Animal Welfare South Africa Project #58927

Help an Elephant, Help a Herd

by Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation & Development

Project Report | Feb 28, 2025
Heartwarming Moments from the Elephant Herd!

By Sunel Craythorne | Donor Care Officer

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our mission in preserving the elephants and their extraordinary journey. Your generosity is making a profound difference. Below are some recent special moments with the herd that we’re excited to share with you.

An Elephant’s Strength and Support
A month ago, an unforgettable encounter unfolded at the dam. Sebakwe, our strong and dominant bull, was drinking from the water when a lone hippo approached, seemingly determined to assert its dominance. The hippo, though large, quickly realized the true strength of Sebakwe’s presence as the herd stood united in support of their leader. Despite the hippo's show of bravado, Sebakwe's strength and the herd’s solidarity were enough to send the hippo retreating, ensuring their safety. Khanyisa and Bubi, followed this dramatic moment with joyful fun, splashing in the water. It was a beautiful reminder of the importance of community, strength, and togetherness in the wild.

https://youtu.be/2XIvpYf5KnQ?si=ishoIUuopXz1pKwF

The Strong Bonds Between Elephant Family Members
An emotional moment unfolded recently when little Pisa found herself separated from the herd. Pisa called out to her family in a moment of panic, her trumpets echoing across the wild. Her cries reached the ears of the rest of the herd, and they immediately responded, with Jabulani, our gentle protector, rushing to ensure Pisa was safe. Thankfully, the herd reunited, and after the brief scare, all settled down peacefully, continuing their feeding and their journey together. Moments like these highlight the deep familial bonds elephants share, and it’s thanks to you that we can continue to witness these intimate connections.

https://youtu.be/BWyqfmUnY1o?si=s7iDFDSutt01s8ow

Magical Moments in the Wilderness
The past month has been filled with awe-inspiring moments. The beauty of the African wilderness shine through as we captured double rainbows arching over the elephants. Khanyisa and Adine spent quality time together, while Tokwe, our wise matriarch, shared a tender bonding moment with Sebakwe. The elephants’ playful spirits were on full display with Mambo and Zindoga splashing in the water, while the air was filled with the sound of sparring and trumpeting. These moments of joy, beauty, and connection are the very essence of what we strive to protect.

https://youtu.be/VqBDWjUzOJE?si=WZOqzaBfiT4ZCddF

Wild Herds and Unexpected Encounters

A few weeks ago, Adine encountered the wild elephant herd while driving through the reserve. The cows, babies, and young bulls were in a playful mood, causing a little mischief before they peacefully passed by her car. It was a reminder of the natural behaviour of elephants, as part of the larger herd had split off into smaller family groups—an instinctual move for safety and resources. But the magic didn’t stop there. A lone lioness appeared on the road, calmly strolling by. These rare and breathtaking moments show how extraordinary the African bushveld truly is.

https://youtu.be/c1fa04PxRQE?si=ExJe7gggDCE7wRBD

Celebrating the Bond Between Sebakwe and Setombe
We’ve been reflecting on the special bond between Sebakwe and Setombe, two elephants who have been through so much together. Two of the original elephants from the Zimbabwe herd share a quiet companionship that is incredibly rare in the wild. Sebakwe’s strength and confidence balance Setombe’s more reserved nature, and their partnership is built on trust and mutual respect. Their relationship is a beautiful reminder of the power of connection in the wild.

https://youtu.be/-OuSnaGzdho?si=5USD5vL6FbNYCK6Y

An Adventure with Godknows and the Herd
Recently, our carer Godknows took us on another adventure with the herd. The excitement began when the elephants reacted to something alarming—perhaps the scent of wild elephants or sparring. The smallest of the herd, Timisa and Khanyisa, fed side by side, a heartwarming sight of the young ones growing strong together. Godknows also showed us the majestic Sebakwe and Lundi, both enjoying peaceful moments feeding in the bush, either with the herd or alone. These quiet moments of solitude and togetherness are crucial to the elephants’ well-being.

https://youtu.be/eHLjI_67ydU?si=b1cOLsuTjEW4HLhb

These moments are just a glimpse into the lives of these magnificent creatures. Your support allows us to continue our conservation efforts, ensuring the elephants thrive in their natural home. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to this cause, and we look forward to sharing more stories of the herd’s journey with you.

Thank you once again for being part of this incredible mission.

Yours in conservation,
The HERD Team

Permalink

Nov 1, 2024
An Update on the Rescued Jabulani Herd - Waterholes & Hierarchies

By Sunel Craythorne | Fundraising Administrator

There’s always something exciting happening with our elephant herd.

September was particularly special as Khanyisa celebrated her 5th birthday! Every day with Khanyisa and her herd is filled with joy, nourishment, and deep connection. We love receiving videos from our elephant carers who capture the herd’s adventures, showcase the beauty and bliss of being elephants in the wilds of Africa.

