Dear HERD Family and Friends
Warm festive greetings from HERD.
We are delighted to announce that we have reached our goal for HERD - Baby Albino Elephant Khanyisa's Fundraiser" and this project is now closed.
We could not have reached this milestone without your contribution and support. Each donation made helped us to provide Khanyisa with the best possible care and we are truly grateful for your support on this journey in integrating her and sustaining her as she grows
Khanyisa is doing extremely well she has been enjoying her time out in the bush, swimming in the dam on our warm summer days with the rest of her herd family and her quiet evenings with Lammie and Nungu in the orphanage stable, while she loves to play on the grass before settling in for the evening.
Khanyisa is growing and glowing, as she now weighs in at over 480kg! She has come a long way, and we couldn’t be more happier with her growth, she is a such a light not only to us at HERD but to all of you our HERD family and supporters.
As many of you may know HERD Trust is now a registered PBO, HERD will therefore be moving away from the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), who have been our umbrella since our inception in 2019.
This means that all funding for HERD Trust, for the support and care of the elephant orphans and herd, and our elephant conservation initiatives, will now go directly to HERD.
We have created a new HERD Trust listing on GlobalGiving, where we will continue fundraising projects that you can support.
Would you please be so kind to move your recurring donation and continue supporting Khanyisa to our first project on our new page: Raising Khanyisa, Orphan Elephant Snaring Survivor https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/raising-khanyisa-snaring-survivor/
"GlobalGiving is offering a one-time 200% match on all new monthly donations drive set up between Dec. 13, 2021, at 00:00:00 ET and Dec. 17, 2021, at 23:59:59 ET. During this December 2021 Monthly Donor Drive, donations up to $200 USD per unique donor per project from donors setting up a new monthly donation will be matched one-time at 200% after four total payments."
We are excited to continue this chapter with you, our HERD Family, and to be growing our community of elephant custodians.
Thank you for your continuous support, wishing you and your family a wonderful Festive Season
Yours in conservation
Adine and the HERD team
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Dear Herd Family
We hope you and your family are all doing well.
We are happy to announce that HERD Trust is now a registered PBO! Reference number: 930072153
In addition to this, we have launched HERD Trust – an umbrella encompassing all our growing conservation and community operations – the kind of umbrella that saw albino calf, Khanyisa through her most fragile days at the orphanage. An umbrella of care…
We are excited to branch out into providing more opportunities for the people around us and to combat human-elephant conflict through sustainability, school education programmes, and empowerment projects.
HERD will therefore be moving away from the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), who have been our umbrella since our inception in 2019. We are grateful for the incredible work WCT does for wildlife conservation.
This means that all funding for HERD Trust, for the support and care of the elephant orphans and herd, and our elephant conservation initiatives, will now go directly to HERD.
We have created a new HERD Trust listing on GlobalGiving, where we will continue fundraising projects that you can support.
The first project on our new page is: Raising Khanyisa, Orphan Elephant Snaring Survivor https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/raising-khanyisa-snaring-survivor/
We have two projects that we will continue running on the WCT page:
We are excited to be embarking on this new chapter with you, our HERD Family, and to be growing our community of elephant custodians.
We invite you to support our new project and our HERD Trust GlobalGiving Page: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/raising-khanyisa-snaring-survivor/
Thank you for your continuous support,
Yours in conservation
Adine and the HERD team
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Albino Elephant Khanyisa has just turned TWO! And we are very humbled to celebrate this special milestone for her!
She also has tusks!
While we could feel the beginnings of her tusks as hard bulges beside her mouth in August 2020, Khanyisa’s tusks are now visible. She was clearly growing them in secret for some time. It only became clear to us in August that they were growing out when she started to rub the sides of her mouth on hard surfaces, such as the wooden poles in the nursery, more and more. She continues to even rub her tusks against her team of dedicated elephant carers.
The two hard protrusions on either side of her mouth are black at the base and white-yellow at the tip, with about half a thumb of tusk visible externally. Adine Roode, Founder of HERD, South Africa’s first dedicated elephant orphanage, administers regular check-ups on the albino calf in our care, and
also spotted the tiny tusks poking out of their sockets as Khanyisa lifted her head when drinking milk bottles at the orphanage or in the reserve with the bigger elephants
She unfortunately also went through a tough time during August and beginning of September, as she was feeling poorly, drinking less milk and she lost some weight. We had our dedicated and loving Wildlife Vet, Dr. Rogers, come in to do some tests, adjust her diet and monitor her closely! Many of you were very concerned for her as you could see the change in her demeanour. We are extremely grateful to report that she is doing much better. She is on track with gaining weight and she is drinking her milk and grazing happily!
The South African bush is very dry at the moment, and this makes it harder for the elephants to graze and get enough nutrition. It is especially difficult for Khanyisa as she learns to use her trunk in foraging. However, we have had amazing donations of various citrus fruits, gems, and butternuts from local farmers in the area. Our dedicated carers are constantly supporting Khanyisa in her diet, and the milk formula goes a very long way in making sure she gets exactly the nutrients that her growing body needs!
We are so grateful to each donor that participated in the July Bonus Day as well and the Little-by-little campaigns. Your donations have helped us to continue providing milk formula, medicine, vet visits and everything she needs. We continue to look ahead with hope and expectation in our hearts. We also look forward to the much-needed rainy season that lies ahead!
We know that with YOU by our side we can continue on this journey with Khanyisa, and we are so grateful for you.
A warm hello to all of our wonderful GlobalGiving supporters! We are so excited to be able to update you on Khanyisa in this report. Can you believe she is just a few months away from her second birthday now?
