The story of a very special
elephant - PHOENIX
In February 2001 a baby elephant
was born on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. Within
days, her mother was cruelly slaughtered by poachers
and her family herd fled. Terrified and alone, she was
found by local villagers, still standing by the body
of her mother and trying to suckle for milk. She was
taken back to the village and tied up by a rope for
three days while the villagers tried to decide what
to do with her. She was discovered by a Park Ranger
who sent an SOS to DSWF representative in Lusaka, who
also runs Speciality Emergency Services (SES). Immediately,
an SES ambulance and paramedics were deployed down to
the Zambezi to rescue the baby who, barely alive, was
transported on a precarious eight hour journey back
to the Munda Wanga Wildlife Sanctuary, on the outskirts
of Lusaka. With emergency advice from elephant expert
Daphne Sheldrick at the famous Kenya elephant orphanage,
and treatment by local vets and SES specialist paramedics,
she was put on a drip and fed her on a special milk
formula. The baby was close to death for four days.
 With
constant round the clock care of the team, including
her two keepers, Phiri and Lameck, who even slept with
her and were at her side 24 hours a day, she began to
respond. She was christened Phoenix, and finally, against
all the odds, and after several setbacks, she began
to show signs of recovery although she was still weak
and so terrified that she screamed if one of the keepers
even left her side for long enough to make up her next
bottle. Phiri and Lameck never left her side.
International organisations, local
businesses and concerned individuals collectively ensured
her survival. From Britain DSWF adopted her and undertook
to maintain her medical care and daily upkeep.
Now nearly five years later, and
despite being the main attraction at Munda Wanga, Phoenix
is a confident and often destructive 'teenager' and
is ready to start her long walk to freedom with wild
herds in the Kafue National Park, which will be funded
by DSWF supporters who have so generously donated to
her release programme.
Reasons for DSWF support:
 During
the last few years, there has been a turn around in
Zambia's fortune especially vis a vis Zimbabwe and the
devastated tourist industry in that country. Zambia
shares many of the same fabulous attractions as Zimbabwe,
including Victoria Falls and the Zambezi river. Its
wildlife parks are second to none in southern Africa.
Moreover, with the gradually improving economy, the
Zambian Wildlife Authority is now better funded and
managed and is having some considerable success in combating
the ever present threat of poaching. There is now a
genuine desire to conserve and develop its wildlife
heritage.
DSWF's desire is to set up a lasting
legacy for Zambia's orphaned wildlife and to try and
return some of the tragic victims of poaching to their
wild environment, where they belong. Using the story
of Phoenix, we aim to help to build a permanent release
site in Kafue National Park.
DSWF funds:
DSWF funds will provide specialist
care and rehabilitation back to the wild, and secure
a proper, safe permanent location for a release site.
Funds will include transport costs, the building of
a release station, and the gradual release programme
to the wild.
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