Raise Khanyisa Orphaned Elephant Snaring Survivor

We are happy to report on Miss Sunshine… Khanyisa!

So much love and dedication has gone into the raising of baby elephant Khanyisa, the snare survivor. There is plenty of Sunshine to love!

She can hardly fit through the orphanage door as she goes for a weigh-in with carers. How great it is to see her at more than 900 kilograms. She is clearly thriving thanks to all the support from her milk bottles, her carers and herd, and you, her supporters (foster parents and donors).

Khanyisa is stronger and more skilled at foraging and roaming in the bush each day, with the guidance of her elephant family.

There will be one more season of milk bottles before full weaning starts. Winter is here which means that the bush is becoming drier as the weeks progress. The rain will only return toward the end of the year, after Khanyisa turns four in September, bringing with it a greener, more abundant wilderness to help supplement Khanyisa’ s diet as she weans. So, we’ll take this winter as our last season of milk bottles.

Khanyisa is still building her skills and strength and needs to learn to feed like a big girl! To carry a massive tree branch like Tokwe, as she walks around the wilderness, feeding herself as she goes. To reach up to the tallest leaves on the Marula tree like Fishan and Sebakwe. To pull bark from the branches like Zindoga and dig up bulbs and roots like Lundi. We’ll be here watching her change in these and new ways. Each step by elephant step.

We couldn’t have gotten Khanyisa this far without your help… A big thank you to you, from all of us at HERD.

Thank you for all your donations and fosterings for our Miss Sunshine!

Don’t forget to follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to see more moments with Khanyisa.

Yours in conservation.

Adine and the HERD Team