Sokotei …. fairing well!!!

~~April 25, 2014~~ 

Who is Sokotei?

Airlift of Cherie’s Baby, Sokotei

When Cherie of the First Ladies family in Samburu national reserve died, the Kenya Wildlife Service, Save the Elephants, Nasuulu conservancy and both Samburu and Buffalo Springs County councils all rallied to the assistance of the calf.

Although only 5 months old, Sokotei is remarkably strong. When he tried to leave his mother’s body in the night the monitoring team attempted to catch him. As they were chasing through thick salvadora (Sokotei) bush, knowing that lions were in the area, a huge rainstorm hit. After two hours skidding around in the mud, both elephant and men looked each other in the eye, panting for breath, and decided to leave it for the night.

The following morning the team managed to find Sokotei again, and after escaping the attentions of several aggressive bull elephants, succeeded in rescuing Sokotei.It was a dramatic rescue, in the thick of salvadora bushes known locally as Sokotei.

A team of specialists and an aircraft from The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust then came to pick the calf up.

He has been given the name Sokotei.

~~SOURCES~~

https://www.facebook.com/savetheelephants.kenya

http://safari-magazine.com/protect-the-wildlife/airlift-of-cheries-baby-sokotei/

http://www.fromaparrottsnest.com/letter-to-the-elephants-baby-sokotei-the-death-of-bertie-mae-freeing-packy/

~~SOKOTEI’S RESCUE~~

~~Published on Apr 23, 2014~~

For over a week in early April 2014 everyone at the DSWT, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Save the Elephants (STE) and all their followers, watched an elephant called Cherie fight for her life. Cherie was a female elephant from a family known as the First Ladies in Samburu, Northern Kenya. She had appeared sick with stomach pains before finally collapsing on the 7th April 2014 with her approximately 6 month old calf beside her.

KWS veterinary officer, Dr. Bernard Rono, who heads the DSWT funded Meru Mobile Veterinary Unit, was called to Samburu to inspect her from a safe distance as she was clearly too weak to survive an anaesthetic. Dr. Rono could determine no visible injury and could not be certain what her ailment was.

It was heartbreaking for all involved to be so close but unable to treat Cherie, instead having to rely on the elephants amazing healing powers and hope for the best.

Sadly, on the evening of the 9th April Cherie lay down for the last time, in a dried up watercourse. She passed away leaving her young calf, and everyone who had watched her battle for her life, to mourn her passing.

This video tell’s the story and demonstrates the stoic efforts of dedicated people on the ground to offer her calf, now named Sokotei, a second chance at life in the care of the DSWT at our Nairobi Orphanage.

Read the full account at: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org…

Follow our Elephant Orphans’ Project and wider conservation initiatives on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/thedswt and Twitterhttp://www.twitter.com/dswt
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Thank you to Save the Elephants for permission to use some of their video content in order to share Sokotei’s story.

We ALL are connected through NATURE!! 

We ALL are ONE!!