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1 July
We are devastated to have to share this news with you today. Little Phabeni has passed away in our care, following a seven-month battle of ups and downs with his health. We have shared the story of this devastating loss below, with a video put together with care and love, and great respect for the little bull, and the people and elephants who loved him.
By Adine Roode
We were thinking of ways to celebrate Phabeni’s one year in July. Little did we know that he would never reach his first birthday.
For the past seven months, it has been an up-and-down struggle with Phabeni, gaining weight, losing weight, taking bottles, leaving bottles.
For the last week, Phabeni skipped either his 8, 10, 12 or 2 o’clock bottle. Sometimes it was one bottle, sometimes it was two bottles. It was either 10 or 20% of his daily intake that he did not take.
I noticed that his energy levels were not good at all and he was listless. He had puffiness in his face. I contacted Katie Rowe from Reteti for advice, as Phabeni had been on goat milk for just more than a month, and he took to it well, but he did not gain as much weight as I thought he would have, and as he needed. At least he was taking his bottles. I thought it would take some time for him to put on weight as his digestive system needed to adapt to the new milk. I checked with the pediatrician who said it would take quite a bit of time. After about two and a half weeks he started gaining weight, however he never reached 170 kgs.
I asked Dr. Rogers to give him a vitamin booster and vitamin B12 to increase his appetite. Dr. Rogers suggested that we give it intravenously to reduce the stress of darting him, so we put Phabeni on a drip for this. Even though it was mild, he perhaps did not take the sedation too well as his front legs battled to hold his weight so I laid down and he rested on my legs, with his full weight. We gave him 3 bags of fluids plus a good dose of vitamins and minerals. We wrapped up just after 4 pm and he took his 4 pm milk bottle without any problems. At 6 pm he also finished the bottle easily, as well as the 9 o’clock bottle.
Just before 11 pm, I had gone to my home in the reserve, and heard Ruan from Jabulani lodge knocking on my window to tell me that the carers needed me as Phabeni was not doing well. The signal was not great, and they couldn’t get hold of me. I rushed up to the orphanage and saw Phabeni swinging from side to side, unstable on his feet. I sent Dr. Rogers video footage of this and called him just before midnight. He answered immediately and asked if he should come out. I confirmed that I thought it was needed. It felt like ages before he arrived. Time stood still.
Joshua, Godknows, Last, Liverson and Stavros were all at the orphanage not knowing what to do. I couldn’t think of anything Dr Rogers could do but I needed him to come, maybe even just for moral support and to experience what we were experiencing. Stavros and Liverson were with Phabeni and I watched them closely. I realised that Phabeni did not have the energy to even stagger anymore. I suggested that we try his midnight bottle at 11:30 pm, which he didn’t take. However, he did lift his head high in the air with his trunk folded upwards, backward and opened his mouth as if to get milk. He would shake his head as if there was something in his throat he wanted to get rid of. I was scared he might choke on the milk and suggested to Stavros that we quit the milk. I went in and got Phabeni to lie down, he laid down on his chest with his legs straight out and his hind legs folded under him. Dr. Rogers came and suggested we try to give him a bottle again, as he said he must drink. Once again, he wasn’t interested but did lift his head, and staggered around.
I got him to lie down, and he fell asleep. Minutes ticked by, and it sometimes felt as if he couldn’t breathe and as though he was afraid that he couldn’t get air in. I think it might have been anxiety and overwhelm. So I counted with him, we did breathing exercises, breathing in and out, in, out. When he breathed in, I blew into his trunk and as he blew out, I smelled his breath. It was as though I could smell his fear, but we were with him and he would ease his breathing pace. It calmed him. He got up for few more times and staggered around in the nursery, chasing Lammie and Spotty, or sometimes Stavros or myself. We got him to lie down once again with Stavros’ hand on his eyes and lying behind him, cuddling him and making soothing sounds, and me lying on the other side, helping him to breathe when he battled. He screamed a few times. But in the end, he fell asleep.
I fetched a warm blanket for Stavros and a cushion as it was getting chilly and I wrapped another blanket over Phabeni without waking him. By 3 am it was freezing cold and I got up to get the last small crocheted blanket to cover myself. By 5 am I told Stavros I would go and make us some coffee.
Godknows came by to check on us, and when I arrived with the coffee, he came out from Phabeni and said, “Phabeni is still sleeping.” We chatted about the plan for the day, saying that we would not take Phabeni out to the bush with the other elephants. It was during this stage, with a sleeping Phabeni and a cuddled-up Stavros, that Stavros then came out to speak to me and told me that Phabeni was dead. I couldn’t believe it. Godknows and I rushed in to find Phabeni not breathing, just still and warm. It was 5:43 am.
In the distance, the sun was coming up. I had been thinking while making coffee that I was glad this night was over, as it was a long, long night. I had been thinking that Phabeni had survived and pulled through, but I was wondering what the next night might hold for us. During the night, to calm Phabeni, we played classical music. It really helped him to calm down and the three of us just lay listening to the music or maybe Stavros and I were listening to Phabeni breathing, in and out, quite hard, sometimes battling. I fetched my phone to find a message from Dr. Rogers: “Update please,” it said. I sent him a reply: “We just lost him”.
