Meeting the Baby Elephants

May 21, 2012 (7:50pm Lusaka; 12:54pm Huntsville)

Taylor is the current Animal Welfare Supervisor Lilayi Lodge where the baby elephants lives, & she picked Jackie & me up at 6:30am to also pick up Rachael to go to Lilayi. 

We got to meet Suni 1^st thing when we arrived at the Lilayi lodge which is where the baby eles have now been kept since August/September.  Lilayi lodge is actually a resort on land owned by 5 brothers, each of who run a different part of the property/ business.  Sport is Rachel’s boss & runs the investment side.  The EOP at the resort keep the babies here & the other elephants remain in Kafue National Park.  Lilayi has plans to make a special & upgraded area for the EOP & the babies in another location on the property, but they are just in the “slashing” stage, which is where they are beginning to cut the grass to start building.

There are 5 eles total at this park.  Suni is the most recent addition. She has been at the Lodge for a month now due to a human-induced ax wound to her back & neck.  The pressure of the swelling of the wound affected control of her right hind limb. She improved greatly, but in the last week or so, she has regressed in her treatment in that she is now seems to be turning her foot inward as if she has no feeling in it as she walks. She is not going on walks with the keepers currently b/c of recommendations from a veterinarian.

Suni also likes to tease the youngest ele, Bezi, a 7 month old male who is feed with Suni for at least 2 feedings.  Bezi was found orphaned at 1 month old & has been quite the worrisome little patients, but he has now begun to put on weight & is just as cute as can be. Bezi does get to go on treks with the other eles & keepers.  The other eles are Kavala (the only other female), Maramba, & Musolole. All named after the site/town that they were found. 

Jackie & I mainly shadowed Taylor & the keepers on treks, feedings, dietary preparation, wound management, etc.
Dr. Chet also came to do pressure release therapy on Suni & Bezi.  In my words, pressure release is where they use pressure points to reconnect the brain and the muscles (neuromuscular & proprioception).  It was interesting to watch him work & he is really fun guy. He used to do Zambia Rugby, polo & a bunch of other sports. It was also fun to think about nerves in elephants. 
At lunch, which was provided by the lodge (a really nice buffet), we discussed Zambian’s way of life.