Elephant Behaviours Episode 1: Trunk to Mouth (Affiliative)

By ffc_admin

Welcome to Episode One of our Elephant Behaviours Series. We would like to take this opportunity once again, to thank Elephant Voices for sharing all their research on their public platform called the Elephant Ethogram, which provides the world with all this incredible insight into elephant behaviours. In Episode 1, we take a look at … Continued

Bula and Peter: Heartwarming Progress and Messy Mud Baths

By ffc_admin

Dust rises from the bottom enclosure of HESC (Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre) as baby Peter plays with Adine. His big ears point forward in excitement as he sprints from one end of the enclosure to another, his hooves thumping noisily across the dirt. Peter is a four-month-old rhino calf who was adopted by HESC after … Continued

A Safe Space for Elephants, Day and Night

By ffc_admin

Eternal Sunshine for the Elephants Just before darkness falls over the bush, the Jabulani herd passes the last waterhole on their dayโ€™s journey and arrives at their homestead. Khanyisa, the albino four-year-old snare survivor who has fully integrated into the herd, drinks her last milk bottle before heading in with the other elephants. The last … Continued

Elephant Orphan, Phabeni Meets Bulls Sebakwe & Somopane

By ffc_admin

Father Figures The time had come to bring in two more elephants, to introduce little orphan Phabeni to two new members of his future family. The morning started with a meeting at the homestead between Phabeni, Lundi and Jabulani and then, the two big bulls, Somopane and Sebakwe joined. As they approached, Lundi turned around … Continued

Connecting Classroom and Conservation | HERDโ€™s Newest Conservation Students

By ffc_admin

At HERD, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of conservation leaders. Through our partnership with NewBridge Graduate Institute, we are honoured to provide practical learning opportunities that bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. We are delighted to introduce our newest conservation students, Anri and Mariska, who have started their journey at … Continued

The Power of Love at HERD

By ffc_admin

At the heart of it all are our amazing elephants, and the bonds they form with our team are nothing short of extraordinary. These photos are more than just snapshots โ€“ they’re windows into the daily life of our sanctuary, revealing the love that surrounds every interaction. From a carer’s reassuring touch to Khanyisa’s mischievous … Continued

How Baby Elephants Suckle From Their Mothers

By ffc_admin

The Sweetest Little Suckles Between Baby Elephant, Phabeni & Lundi Little orphan bull elephant, Phabeni has shown great passion for suckling at the older elephants he has met, both cow Lundi and bull Jabulani, interestingly. Jabulani is so much bigger than Phabeni that the calf actually climbs up Jabulani’s legs, resting his front feet on … Continued

Welcome to the mini herd, Spotty!

By ffc_admin

Raising orphaned elephants is a team effort, and an important part of the team has 4 legs and woolly hearts. Orphaned wild animals, separated from their biological families due to accidents or human intervention, often struggle to adapt to life in an orphanage. Enter the sheep – the surrogate family that steps in to fill … Continued