Dr. Rogers joined us at the orphanage to carry out an autopsy. It is a hard process to go through, especially with an animal you have cared for and come to know and love. It was hard on the team, but the results showed acute enteritis. While this could have been caused by something that Phabeni ate, there were multiple challenges that Phabeni was already facing for several weeks. His body was continuing to go through bouts of infection, which we would treat and help clear through antibiotics. The cause of the infection was not removed and so the infection continued to return. If this was due to the broken bone in his hip, caused by the dart used to tranquilise him during his rescue, Phabeni was never strong enough for us to perform the operation to remove the broken bone.
On top of this, he cut his first tusk the week before he passed away, and his second tusk was swollen and red, ready to erupt. I know that during this stage of teething, we have battled every time with the orphan calves and statistics show that most babies are lost during this teething period.
He was certainly fussy regarding taste when it came to milk and food, which did not help matters as he needed a lot more nutrition than what he was taking in. It is hard to tell with elephant calves what the precise cause of death could be, as not much research and experience exists in terms of their species, compared to horses or rhinos, for example. For all we know, Phabeni could have had something wrong with his stomach at the very beginning when he was rescued, and perhaps that could explain why he did not allow us to touch him on certain areas around his stomach, and why he was extra feisty at times.
We gained so much insight through caring for Phabeni and the herd grew immensely having him join their family. It is heartbreaking for all of us on the ground, myself, his carers who were with him day after day, in the orphanage and in the bush with the elephants. It is heartbreaking for our team who work tirelessly to procure milk and medicine, food and other essentials for Phabeni in our head office, and our team working to share his stories, videos, blogs, posts and newsletters with our followers and supporters. It is heartbreaking for our fundraising team who put in so much work to help get Phabeni the care he needed. But we know that it is also deeply tragic and distressing for you too, you who have followed the little bull’s story from day one, found inspiration in his journey, and fallen in love with his spirit, big eyes and floppy little trunk.
Similarly, it will be a big challenge for the herd, for adoptive mother Setombe especially, to accept and come to terms with not seeing Phabeni anymore. Perhaps not understanding what happened to him. During Phabeni’s last night, several of the elephants gathered at the fence. We could see they knew something was wrong. Perhaps they heard Phabeni’s screams. Smelt his fear as he struggled to breathe. Setombe let out her own screams in the homestead and our hearts ached for her.
It will take time to heal from this. But it comes with the territory of trying to rescue, rehabilitate and raise elephant orphans who have lost their natural families. It is part of the journey of elephant conservation, dealing with loss. With hardship. Elephant orphan calves are all extremely fragile and getting them to a safe, strong age where they are hardier takes a lot of luck, trial and error, constant dedication and care. Phabeni was lucky in that he was able to find support from his own species again, and the imprint he leaves on the herd is obvious. He changed Setombe for the better, as the older female opened her heart to a calf who was not her own. Setombe showed immense strength of character and a deep nurturing nature, a fierceness, as she took Phabeni in almost immediately. Even Khanyisa, the youngest in the herd again, bonded with Phabeni, the littlest elephant she had ever met up close. She showed such genuine acceptance and kindness towards Phabeni that truly made us proud and showed that hers is a special heart.
We truly tried everything to help Phabeni over the months when his health battled. We leant on every contact, expert, friend, advisor and supporter that we could to create solutions to the different problems that Phabeni faced. Together, we all gave him the very best chance in life, but it simply was not enough. His little heart will stay with us eternally. Thank you for loving him like we did, for learning from him like we did, and for letting his life matter.
my heart is breaking for the wee man and all of you 😭
Devastating news – deepest sympathy to all concerned !
I cannot begin to explain the heartache I feel…I’m devastated…my heart goes out to you all. I absolutely know you did everything you could…your commitment is unending. I pray setombe will cope with her loss…and the herd eventually come to terms with their loss. I feel bereft, so you guys must feel totally empty. thank you for what you do…you have some amazing success stories walking around every day…thanks to you all. God bless…I love you all xx
Thank you for your heartfelt message. The loss of Phabeni has been deeply painful for all of us and the elephant herd. We will always cherish the memories and the time we had with him.
words can not express the sadness you all must be experiencing you all are in my thoughts as is Phabeni, he certainly has left his mark with all of us humans and elephants
Thank you for your support. The impact he had on HERD and our community will live on forever.
My heart just broke – thank you for the love and joy you bring into the world with your endeavors – wishing you all well
I’m so sorry for you loss. I came to learn of Phabeni from my sister and started to follow his story , hoping and praying he would make it. Such a sad day for all his followers but most by all for his herd and carers who must be devastated.
I have been following this little guy since you first introduced him. I thought he was going to make a turn around and live a long life. Now I set here crying in my coffee over your loss. So sorry for all of you .
I loved little Phabeni.
I loved him like I did little Khanyisa.
I loved him like I love all my ellies at HERD.
