Rescued Elephants Embark on a New Adventure Back to the Wild

For years, Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of Wild Is Life (WIL), has dedicated herself to caring for orphaned baby elephants, providing them a nurturing environment to heal and grow.

Recently, she took seven of these elephants on a 700-mile journey to their new home, where they will be reintegrated into the wild.

The departure was an emotional moment for Roxy, filled with joy and sorrow as she said farewell to the elephants she had nurtured and cherished.

In the final moments before their journey, there were tender hugs and affectionate touches, highlighting the deep bond between Roxy and these animals.

This relocation marks a pivotal achievement in Roxy’s mission to give orphaned elephants a second chance at life.

Accompanying the elephants from the nursery in Harare, Zimbabwe, to a sanctuary near Victoria Falls on the country’s western border, Roxy ensured the animals were prepared for their new life.

The sanctuary is designed to teach the elephants essential survival skills, enabling them to join wild herds and live independently eventually.

Transporting the seven elephants, weighing around ten tons, required meticulous planning and execution.

The operation began with administering tranquilizer darts to sedate the elephants, with specialized teams closely monitoring their vital signs, including breathing and heart rate.

Cranes were then used to lift the sedated elephants onto flatbed trucks. These 30-ton trucks carefully transported the elephants to their new reserve, with the entire journey taking 17 hours.

Among the group was Bumi, a three-year-old male rescued at one-month-old after being trapped among rocks and suffering severe sunburn.

Another was Moyo, rescued by Roxy in 2014 after being found stranded in deep water during heavy rains at just a few days old.

Roxy’s dedication to caring for orphaned elephants has profoundly impacted these gentle giants. As she watched them leave, she expressed a blend of emotions, describing it as “a moment filled with both joy and sorrow.” She added, “Seeing them return to the wild fills me with joy, though I’ll miss them dearly. It’s been an emotional journey, but they’ve come full circle. I feel proud, content, and a bit sad.”

Though saying goodbye is tough, Roxy understands this is the best outcome for the elephants. She believes the strong bonds they formed at the nursery will help them thrive in their new surroundings.

This relocation is part of a broader initiative by WIL and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to rehabilitate and release elephants into protected environments.

Roxy’s dedication to wildlife conservation has significantly impacted the elephants and the overall mission to protect these magnificent creatures.

This marks a new chapter for these seven elephants and brings hope for the future of elephant conservation in Zimbabwe.