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An Emotional Moment as the Herd Gather at the Orphanage Without Phabeni
An unusual event took place as Tokwe, Lundi and some of the other elephants headed to the orphanage to find out where Phabeni was. Normally the herd walk in the opposite direction into the bush for their day of roaming. Matriarch Tokwe led the elephants (and Owen).
Elephants are incredibly intelligent animals and know when something is wrong. It is an emotional moment as Tokwe and the herd no doubt realised that Phabeni was not joining them, and is no longer at the orphanage. There is no way of avoiding this stress, this pain of losing a loved one, not for elephants or humans.
Lundi investigated the smells on the ground closest to the orphanage. Phabeni’s adoptive mother, Setombe joined in the front to trace the scents and detect signs of her baby. Among the elephants here were: Tokwe, Lundi, Kumbura, Fishan, Jabulani, Setombe, Bubi, Zindoga and Klaserie.
During Phabeni’s last night, and in the morning, during his passing, the herd stood outside the orphanage gate. They gathered there. After a while, they turned around and went to the stand under the homestead roof, waiting for the carers.
Adine thought of putting Phabeni’s body outside for the herd to smell and say their goodbyes. But ultimately after much deliberation with the carers, we decided against it.The reason for this decision was that Stavros, Liverson and Adine’s scents covered Phabeni’s body, and we feared the herd might think that we harmed the calf and so see us as a threat.
The day after Phabeni passed away, the females were in the bush and turned back, and came to the gate. We are not sure if they were looking for Phabeni, but it appeared as though they were coming to pay their respects, as you would at a funeral.
Phabeni’s death is not taken lightly and our veterinary advisors are having many conversations about the possibilities of the causes of death. We need to look at every possible way to prevent future elephant orphans from going through a similar scenario.
We do believe that teething added a considerable challenge for Phabeni. At the age of 8 months, babies usually start teething or tusking, and it takes approximately 2 to 3 months for the first tusk to show.During this period, the babies lose their appetite, and as they are on a milk formula, which is not as good as their mother’s own milk, they do not have the antibodies to fight any infection on their own. The calves are delicate and not one recipe is standard for all baby elephants up to the age of 2,5 years. Phabeni’s first tusk was cut a few weeks before he passed away, and the second tusk was extremely swollen.
As per the words and expertise of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and their elephant orphanage in Kenya:
“No-one knows the secret of wild natural Mother Elephants, whose calves cut their initial first four molars seemingly without any problem, but here in our Nairobi Nursery the teething process is invariably life threatening. We have lost many otherwise healthy calves during this critical process. In a captive situation the teething in baby elephants, occurs between the age of 1 and 4 months, triggers fevers, lethargy, loss of appetite and life threatening diarrheoa that is difficult to bring under control, not helped by the fact that the formula of the humanized base milk we use has apparently been adjusted by subsequent manufacturers, and is not quite as good as it used to be for essentially fragile infant elephant babies. During teething elephant babies usually have to be put on intravenous life supporting electrolytes to replace the fluids they have lost through diarrheoa.”
“Nature has made infant African elephants exceedingly fragile; they can be fine one day and dead the next and one can never be sure that a calf will survive until it is past its second birthday. “The hand-rearing of orphaned elephants is an emotional roller-coaster for those involved, for tragedy stalks success and can strike unexpectedly at any moment.”
– Daphne Sheldrick
We need to be strong and continue on for the health and well-being of the rest of the herd in our care. Just because the odds are against us it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t still try to save a life where we can.
Thank you for your support and compassion.
I am so very sorry. Phabeni brought so much joy and happiness to many around the world. We loved each moment you captured of this sweet soul. All the love, care, and duty HERD demonstrates is clear to us. Thank you for saving and nurturing all the elephants in your care. Your work is changing hearts and minds, bringing awareness to conservation and rescue. In his last moments, Phabeni was surrounded by remarkable love, so he was able to let go in peace. Be gentle with yourselves. Your team of loving individuals did your absolute best.
Hard to find the words powerful enough to express my love and gratitude to you all. Hard to bear the herd’s unbearable loss. He was never mine but my grief says he was. Rest in peace little, sweet Beni.
I am so saddened by this news. I am so emotional and can’t find words to express my sadness. I am devastated for your team, especially the herd. I look forward to seeing posts and videos from HERD every day. Bless you, Adine, and your team. May you all have the strength to move forward.
Dear Adine and everyone at Herd the video of darling Phabeni is heart breaking he was so brave, todays video of the Herd wondering where little Phabeni is you can see there worry and stress is just so heart breaking. You are all in my prayers and all of the Herd I feel for you all god bless you and the wonderful work you do. All my love Angela Worsdale❤❤ XXXX 🌈🌈
We truly appreciate your kind words. Thank you for keeping our team in your thoughts.
Thank you very much for the additional information and the report about the herd. Please continue to save orphaned elephants.
so sorry. you have done a great job introducing the magnificent elephant to us. They are more capable and caring then I ever knew. I pray you can continue doing this for the humans.
thank you
Thank you for your kind message and support.
I’m so sad about this, hope he’s in a better place with his mother.
You did everything within your power to help him. His introduction to the herd was amazing to see and was managed with the utmost sensitivity toward Phabeni’s mental and physical well-being. I can’t imagine how difficult it is to give everything you have to save these orphans knowing how fragile they are. You all have great courage and huge hearts to do this work. Thank you for giving him so much love and happiness in his short life – it was a beautiful transformation from rescue to adoption by the herd. I am quite certain it was worth all the hard work despite the outcome. Peace and love to all who work tirelessly to protect these amazing animals. You are heroes.
Your message is deeply appreciated. We miss Phabeni every day, but his memory lives on.
This comforting picture symbolize his name forever..
Thanks to you Stravos, you gave him the name and brings him home till the end..
..sy ewige skuiling!..
From heart to heart
We love Phabeni. We miss Phabeni. He united strangers across the globe. We are all in pain. We don’t know what to say and we don’t want it to be true. Watching Setombe and the herd navigate life without Phabeni is difficult but a reminder we must move forward for the herd. Thank you for the beautiful life he experienced since his rescue in November 2023.
Devastating! So grateful that Phabeni was able to experience the deep love of all of you and his Herd over his short yet impactful life, no doubt Carer Kenneth was waiting for him with open arms.
Thank you for all that you do for these amazing creatures!
I have no word’s. I pray fot each of thr caregivers, and the elephant herd. My heart is broken for you. I will keep all in my thoughts and prayers
Rest in peace Phebeni
Goodbye, little baby Phabeni, we love you.
YOU ARE DOING GOD’S WORK.
I have loved elephants since I was a child and have been following you for sometime. I too am heartbroken about losing the baby.
thanks for all you do to help these lovely animals. I will continue to follow you and the herd.
thank you all again