And I’m absolutely gutted!
It will take me some time to recover…
But I am glad he was given a chance in life.
And I’m glad it came from the whole team at HERD. He could not have had this kind of selfless and unflinching love, care, and support that he got from you. And I’m absolutely sure little Phabeni is grateful, and will continue to be grateful – from wherever his home now is.
I cannot thank you, Adine, and your wonderful team enough for what you do, what you have been doing, and what you will continue to do in the days ahead. And we are with you every step of the way.
My deepest and heartfelt condolences to all of you…
Take care…
May the little one’s soul Rest in Peace …
Om Shanti 🙏
Your message means a great deal to us. The loss of our orphan elephant has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD community to recover. Thank you for for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
Phabeni, you’re one very special young bull 🐘. Thank you for sharing 🐘😢
I am crying as I wrote this, heartbroken for you, for the carers and the herd.
Seeking comfort in the love Phabeni was privileged to know.
I see you strength and love from far away as you all grieve. I am in awe of everything you all do, heartfelt condolences,
Julie from Canada
Oh SO SO sorry dear Adine. You all tried so hard and gave him so much love . You must be heartbroken. We are also devastated here in Australia. We may have been far away but we have watched and loved this little elephant baby every step of the way. God bless you and your team and thank you so much for all you do for these wonderful creatures.
I am really heartbroken. This came as such as shock. I am deeply sad for Phabeni, for the Jabulani herd and all the carers at HERD and Adine. May his memory be a blessing.
Deeply and desperately sorry to read this but please take comfort from knowing you gave him the best chance – and we will all support you again in a heartbeat when the next orphan needs you. Sending hugs
Your kindness is deeply appreciated. We miss Phabeni every day, but his memory lives on.
My heart is breaking for you all, the Elephant family and dear little Phabeni
You tried so hard and we all thank you.
Rest in peace little baby boy 💙
Working with animals is certainly the most rewarding and happiest, but also the saddest thing to do in life. Thank you to the HERD team (and Dr Rogers and other role players behind the scenes) for the time and effort going into caring for these elephants. May the empty space in your hearts be filled with only the sweet memories.
My heart is broken. What a character this little bull had. My heart goes out to all of you that took such good care of little Phabeni.
Thank you for everything you did for this precious boy…. & my heart goes out to all of you at the Sanctuary…
May he now rest in peace, pain free …
Right now I don’t know what to say. I’m trying to come to terms with this devastating news. God bless you all for your tireless devotion to Phabeni. I hope the herd can get through it. My heart goes out to you all. Sleep tight baby Phabeni now with Fenya x̌
This is heartbreaking and I send my deepest condolences to you all. It has been an amazing privilege watch you all care for Phabeni. He was surrounded by love and that is a wonderful gift.
We will pray for you all .
Thank you for your kind message and support.
Dis so hartseer om so brawe klein olifantjie te sien veg om te lewe maar teen die einde was dit seker net te erg vir hom en het nie meer die krag gehad nie. Ek het waarlik my oë uitgehuil vir hom, Hy was kosbaar, rus in vrede liefste, dierbaarste klein Phabeni. Jy het ‘n plekkie in my hart vir altyd en sal jou nooit vergeet.
Your support means the world to us during this time of loss. Phabeni was a little fighter and his memory will live with us forever.
This is such heartbreaking news. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all and the herd. He was a mighty little elephant that has left an indelible mark on all of us far and wide. Sending all our love.
Thank you for your kind message and support.
Oh Herd, I’m so deeply sorry. My heart breaks for you and the elephants and Phabeni. He was a fierce little fighter and you truly did everything you could to fight with him. The love and care by you and the elephants gave him the best life possible. Today, we’re surrounding you with love and support to help you through this tragic time. Thank you for inspiring us to love and care for the world and all her inhabitants every day. Rest in peace sweet Phabeni. I’m so glad we got to know you.
Thank you for your heartfelt message. The loss of Phabeni has been deeply painful for all of us and the elephant herd. We will always cherish the memories and the time we had with him.
I’m so sorry for all of HERD and my Ellie family, our little Prince phabeni was a blessing in this world may his sprit run free in the Bush forever, he gave me so much joy and happiness, love and blessings healing and heart felt sorrows for you all.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ precious little angel
Thank you for your message. Phabeni will always hold a special place in our hearts.
My sincere condolences! You did all you could. Phabeni will be missed…..
Thank you for your love and support.
I am so sorry for all of you for your loss. I have followed Phabeis journey and it felt like he was winning his battle with all the love and care from you amazing people. You cannot win everytime but he knew he was loved and wanted. Maybe all you have learned from this angel things that will aid in your work for the next baby that will join you. I will miss that beautiful face and his sweet joy with survival. Never give up!
Thank you for your support. The impact he had on HERD and our community will live on forever.
This just breaks my heart. For Phabeni, Setombe, the herd and all of you and all of us who were on this journey with you. Just devastating but what a wonderful time he had with his family. Accepted, protected, and loved. I know elephants mourn their loss of loved ones. Will they be able to mourn Phabeni ? I miss him already.
