Five Years of Sunshine with Albino Elephant, Khanyisa

by Adine Roode

There are different ways to “age” an elephant, but according to elephant age ranges, Khanyisa is no longer a calf. At five years of age, she is officially a juvenile and will be until around nine years. At 10, she will move into the realm of a small adult. Our little pink silly-billy in her orange blanket chasing after a sheep with a tail like a trunk… she is no longer a baby.

Five years feels especially long and significant when it’s the first five years of life. Calves are more fragile and vulnerable in the early stages of life. I am in that strange predicament many mothers and fathers find themselves in: wanting our little ones to grow big and strong overnight but hoping too that they will stay small forever, small enough to need us and to still look cute even when they’re tearing up the living room—or bush.

Khanyisa likely has her second set of molars now, possibly even the third. As a juvenile, it is typical that she is still dependent on milk, as it is around 4 to 5 years old that elephants are weaned from their mothers. She is on the path to being fully weaned, but to give her the very best start in life, we have been taking it slow. We’ve considered the seasons, preferring to wait for warmer weather and a lusher wilderness to supplement her diet. The bush has entered Spring, but we will only see changes in a month or so, as the rains return and start to transform the bush into a greener Eden.

The earth has helped raise Khanyisa, and support her and her herd, through food, shelter, enrichment, stimulation, and lessons. The water has given our little juvenile hours of joy, as she splashes and submerges herself in its coolness. Kumbura might still keep an eye on Khanyisa in the waterhole, but Meisiekind is a proficient swimmer now. When it comes to the trees, her trunk is still mastering its full potential, but big and strong it will one day be. For now, she has help from Sebakwe and the other elephants, as they bring down large branches from the trees for her to feed from. They help strip nourishing bark and uncover water sources and tasty bulbs and roots in the ground for her, by digging with their feet.

In the first years of life, everything is new, everything is amazing. You’ll notice that by how many times a human toddler says, “Wow” each day. There is no better time for curiosity and excitement for life to flourish. If you ever need a reminder of this, just watch a child, or a little pink elephant, playing in the sand by a stream. They have all they need, as long as someone is there to watch over them.

Looking back at our little albino calf in her zebra blanket, curled up with her carer, Herman in the nursery, I believe that we have been able to help Khanyisa heal from her hard beginnings. Only positivity and kind-heartedness remain, an inspiring sense of courage and confidence. She has many more experiences and adventures to have, and each new phase will reveal different sides of her character.

I am grateful to our supporters, Khanyisa’s family around the world, who have followed her journey over the months, and the years, and helped us to help her. I always know I can turn to your comments and find inspiration in reading how Khanyisa’s life has touched different generations, how your grandchildren are learning about elephants through her. How your grandparents are tuned into YouTube daily to watch her story.

We are all learning together, and remembering that you are there for Khanyisa is the greatest gift on this anniversary of Khanyisa’s life.

Thank you, and happy birthday to our little juvenile, Meisiekind.