therapy animal. Frequently reported benefits from pet-therapy programs include a reduction in stress, a boost in self-esteem, improved mood, and better communication skills.