Thank you for your message. Phabeni will always hold a special place in our hearts.
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. Setombe mourned for several days but took comfort in the presence of her daughter Klaserie and close friend Sebakwe
I’m so, so sorry Adine and everyone in Phabeni’s team. You did absolutely everything you could possibly do for little Phabeni and I hope it comforts you that he felt loved and cared for the seven months he was with you. Sending you lots of love to get through this xxx
We are so grateful for your heartfelt message. Phabeni’s legacy will continue to inspire us.
I’m so sorry to read about darling Phabeni he was adorable. Thank you for all your love and care. I know you all did everything possible to help save him. He was such a little character and much loved. You all do a wonderful job with the rescued babies and I know you will continue to do so. I wish you all much love and strength to continue the fantastic work you do.
Thank you for your heartfelt message. The loss of Phabeni has been deeply painful for all of us and the elephant herd. We will always cherish the memories and the time we had with him.
I am absolutely heartbroken at this news ..my heart bleeds for you all .
Sending love prayers and strength.
I actually have no words ..I can’t believe he’s gone I loved him so much
Thank you for your message. Phabeni will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Phabeni, you brought us all so much joy and now we are so sad. You had the best care and so much love and you leave a huge gap. Why did this have to happen? Life is cruel.
Thank you for your kind message and support.
Heartbreaking. So sorry for your loss 💔
Such heartbreaking news…😔 Phabeni was such a treasure and wonderful addition to the herd. We know everyone at HERD tried everything for this spunky little one and we are so sorry for your loss. RIP Phabeni. You were loved and you will be missed. ♥️🐘
We truly appreciate your kind words.
I am very saddened Phabeni didn’t make his first birth day & that he struggled for so many months of his short life. My heart hurts for all who rescued her, cared for her, tried everything to help her……who loved her. My deepest condolences to all. May Phabeni enjoy~in joy, her new adventure in the afterlife of never ending, unconditional love.
My heart is breaking for everyone at HERD so so sorry for your loss .
I am soo deeply sorry!!😢 I can’t stop crying this morning 😭Thank you All for your hard work and dedication, it does not go unnoticed!! Thank you sharing him with us!!🐘♥️🐘♥️🐘😢
my heart is. breaking for you all and I will miss seeing little phabeni. Your dedication to his health needs were incredible. I am in the US but I watch your videos regularly. thank you for all that you do and allowing us all to experience such insight and closeness to the elephants. best wishes to all of you.
Dear HERD Team,
I trust that you are doing well.
Thank you for sharing this moving story.
All the best to the team and the herd during this difficult time.
Sincerely
André
We are so grateful for your heartfelt message. Phabeni’s legacy will continue to inspire us.
so sad
this little Guy will have fought until thé end
hé left surrounded by loves and kindness
💔💔🤍🤍🤍🤍💕
I love you little Phabeni. You light was too bright for this world.
What a sad news… wish you all the strength for the days to come!🙏🏼
Ps:
Is there communication between elephant orphanages like Sheldrick??
Thank you for your love and support. We are in contact with Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Kenya, and we are grateful for the advice and open communication that allows us all to do what is best for each elephant.
I am so terribly sorry to hear about Phabeni. I cannot imagine the sadness that you, the carers, and the herd are feeling. I have been following Phabeni’s journey for only a few months and from very far away, and I am just devastated. He was such a fighter and so adorable. My heart goes out to all of you, Setombe, and the rest of his elephant family. I know that you did everything you could to get him past his health issues. And I know he loved you all very much. It has been such a difficult past few months for you all there. I wish I could do more than just offer condolences. Thank you for all you do for all of the elephants. Sending you love and strength!
Your message means a great deal to us. The loss of our orphan elephant has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD team and community to recover. Thank you for for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
We are embracing you all as HE TRAVELS, we pray, to HIS MOTHER. TO, ADINE ROODE, I bend my knee. Now PHABENI ANGELUS, please suckle and play and grow in your HEAVENLY BOSOM of MOTHER NATURE. You are so beautiful, SHE wanted you to return to HER. 💐❤️🌺❤️💐🙏🐘🙏💐❤️🌺❤️💐🙏🐘🙏💐❤️🌺❤️💐🙏🐘🙏💐❤️🌺❤️💐🙏🐘🌺❤️💐🙏🐘
I am so deeply sorry for your (our) loss 💔 Rest in love, baby Phabeni…
Heartbreaking…run free precious Phabeni. 💔
I am devastated beyond belief
RIP PHABENI
My deepest condolences to you all at HERD
I am so very sorry that little Phabeni has died. What a joy he has been to watch for the last several months. He’s the reason I started following HERD and I love all the videos of him and the others. I know that the humans, elephants, Lammi and Spotty are all crushed and hurting right now and I send you my deepest condolences, as well as all my love and admiration for what you do for the HERD and the orphans. You gave little Phabeni a fighting chance. Rest easy sweet Phabeni, you will be deeply missed by everyone.
We truly appreciate your kind words. Phabeni’s spirit will always be part of the HERD family.
