DSWF - Rescue and release programme for victims of Zambia’s poaching war

Welcome to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

		PROJECT: Phoenix - The Elephant Orphanage Project - rescue and release programme - established and supported by The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation for victims of Zambia's poaching war

		Location: Zambia
		DSWF Support: Operational in Zambia since 1991 with this project starting in 2001 with the rescue of baby elephant Phoenix.
		Funding to date: over £500,000 of which a percentage has been granted to the rescue and rehabilitation of Phoenix and the establishment and running of the Elephant Orphanage Project.

		Project Summary: When David Shepherd first visited Zambia it was home to 250,000 elephants and 3,500 rhinos. Today just 25,000 elephants survive and all of its rhinos have been lost. Poaching continues today and results in orphaned babies such as Phoenix. This project is designed to rehabilitate these tragic animals and eventually return them to the wild.

First Steps back to the wild - by James Florence (David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation) - October 2007

The 19th September 2007 will forever be a Red Letter Day in the history of both David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) UK and DSWF Zambia! The day we all feared would never happen. It was the day that finally saw Phoenix, our baby elephant, take her first steps back in the wild. 6½ years from when poachers shot her mother, leaving her a few days old to suckle from her dead mother with no protection from the blistering sun, no comforting rumbles, no warm body to reassure her. Phoenix is finally back where she belongs and starting her next great journey - a journey to integrate into a wild herd.

It all started on the 17th September, with the arrival of the South African translocation company, Specialist Game Services, Dr Uys and Kester Vickery with their able team into Lusaka. No time was wasted and the team were taken straight down to Munda Wanga to meet Phoenix and survey the area to ensure easy access for the truck. This was when we then learned that our 6½-year-old baby was about half a metre taller and over half a tonne heavier than the normal size for a similar aged elephant. This presented us with a potential problem, as the lifting arm on the truck could lift 3 tonnes and the crate and Phoenix together was estimated at 3½ tonnes. If the arm would not lift the crate, we would have to hire a crane and lose days while waiting for one to become available. We all went to bed worrying about the day that lay ahead of us….

At first light the whole team reconvened back at Munda Wanga to start work on 'Plan A'. We hoped to get Phoenix into the crate by just using her keepers and food as an incentive. This method has a particularly low success rate, but is the least stressful on the animal, so is always worth trying. We left the keepers on their own for 2 hours, but unfortunately to no avail and Phoenix had decided she was definitely not going in to this dark metal crate, even though it was full of her favourite food. 'Plan B' was then quickly put in to operation. This time she received an injection of a light sedative and then when slightly drowsy, a rope was placed around her front and using manpower alone, we pulled her into the crate backwards. Even after a sedative that could kill 200 humans, she easily out powered the 10 of us. We finally lengthened the rope and with about 20 people pulling, we managed to slowly entice her in and lock the doors quickly before she changed her mind. Of course all of this would have been for nothing if the lifting arm on the truck couldn't lift this weight.

We all stood back with hearts in our mouths as the arm was powered up and started to take the strain. To our relief the crate began to rise up and was soon sitting on the back of the truck ready for the long journey ahead of us. We set off in convoy, hoping to reach the new Wildlife Orphanage before sundown, but by 22:00 we had only reached Itezhi Tezhi, so decided to rest at Musungwa Lodge for the night and leave first thing in the morning. Although Phoenix's keepers stayed with her throughout the night, she was still a little restless, so as soon as the gate to Kafue National Park was opened, we were driving through for the last 40 kms to our final destination.

By 07:30 we were at the new David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Orphanage and lifting the crate off the truck ready to release Phoenix in to her new home. We were warned by the vet, Dr Uys, that it sometimes takes a bit of time for the elephant to walk out of the crate, as they now feel safe in the environment they are in. We opened the door and within about 10 seconds, Phoenix was strolling out without a care in the world. Natural instinct immediately took over as she started to throw dust all over her body, to help protect from the Tsetse flies that she had never encountered before. Her keepers walked her to the back of the boma, so we could move the crate and truck, where she started to feed straight away. After about 2 hours we decided to take her for her first walk of freedom, out of the boma and down to the river that is located next to the orphanage. With a small detour via the staff camping area, she was soon at the river's edge sucking up the natural water and blowing it into her mouth. Her joy could be seen by all watching, that was topped off by her rolling around on the riverbank, dusting herself in the sand. We were all speechless as it hit us, here was the reason why we have just travelled 370 kms, why we had visited over 15 potential sites in 3 national parks and why we persevered for over 3 years, to get this project signed off. Phoenix is finally back in the wild.

Of course, Phoenix is just the first of many elephants and other animals to be transported to the Orphanage for release in to the wild. Two baby elephants, one from Lower Zambezi and one from South Luangwa will shortly be joining Phoenix and it is expected there will be others as the word spreads. The site will also be used as a base for anti-poaching patrols to ensure our animals have the best protection

DSWF has been covering the costs for Phoenix since she was rescued in 2001 and was able to raise the funds needed to relocate her and build the temporary home in the bush. DSWF's support for the project is set to be long-term, but we still need your help, especially as we will soon have several new babies to look after.

On behalf of DSWF, I would like to thank everybody that has helped us to reach this stage. Special thanks go to National Milling Corporation who have sponsored Phoenix from the start by donating monthly supplies of animal feed and are also now providing mealie meal for our keepers and anti-poaching patrols in the bush, Steve Blagus for the tickets for Dr Uys and Kester Vickery, Andrews Motel for their hospitality for the relocation Team and Musungwa Lodge for their kind assistance on the first night of the epic journey. Without their assistance this small miracle would not have happened.

With your support, we can continue to save lives and ensure Zambia's animals remain in the wild for generations to come.