Khanyisa’s journey reminds us of the challenges faced by orphans. We’re grateful to care for her and share her journey with all of you. Watch as Elephant Manager Tigere shares an update on our favourite little albino elephant, Khanyisa, as she feeds out in the bush and enjoys her milk bottle > https://youtu.be/UojNHwJ69p4

Unfortunately, the drought is taking a toll on wildlife across Southern Africa, including our reserve. Lower rainfall and rising temperatures have led to severe water shortages, and this year’s El Niño has intensified the situation. With dwindling waterholes and limited vegetation, animals are struggling to find food and hydration, which could pose long-term challenges.

In response, we’re committed to ensuring the well-being of our elephants and all wildlife in our reserve. We have been filling dry waterholes, deepening dams, and installing solar-powered boreholes for a sustainable water supply. The drought impacts herbivores like elephants, antelope, and zebras, while predators face their own challenges due to reduced prey. We’re doing everything we can to support wildlife during this tough time. Watch more on this > https://youtu.be/qiyt__haaDY

The herd in our care have been enjoying lots of time at the waterholes that have water currently, but there is greater competition around these limited sources as different species must share the dams. You will spot our elephants coming across buffalo, rhino, hippo and other animals frequently now.

The hierarchy in the herd currently starts with dominant bull Sebakwe in the top position. It continues, in order, with Jabulani, Fishan, Somopane, Zindoga, Mambo, Setombe, Tokwe and Lundi, Limpopo, Bubi and Klaserie. The other elephants are not vying for a place in the hierarchy yet; that is, Kumbura, Pisa, Timisa and Khanyisa. Hierarchy in elephant herds is always in flux, and what we are seeing over time is the rising of Zindoga and Mambo who have dominated Setombe and the other cows now.

For more insight into the elephants, follow us on social media.

YouTube: HERD Elephant Orphanage
Facebook: HERD Elephants SA
Instagram: @herd_elephants

Thank you for your ongoing support and compassion.

Yours in conservation,
Adine and the HERD Team

Permalink

Jul 5, 2024
Healing Hearts in the Home of the Elephants

By Sunel Craythorne | Fundraising Administrator

The last news was about our growing herd and how a new orphan joined them. It is with extremely heavy hearts that we had to announce the passing of this little bull, Phabeni. It has been a tragic loss for our whole team, our supporters, and of course the herd. The Jabulani herd is incredible in their unique acceptance of wild orphan calves who need a family made up of their own species. They bonded closely with little Phabeni but sadly had to say their goodbyes all too soon. You can follow the update about the events of Phabeni’s last day here: https://youtu.be/I6qmcGgGqv0, as well as see how the herd reacted here: https://youtu.be/sDRq5VT6uqI.

Elephants are incredibly intelligent animals and know when something is wrong. During Phabeni’s last night, and in the morning, during his passing, the herd stood outside the orphanage gate. They gathered there and after a while, they turned around and went to the stand under the homestead roof, waiting for the carers. On another morning, an unusual event took place as Tokwe, Lundi and some of the other elephants headed to the orphanage to look for Phabeni. Normally the herd walk in the opposite direction into the bush for their day of roaming. Matriarch Tokwe led the elephants to the orphanage. It was an emotional moment as the elephants no doubt realised that Phabeni was not joining them, and was no longer at the orphanage. Lundi investigated the smells on the ground closest to the orphanage. Phabeni’s adoptive mother, Setombe joined in the front to trace the scents and detect signs of her baby. Among the elephants here were: Tokwe, Lundi, Kumbura, Fishan, Jabulani, Setombe, Bubi, Zindoga and Klaserie. There is no way of avoiding this stress, this pain of losing a loved one, not for elephants or humans.

It will take time to heal from this. Phabeni was lucky in that he was able to find support from his own species again, and the imprint he leaves on the herd is obvious. He changed Setombe for the better, as the older female opened her heart to a calf who was not her own.

Even during the difficult times, we need to stay strong for the health and wellbeing of all the elephants in our care. We need to continue to look after the land they call home. With winter here it is more important than ever that we consider the state of our environment, and the land around the homestead and orphanage where the elephants walk and forage the most.

The work we carry out to support the elephants’ home, to protect it from degradation, includes techniques for combatting large erosion networks to prevent the loss of valuable topsoil, planning and revising road networks and associated infrastructure, and techniques that will revive the basal grass layer essential for ecosystem well-being, and strategies to protect existing large trees from being pushed over by the herd. The remaining community of large trees is critical for functioning core ecosystem services such as the hydrological cycle, pollination, micro-habitats for smaller members of the ecosystem, and simply to shade animals from the sun. We are working to create an environment that can sustain our herd and every other member of this complex and ever-changing ecosystem.

There is never a dull moment when watching our elephant herd enjoying themselves in their bush home, doing what elephants do best. Keep an eye on our YouTube channel to stay up to date with the activities of the herd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EkU26JN1uE&t=375s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0gZmjutKWE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyHNkrMtOA4

Follow HERD online:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HERDElephantOrphanageSouthAfrica

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HERDElephantsSA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herd_elephants/

Thank you again for your ongoing support and compassion.

Yours in conservation

Adine and the HERD Team

Permalink

‹ 1 2 3 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.