I am heartbroken 💔
Sterkte to Adine and the wonderful carers who gave so much love and dedicated their time to our little Phabeni
What can I say. So sad. You all are such wonderful, wonderful people. Thank you.
Devastating news. My heart aches for all of you at this terribly sad time. Phabeni has gone to join Kenneth. RIP to a very special little Elly bull 😪💔
Thank you for your kind message and support, we deeply appreciate it.
I am heartbroken beyond words for the staff, herd and followers of this precious baby 🐘. As much as we hurt, you at HERD are experiencing tremendous loss. Praying for the whole family. 🙏🐘
The loss of Phabeni has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD team and community to recover. Thank you for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
My heart goes out to all of Phabeni’s family both the wonderful people who cared for this little baby and his elephant family, especially Setombe.
I am truly sorry to hear what happened to Phabeni. Rest in peace at Rainbow Bridge with all the angels and Jesus, my little boy. You are so loved and will be forever. At least you were safe with Adine and the carers, that is a big thing. The Cross of Light in the Circle of Light surround your little soul, with abundant blessings, peace and joy for your arisen spirit in Paradise., and a rainbow, rose and heart for you, special one. Always with lots of love and light, your loving forever foster mommy, Val OHogan.
Beautifully written, deeply moving. Phabeni was dearly loved and cared for.. My heart is breaking for all of you .😢🐘
We miss Phabeni every day, but his memory lives on.
I am so devastated. You guys have tried everything possible for Phabeni. Keep up your wonderful work.
You will all be truly blessed. God bless.
I’m absolutely heartbroken and send my love and prayers to all you wonderful angels who did so much for little Phabeni.
Thank you for your kind message and support.
I am so sorry I loved Phabeni so sweet and precious. Thinking of you all at this time. Forever in our hearts. ❤️💔
My heart is breaking for you all at HERD, the loss of our beautiful Mighty Prince Phabeni will leave a huge hole in our hearts. Thank you all so much for the love care and devotion you give all the magnificent Elephants in your care, sending you my heart felt love and condolences x
Thank you for your love and support.
I am a longtime visitor of JS and supporter of HESC and HERD. I am shocked at this very sad news but know how fragile baby ellies are.
Have you considered laying Phabeni’s bones out for the HERD to smell? When Franke, the original matriarch of the Thula Thula (home of Elephant Whisperer) herd died, her bones were left on the reserve so that the herd could process her death. This might help Setombe to deal with his sudden absence, although there is no guarantee of how all will react.But, as I am sure that you all know, elephants do have a concept of death. I extend my heartfelt sympathies, as I too deeply grieve beloved Phabeni. May he rest in peace.
Today is a sad day for everyone who loved Phabeni. I especially enjoyed watching the videos of him frolicking in his Garden, swimming in the dam with the herd and his zconnection with Setombe and Khanyisa. I will miss the enjoyment he brought me daily. He was a sweet and cute little elephant. Rest in peace Phabeni.
Phabeni has been such a part of my life, alternately cheering him on and holding my breath. What a tragedy . . . He has now gone ahead and will await those of us who loved him. He is now an angel in fact, not just in word.
I don’t know what to say.
I’m so very sorry for your loss.
You are a brave woman
You all brought so much security, peace and love into his very short time here. What a magnificent gift to be able to give
He was such a character and I loved watching him. Hopefully he is with his mother,, thank you for all you do and sharing with us. ❤️🥰❤️
What a loss. For you, his human family, and the herd. Rest in Peace baby Phabeni, you have touched many hearts (yes, mine too)
So jammer om te verneem van klein Phabeni. Hyt so diep in ons harte ingekruip. Jammer vir julle verlies ook.
Ons is seer saam met julle. Sterkte!
Dankie vir Al die sorg en liefde waarmee julle na ons Olifante weesies kyk. Ons waardeer dit.
We truly appreciate your kind words. Phabeni’s spirit will always be part of the HERD family.
I don’t know if this will horrify you, but please consider giving phabeni’s body to Setombe and the herd to give him the elephant funeral. I know the vet did an autopsy, so he should sew Phabeni back together and give him to his mother. I say this as a fellow mother whose infant died and my healing began when I held her body in my arms and said goodbye. I’ve seen documentaries showing elephants visiting bones of loved ones long after they are gone. This is an important part of the herd’s health and growth and should be nurtured. Please let them have Phabeni.
Thank you for your advice Amy, we are sorry to hear about your loss. 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.
Such hugely sad news. I have found the videos of the little battling bull so inspiring and it was wonderful to see him striding out with his adoring HERD. l hoped so much that he would make it. You and all his friends will be devastated – I feel so sad for you all. But I know that you will be determined to continue your inspiring care. What a wonderful community, human and elephant, you have in Hoedspruit! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Mary from Luton, England 🤗 💕 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
Your kindness is deeply appreciated. We miss Phabeni every day, but his memory lives on.
