Rescued Lonely Orphaned Elephant is Thriving in His New Sanctuary Home (VIDEO)

There is nothing more dangerous for a young elephant calf than to be left alone in the wild. Although they will grow to be large and strong, calves are extremely vulnerable to predators and starvation without the watchful protection of their mothers and herd.

Sadly, many young elephants across Africa are forced to fend for themselves as a result of rampant ivory poaching. It is estimated that one elephant dies every 15 minutes for their ivory. Not only does this mean a drastic drop in the adult elephant population, but it also means an increase in the number of orphans who are left without a fighting chance at survival. The combination of these two factors has led the African elephant to be in danger of extinction; some scientists predict that African elephants will disappear from the wild in the next 20 years if nothing is done to end this vicious cycle.

Luckily, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) is working diligently to ensure that the protection of the many orphans of the illegal ivory trade. In this video, the DSWT team comes to the rescue of Elkerama, a two-year-old calf who was found wandering all alone on a ranch. According to DSWT, a pride of 20 lions lives nearby and if they hadn’t found this lost baby, it is not likely that he would have survived. But thankfully, with their swift action and expert knowledge in orphan elephant rehabilitation, DSWT made sure this would not be the fate for little Elkerama.

Nearly three weeks after his rescue, this little calf has adjusted beautifully to his new sanctuary home and made friends with the other orphans. Hopefully, he will continue to recover in stride and one day return to the wild where he belongs.