PHOENIX - A very special young elephant - orphaned by poachers, rescued by DSWF in February 2001 to start her long journey back to the wild but who so tragically died on 28 May from an undetected chronic illness. The project will now develop, grow and be home for many orphans in her name, including her little friends Chodoba, Chamilandu and Zamma.

Phoenix six months after her rescue		Phoenix taking her first wild walk
The arrival of Chamilandu		Chodoba stepping off the vehicle after thirty hours of travelling.
Zamma's release		All three - Phoenix, Zamma & Chodoba

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 in Lusaka and with the help of Speciality Emergency Services (SES) an 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 Dr Dame 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.

DSWF would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Dame Daphne Sheldrick for sharing her invaluable experience with us throughout the life of this project. Her advice has helped guide us on the right tract and we, and the baby elephants, are enormously grateful.

With constant round the clock care of the team, including her two keepers, 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 and it wasn't long before she had turned the corner and began to thrive. 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.

Over her six years at Munda Wanga Phoenix grew in to a confident and often destructive 'teenager' and it was essential to start her release programme back to the wild. After exhaustive negotiations DSWF established a bush camp in the Kafue National Park and Phoenix was moved to her new home in September 2007.

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, Zambia is starting to have some success in combating the ever present threat of poaching. There is now a genuine desire to conserve and develop its wildlife heritage.

DSWF's wish is set up a lasting legacy for Zambia's orphaned wildlife and return some of the tragic victims of poaching to their wild environment, where they belong.

The Elephant Orphanage Project - established and supported by DSWF

DSWF has worked with ZAWA to build an orphan release centre with Phoenix as the first 'guest'. On arrival, in September 2007 she shot out of her container and raced off into the bush. She then seemed to realise that she was in strange surroundings and rushed back to the security of her keepers. She soon started to revel in the delights of the bush during her daily walks, drinking from rivers, having dust baths and exploring the new sights and sounds. She even started to interact with her first herd of wild elephant, and in particular a young bull who started to spend more time around the Orphanage. From her first terrified introduction her confidence began to grow and they have even visited her in her boma (pen) at night although it was a long while before she left the safety of sleeping with her trunk curled through her keeper's tent window for comfort!

There are many herds of wild elephants in Kafue giving the orphans a greater chance of eventually being adopted by one. In the meantime, the young elephants are accompanied and monitored by their keepers and an armed scout on their daily walks in to the bush.

WITHIN WEEKS NEW BABY ORPHANS ARRIVED

In just a few weeks, news spread of the new Elephant Orphanage Project (EOP) and despite its basic facilities DSWF received requests from all over Zambia for help with newly orphaned elephant calves who have so tragically lost their mothers through poaching.

These tiny terrified babies desperately need a safe and secure home to bring them up in an environment which will secure their future. Having been open for only a month three new baby orphans arrived whose future might well depend on the orphanage and whose daily care, until they are ready to return to the wild, will necessitate long-term funding.

'After the Rains' - Project update from Zambia - February 2008

This year's annual rains brought devastation to large parts of Zambia including to Kafue South National Park where EOP is located and home to Phoenix (until her tragic death in May) and her little friends Zamma, Chodoba and Chamilandu. Their home was literally swept away and the rain made communication almost impossible. We had to find a new home for the elephants and their keepers and our emergency appeal (click here to read), launched in February, generated the much-needed funds to make this possible.

At the end of February David and his daughter, Melanie, CEO of DSWF, headed out to Zambia (thanks to the tremendous support of British Airways) to see for themselves how things were progressing and to raise funds and awareness locally for the project.

Melanie reported back:

The old site

We were driven by our new part-time Operations Manager, Sport Beattie, a dedicated conservationist originally from Zimbabwe, and accompanied by Belinda Pumfrett, our wonderful volunteer from the UK, on the long hot journey from Lusaka to the spectacular Kafue National Park - one of the largest parks in Africa and quite stunning!

