As the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) team writes on their Facebook page, all parents out there will know that “getting children to eat their greens can be an uphill battle.” Fortunately, the little ellies at the sanctuary are far less picky about their food than human kids. At their temporary home at DSWT’s elephant orphanage, these babies are being slowly introduced to a diet specially designed for growing elephants. From the age of three months, they are fed fresh shoots by their keepers, so they know which wild foods are safe for them to eat. The little ones turn out to be very inquisitive – they watch what the older elephants eat and sometimes even pluck the more tasty looking pieces out of their friends’ mouths!

The little orphan elephants’ love for discovering new green and delicious foods is something every caretaker would love to see!

Elephants are among the most fascinating species in the world – these gentle giants are very intelligent, emotional, and sensitive, they care immensely for their families, take fantastic care of their young, love to play around and be together. Diet is a very important part of every elephant’s life – an individual eats between 330 and 375 pounds of vegetation a day, which is mostly comprised of small plants and grasses, fruit, twigs, and roots. Around 80 percent of an elephant’s day can be spent feeding! It is no wonder then that an introduction of an appropriate diet is so important to those animals.

Click here to learn more about the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and their wonderful work for Africa’s animals.

Image source: Freya Dowson/DSWT