Miss Sunshine has grown substantially since our last report in February, weighing in at 304kg in March, 311kg in April, and most recently, 322kg in May. Click HERE to watch her latest weigh-in, in which we used her new (and bigger) scale donated by Izindlovu Fund.
Khanyisa has recently graduated to three hourly bottle feedings, which she gets day and night, including when she is out in the bush with the herd. She now joins the Jabulani herd, her new family, each and every day for a full day of foraging, swimming in the dams, and playing with young Timisa. Timisa was rescued in 2016, making her around five to six years old this year and closest in age to Khanyisa. She is a kind and gentle calf and is ever so patient with the very spirited Khanyisa. The pair have formed a heartwarming bond, as can be seen in this VIDEO of them sand bathing together.
Khanyisa also remains as close as ever to her adoptive mother, Lundi, and to her allomothers, particularly Bubi, who is exceptionally doting and protective of the baby elephant. The younger cows of the herd have also stepped up as allomothers, showing a level of care and kindness that is inspiring to behold.
After a full day of foraging with her family, Khanyisa returns to the orphanage to spend her night with dedicated sheep companion, Lammie. If you haven’t seen our updates on social media yet, you’ll be excited to learn that there is a new face at the orphanage too! Her name is Nungu and she is a Dorper sheep and retired orphan companion. Like Lammie, Nungu is a seasoned surrogate mother and as a result, she is wonderful with Khanyisa. The pair of sheep now spend their days grazing together while eagerly awaiting their young charge’s return. Meet Nungu HERE.
Khanyisa may be growing, but she will still require a special milk formula from us for around the next three or so years. Her carers are as dedicated as ever, always patient and loving in their approach with young Sunshine who relies so heavily upon them. A secret favourite of hers has got to be Stravros Chakoma, who recently bade us farewell as he left to enjoy retirement in Zimbabwe. Although we will miss Stavros and his knowledge greatly, he is so deserving of some rest and has left the herd and Khanyisa in extremely capable and experienced hands.
None of the daily operations we perform at HERD would be possible without you, our kind and loyal supporters, for whom we are unbelievably grateful.
Thank you for your continued friendship and passion for elephants and conservation. We look forward to checking in again in a few months time!
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It is always a joy to write a report about Khanyisa for our wonderful GlobalGiving supporters!
And this is our first for 2021 too!
The past month we have been revelling in Khanyisa's "achievement" of one full year of rehabilitation and integration since she was rescued on 7th January 2020.
If you have missed it, you can read more in our BLOG and our VIDEO looking back at the past year, relooking at her journey since she was rescued from the snare, to where she is now in her rehabilitation and integration with the Jabulani herd.
Recently we have seen a bit of slow weight gain for Khanyisa and ran some blood tests to check if all is okay. The results showed a lack of iron and so, we have adjusted her milk formula to assist with increasing this. You can read more about it in our LATEST BLOG. She is estimated to now be 17 months old and weighs 294KG.
Khanyisa's relationships continue to strengthen with all of the elephants, but the four females (cows) that continue to stand out in her immediate circle are Lundi, her adoptive mother, Bubi, her favourite allomother (nanny), Kumbura and Timisa.
Lundi is very protective and supportive, yet does tend to carry on with her day and her activities as she did before, and often at a high pace. When she is out in the wild, Lundi likes to move around a lot and spends a lot of time wandering between areas. But if she senses the slightest of threats or dangers to Khanyisa, she will be right by her side in a heartbeat. Khanyisa also follows her closely if they are walking far distances. It is very sweet to see.
Bubi has really won Khanyisa's heart with her patience and love with her. She will spend a lot of time in one area which Khanyisa prefers, so you often see updates of Khanyisa with Bubi in the bush for that reason. Bubi has stepped up to the plate as an allomother to fill in where Lundi needs help. This includes allowing Khanyisa to latch on to her teat for the emotional comfort it provides the little elephant.
Kumbura is the best big sister that Khanyisa could have wished for. It is rare that you will see Khanyisa without Kumbura in close distance. She constantly has her in her eye's view and Khanyisa is so comfortable with her. Kumbura was rescued in 2009 and it is clear that her intense bond with both Khanyisa and Timisa, both orphaned too, is due to their hard experiences, and a sense of protection over them.
Timisa is the sweet bigger yet younger older sister (if that makes sense!) Being younger, and not too much bigger than Khanyisa, allows Khanyisa to be more playful and more cheeky with her. But Timisa gives it back, but in such a playful manner that makes our hearts melt. No doubt they will be best of friend sisters forever.
But the ultimate best friend any orphaned elephant could every want for is definitely Lammie (the Legend). Lammie has provided Khanyisa with love and happiness and pure unconditional friendship from the day she arrived at HERD, and it shows in their special relationship.
Many people ask about Khanyisa's milk intake. We will continue to provide Khanyisa with 2 litres of special milk formula every 2 hours, ten times a day. This will continue until she is weaned at approximately 4 years old. So it s a lengthy commitment with an ever-changing formula, adapting to her ever-changing needs!
We have a record-breaking amount of rain on the reserve, and so the land is looking lush and green and the elephants are thriving in it. Just a few days ago, we received 40mm of rain in 40 minutes, and the elephants had hours of fun wallowing in the aftermath of mud-heaven.
Your contributions to HERD help ensure that we can continue to focus on the work we know best - elephant care! So thank you for your kindness, and continuing to support us.
May 2021 be kind to you and your loved ones.
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