I cannot imagine how all of you are feeling. I can’t stop crying for this little one. My heart is broken. I will never forget this little boy. You gave him a wonderful life.
phabeni stole my heart with his ways. now it’s really heartbreaking to know his demise. may this little angel always be happy wherever he is. all of you at HERD did your best. take care of yourself.
So so sorry to hear this. 💔💔💔💔. Sending hugs.
I feel sadness and heartache for his caregivers and the elephant family who watched over him through his ups and downs. My heart breaks. 😞
My deepest condolences to all who have loved and cared for little Phabeni. My heart breaks for Setombe and the Herd. Thank you for sharing with us.
words are so hard to find with such sorrow to wake up without him God bless you all!
Where will he be buried?
Precious Phabeni was buried in the reserve next to Mopane, and we will be planting a tree to commemorate his beautiful soul.
I will remember his eyes.
Little Phabeni was so loved by all who followed his little life. You did an amazing job caring for him and your carers worked tirelessly right to the end💔RIP little Phabeni and fly high with your angels❤️🙏💔
Dear HERD – I am sure I am just one among thousands who are responding to this devastating news. I immediately broke down and can’t stop crying. Phabeni wriggled his way into my heart, and I am heartbroken. I know you did all you could, and he had some wonderful months of life due only to your love and care. If I am this devastated, I can only imagine how your hearts are breaking. For what it is worth, please know that from Michigan, US, I cry along with you. I will never, never forget Phabeni. Perhaps you could offer a nice photo of him in your store, as I would gladly buy it to have something tangible to remember him by. Please know I will continue to follow you and support you. With all my love … and heart … Kathleen
Thank you for your heartfelt message. The loss of Phabeni has been deeply painful for all of us and the elephant herd. We will always cherish the memories and the time we had with him.
So very sorry, so very sad.
My heart is breaking and tears are streaming down my face as I read this story. I have been falling this little bulls story almost from the beginning. He was such a character and so full of life. I know this must be devastating for you and your team. Thank you for all you do for these amazing elephants and giving Phoebeni every chance. He died surrounded by peace and love an ending he would not have had if not rescued. His spirit will live in our hearts forever. Godspeed Phoebeni.
Your kindness is deeply appreciated. We miss Phabeni every day, but his memory lives on.
Today is a sad day for all of us that loved Phabeni. His little life, as short as it was, impacted us deeply. Long may his legacy live. He won’t be forgotten. I truly hope his elephant herd gets to process his death, as heartbreaking as it will be. Thank you Adine, Stavros, Godknows, Lammie and Spotty for lovingly supporting him and comforting him until the end. You are marvellous! xxx
Thank you for your heartfelt message. The loss of Phabeni has been deeply painful for all of us and the elephant herd. We will always cherish the memories and the time we had with him.
After following Phabeni’s story almost daily, I am completely devastated to hear these incredibly sad news. Phabeni touched the hearts of thousands around the world. He was a fighter and showed great love for his human friends and the herd. Thankyou to Adine and the team for doing everything they could to save sweet Phabeni’s life. he will live on in all of us.
We truly appreciate your kind words. Phabeni’s spirit will always be part of the HERD family.
I am heartbroken and crying as I write this. I checked for videos about that sweet little guy every morning when i turned on my computer. I can’t imagine how you are coping but knowing you did absolutely everything you could for him is hopefully some comfort. Take very good care of yourselves and give each other and the herd lots of hugs.
The loss of Phabeni has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD community to recover. Thank you for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
Ik ben en jullie ook heel erg verdrietig ik heb alles gelezen en weet dat jullie alles hebben gedaan wat jullie konden doen voor Phabeni.RIP.kleine jongen.
Thank you for your love and support.
Phabeni has been a highlight in my husband’s day as he deals with PTSD. We are so sorry for your loss, and please know that our hearts are with you. Thank you for caring for this little bundle of sunshine. Hugs to you all.
Thank you for your support. The impact he had on HERD and people around the world will live on forever. Wishing you and your husband all the best.
Yes, a very sad day for you. But you are all doing a fantastic job with the Elephants!
SL
Tears are streaming down my face as I try to write this. I am so, so sad for all of us who loved him so. I cannot imagine the pain for everyone who works there, being with him day in and day out. Please do keep us informed as what you will do with his little body and how you give the rest of the herd a chance to grieve. Love and peace to everyone.
We are so grateful for your heartfelt message. Phabeni’s legacy will continue to inspire us.
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.
Muy triste por la perdida de Phabeni…
Mucha fuerza a todo el equipo por esta lamentable perdida, es doloroso pero hay que salir adelante para el cuidado del resto de los elefantes y seguramente por los futuros bebes que llegaran.
Vuela alto Phabeni junto a Frenya..
Gracias HERD!!
Thank you for your heartfelt message. The loss of Phabeni has been deeply painful for all of us and the elephant herd. We will always cherish the memories and the time we had with him.
Reading the details brought me to tears. This is such an incredible loss for you, the team, the herd, and your online community. He was such a little precious calf and loved by so many within his human-elephant family, near and far. So sorry for your loss and for Setombe, she truly loved him like her own.