After a gruelling eight hours of tracking through the flood soaked plains it was shocking to see the old site at first hand. The terrible rains and resulting flooding had all but washed away the original camp. What was left of it was slowly being demolished - by the keepers who were systematically removing key structural parts for the new site and by Phoenix who seemed to be enjoying supplementing her diet with a little bit of delicious thatch!

Not having seen Phoenix for four years it was quite a surprise to see her so huge and so strong! She was pleased to see the vehicle, which she associates with food, and we were able to give her a few treats before a 'tour' of what remained of the site. It really put into perspective the terrible time they had experienced as the water levels had risen.

The new site

The location of the new site has been positioned on higher ground next to permanent water, an important consideration during the dry season. Although only half built at the time of our visit, the three babies had already been walked the three kilometres to the new site and were enjoying their temporary new accommodation. Phoenix was kept behind until the site was complete. This was partly because of her adolescent destructive nature so it was important to ensure the new site was 'Phoenix proof' first! But Phoenix was also recovering from a bout of illness. With no matriarch to teach her the ways of the wild, her keepers believe she had inadvertently eaten a poisonous plant. Thankfully by the time we saw her she was fully recovered and back to her old boisterous self.

Baby update

At the new camp site, it's a 100-metre walk from the keepers living area, through thick bush along the river bank, to where the babies are now settled and it was absolutely wonderful to see them! They were a little wary of us - new voices and smells - but delighted to see Belinda who received a very warm and affectionate welcome. Chamalandu who, after his terrible six months alone in the bush and is slowly building up his weight, his strength and his confidence, was particularly pleased to see her.

Sadly, we had far too little time with the babies, but long enough just to glimpse the very individual and endearing characteristics they each have and understand the trauma they must have suffered in their short lives. Watching them at rest with their trunks inactive, they looked so sad, it broke my heart to think how anyone could cause such inhumane acts on these beautiful creatures. But I was completely uplifted by the fresh hope this new camp will bring to the orphaned eles and the dedication and commitment of Belinda and all the keepers.

Seeing little Zamma splashing in the water with his tiny hairy trunk made me realise just how vulnerable these babies are and really see the value of our work and your generous support. In such a rich wildlife area, with year round water and miles from human habitation, they stand a good chance of a successful introduction to one of the countless wild herds in the area.

We were able to leave a small gift of Shetland pony rugs we brought out from England - which have already proved invaluable in the incessant rains and are perfect fits!!

Under African skies

Enjoying a well earned rest with their keeper during one of their daily walks.

We drove back to Lusaka under the most amazing star-studded sky. We will never forget our time with the elephants and we left Zambia full of hope for the future and once again totally in love with this glorious country, its warm, friendly people and of course its wildlife and wild places.

Since returning home we have been getting daily updates from the camp. And then on Monday 26th May we received the news that Phoenix was so ill. We were all in total shock as she has appeared to be doing well and starting to interact with the wild elephants. We had even joked about her appearing to flirt with a lone bull ! Despite every effort, our beloved Phoenix, who was adored by so many and who was the catalyst of this exciting project bringing hope for so many orphans, gave up her fight for life and died under her favourite tree with her two keepers at her side. To read about this tragedy click here...

Chodoba, Chamilandu and little Zamma seem totally unaffected by the loss of Phoenix, and continue to thrive but we have had they all fully tested to ensure that there is nothing that has been missed. It's been a hard lesson but one which we will learn from. The loss of Phoenix makes us yet more detemined to continue our work in Zambia in her name - this special elephant has left a unique legacy.

With only limited funds DSWF must seek additional local and international support and understands only too well the wider context in which this project must be placed. Hence the potential of an exciting new protection and training programme that DSWF hopes to embark on in the future which will ultimately realise our long-term vision to save Zambia's wildlife.

If you are interested in helping DSWF to save Zambia's wildlife and help release Zamma in to the wild, please follow the links below to make a donation or you can phone the Foundation Office on 01483 272323.

Every little contribution helps wildlife and remember 100% of your donation will go in full to the project - thank you!

You can also help by becoming a member of DSWF. Click here for more information

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