Real Africa have recently adopted Ishanga and Solio at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (also known as the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage)in Nairobi, Kenya.

You can watch them on our video here by clicking on the link. Video Link

Ishanga is a one year old elephant who was rescued at death’s door from Tsavo after her mother was killed by poachers and she was attacked by lions. Solio is a tiny little black rhino whose family were also killed by poachers. If you watch the video you will be able to see both Ishanga having her milk and in the background little Solio have a dust bath and back rub. You can read more about them on our blog page Real Africa Blog .


Both animals look like they are having a great time and lots of fun. However the work done by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is very serious indeed. Poaching is a huge problem across Africa even in well-protected national parks like Tsavo. The Trust was set up in 1977 to honour the memory of David Sheldrick who was the founding warden of the Tsavo West National Park. His wife Daphne an expert naturalist in her own right continued his work and was the first person in the world to successfully hand rear orphaned elephants and release them successfully back into the wild. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust also does a huge amount of conservation work in Tsavo West leading de-snaring patrols and leading the fight against the illegal ivory trade.

Real Africa are very proud to be able to support the work of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and to be able to help in a pro-active way by adopting two of their orphaned animals. As a tourist on safari you too are already doing your bit! The safari and tourist business is vital to the Kenyan economy and everyone from political leaders to local people are aware that they need to safeguard the wildlife and the environment as best they can in order to benefit not just the wildlife but the country as a whole.

As well as following Ishanga, we will be giving updates on the work of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, its orphan programme as well as the other conservation work it does.

If you are interested in helping in any way or in adopting an animal please follow the link to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust website at the top of the page.