So sorry to hear this. you have all done what you could for him with such love and kindness. I am sure you are all missing him so much, as will the rest of the herd, Lammie and Spotty.
Thank you for all you did. 😢💜🐘
I am so sorry for your loss. I’ve followed little Phabeni’s journey from Day 1. We all allowed ourselves to believe the worse was behind us. He truly will be missed by all who knew him. At least he was surrounded by his loved ones. I’m a veterinarian and I know it’s never easy losing a patient especially one who has touched your heart.
Your kindness is deeply appreciated. We miss Phabeni every day, but his memory lives on.
Although i,m far away, in europe, i follow you with phabeni and the rest of herd. I feel sorrow. I am sad. Thanks for your fight and efforts to keep phabeni alive.
It,s the live, i know, but its very sad for me.
Thanks for your tenacity.
RIP lil legend 😭
A sad day indeed.
Condolences to everyone of his carers.
Such a sad ending for this little bull. You did what you could to overcome the hurdles he was experiencing. Thank you for giving everything you could, destiny had other things in mind!
He has now joined the herds in heaven!
Thank you for your kind message and support.
My heart breaks for everyone who loved little Phabeni! Loss is so hard 🙏
What a very sad day for us all but so much harder for you …his wonderful human family who have loved him so deeply. His little herd will miss him terribly too. Just heartbreaking.
Rest peacefully little Phabeni. You were greatly loved.
I am so sorry to read of the loss of little Phabeni. He had a short life, but with a lot of love shared with the team and with his herd. I know that what you have learned from your work with him will benefit other orphans.
Kindest wishes to you all.
Just reading this I am crying
Lord knows what you must all be feeling..
Life is so cruel and personally I will never understand this cruelty, especially towards all animals and sea creatures.
Thank you for all you all did , we love you Phabeni ♥️🌟
I cannot stop crying. Goodbye beautiful baby, run free, you were loved!
I’m so sorry for you all. My heart is broken for you. You did everything you could but sometimes Mother Nature has other ideas. Know that he was loved and this must have been a great comfort to this little orphan. RIP little Phabeni, we will miss you!
Thank you for your message. Phabeni will always hold a special place in our hearts.
We are so sorry for your and the herd’s loss. This is heart-breaking. We are so thankful that you gave Phabeni the love and care he deserved. Thank you for sharing your work and these amazing souls with us. Phabeni made an impact around the world. His life and memory will always matter to so many people. Our hearts are with you. <3
Thank you for your kind message and support.
Adine,
I cannot imagine what you all must be going through right now. I know that it will take great strength to continue through the next few days because you do have the herd to tend to. I am so grateful for the dedication and love that all of you show to these beautiful creatures. My heart hurts for the loss of baby Phabeni.
Your support means the world to us during this time of loss. Thank you for keeping our team in your thoughts.
I am so sorry for your loss. You did your best for little Phabeni. Phabeni rests with angels.🙏🏽🌹
I know it’s hard but what matters is that you tried, he was loved, he was cared for, his final moments on this earth were meaningful, and you did all of that! Thank you for helping him and all of our other beautiful animals you’re truly inspiring.
RIP Phabeni ❤️🐘
Adine I was so sad to hear about little Phabeni, she has been part of my life every morning since the day he was brought to the herd. I cried today for the little one. I cannot imagine how you, Stavros and all the staff who spent endless with this precious baby must feel. Phabeni is going to be in my heart forever. I am sorry for your loss Adine.
I will miss you, my love. Not a day went by without me thinking about you. I was looking forward to seeing you as an adult bull one day frolicking in the dam and sparring with the other boys. The video was very hard to watch but I am glad you are at peace now and I’m immensely proud that you were a fighter all the time you spent on Mother Earth. You will always live on in my memories. Thank you, HERD team (elephants, humans, and goats) for giving him a loving life and showering him with care and attention.
One day of great sadness, with tears in my eyes I read the narrative! I thought phabeni! She was doing it with so much love for you and your elephant family! I have no words for this pain! simply thank you from the bottom of my heart! and we will continue for them 🐘
Phabeni was an Angel.
Beautiful baby elephant. I find this so upsetting!
I wonder if he would have taken more milk from an elephant would he have survived?
Love to all of you who loved and care for him. He is now in peace.
All elephants that are not living in the wild but cared for in South Africa, must in terms of our legislation, be on contraception, so the female elephant cows in our homestead do not lactate. Each elephant calf is unique and the milk formula is altered to their needs.
I’m devastated for him, for all of you and the herd who will not understand. I can only imagine your hearts right now as mine feels shattered after hoping and praying for him daily. Your blog was beautiful and made more tears flow. I wish I could share words that would ease the sadness for you all. May God bless each of you
So so sorry for your loss. Phabeni knew love and care from you all.
my hart is baie seer, maar ek weet julle het alles gedoen wat julle kon vir liewe klein Phabeni. 🙌🙌 As olifant liefhebber sal ek hom altyd onthou😪
Thank you for your message. Phabeni will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Your life mattered Phabeni ❤️ with love from England to all , this loss really hurts 💔
Thank you HERD for all that you do . You matter so very very much ❤️
We are so grateful for your heartfelt message.
