The illegal ivory trade is responsible for more and more orphan baby elephants nearly every day. After the traumatic experience of losing their mothers and primary caretakers, orphan elephant babies are highly vulnerable. Baby elephants rely on their mother’s milk for nourishment and have virtually no ability to protect themselves from being attacked by other animals or humans. This is why the work being done by David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust through their Orphan’s Project is so very important.

Rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants, DSWT is giving these lost babies a second chance at life. Just watch the amazing lengths that DSWT rescuers will go to to save a little orphaned elephant. Ndotto was no more than a week old when he was discovered by a kind Samburu tribesman. This man walked for over a day to notify a member of the Milgis Trust that he had found an infant elephant in need of their help.


In no time at all, DSWT was contacted and rescuers set out to rescue little Ndotto. Watch Ndotto’s red-carpet worthy, helicopter arrival at the Orphan’s Project headquarters. These are his first steps on the road to recovery, but we know he is in good hands and will be surrounded by plenty of little friends in the care of DSWT.