Very sad news. So very sorry for your loss.
Rest in piece baby Phabeni🌸
Adene, I am so sorry for your loss. You and all the carers looked with so much love after Phabeni. I am in tears because I followed this little elephant with so much love. May you all be blessed and may your hearts heal with time. Love, Ria
Wir fühlen mit euch und senden euch unser tiefstes Beileid, Liebe, Respekt und Dankbarkeit für euer wunderbares Tun und sein.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Just received the news, I am stunned and shocked. My pain at this news cannot be compared to the team at Herd, you were up close and this has had to have hit you all in ways I am sure will stay with you for a long, long time…
I am sorry for your loss, our loss…Please take comfort in knowing you did everything possible to save little Phabeni, and it is without doubt he would have perished while wandering alone had you not rescued him.
Phabeni got to experience something priceless and pure, that is your love. Phabeni new what it was to be loved by the team of humans, and his elephant family as well, and because of this all will never be lost. You can look back in pride knowing the amount of time and dedication made a significant difference in this little Ellies life.
My best regards to all, may your hearts all heal in time, with tears,
Elizabeth
Thank you for your heartfelt message. The loss of Phabeni has been deeply painful for all of us and the elephant herd. We will always cherish the memories and the time we had with him.
I am so sorry for this loss. He will live in all of our hearts. Praying for strength for the Herd family to get through this and continue on with out him.
I’m so so sorry for the HERDS loss of adorable Phabeni ! I named my little parrot after him . It’s a sad day for the HERD !
Sweet baby phabeni will forever be remembered as a true little fighter ! Prayers for all who care for these beautiful creatures God has made 🙏.
And the HERD ITSELF . ❤️.
Words are never enough with a loss such as this. my heart, tjoughts and sympathy go out to each of you. isn’t it amazing that a little elephant can have such an impact ón the hearts and lives of all those who loved him. God bless each of you that physically took care of Phlebeni. You are truly angels for God. you will see this sweet little bull again in all his splendor. He knows he was loved. he takes that love with him.
We are so grateful for your heartfelt message. Phabeni’s legacy will continue to inspire us.
I am so sorry for your loss. You and your team did everything you could for this little one. I will always remember him with his little blanket outfits, as well as him with the herd, Lammie and Spotty. Condolences from NYC.
Dear Aline and HERD Elephant staff,
Thank you for all that you do to create elephant conservation awareness. I am so sorry for your loss. May the memory of Phabeni bring you comfort as you grieve this sad sad loss. RIP little Phabeni.
R.I.P. little Phabeni. ❤️🩹🐘Dear Adine, all Cariers, it broke my heart this morning when I received the news. Thank you very much for the commitment and the great care for Phabeni. Please Adine, tell me Can the herd say goodbye to Phabeni? How does it happen? I wish you all the power of God over the loss.
Thank you for your love and support.
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.
I am so sorry for your loss and I feel your pain. Thank you to all of you for everything you did for him and for loving him. It was all worthwhile, his life was worthwhile, no matter how short. The love will remain. Please continue doing what you’re doing, it makes the world a better place. We stand with you. And please give Setombe and all the other herd members some extra love.
Your support means the world to us during this time of loss. Thank you for keeping our team and the herd in your thoughts.
I am very very sad. Thank you for telling us about Phabeni. I feel myself part of his family. I will miss him very much 😢
I feel such sorrow for Setombe, carers and viewers. As well as the whole herd. We were all pulling and praying for his return to good health. I can’t imagine what you’ve all been through. May. Phabeni rest along with Kenneth who is also missed so much. Hoping that something is learned from his short life and medical struggles. Maybe the next little elephant will be spared due to knowledge learned from his life and exit. Prayers for HERD. ❤️
Your message means a great deal to us. The loss of Phabeni and Kenneth has left a profound void in our hearts. Thank you for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
Like all of You at HERD, my heart is broken. Phabeni was definitely a fighter and yet so very fragile. He was an inspiration and so much fun to watch on his good days. His bad days were bad. Take comfort in knowing, You all did everything humanly possible for that Beautiful soul, Phabeni. His spirit roams free, no more pain or worry. God Bless You all & May Phabeni, Rest Peaceful 🕊️🐘🕊️🐘🕊️
Your support means the world to us during this time of loss. Thank you for keeping our team in your thoughts.
Dear Adine and all at Herd
We are so sad about the loss of Phabeni. He was such a feisty character and so endearing. No little elephant could have had more care and love than has been given by all at Herd.
We have followed his progress almost daily and he has given us much joy which is remembered at this time of sadness.
Sending our sympathy to you all and thanks to you for all you do
Jackie and family
I truly loved that dear little soul and feel a huge personal sadness – but l am reminded that thousands of prople all over the world are mourning the loss of a very soecial little bull. What comforts me a lot is that Stavros was holding Phabeni when he left this world and thst Lammie and Spotty were close by his side.
I too am esoecially sad for Setombe, bless her loving gentle heart.
Thinking of you all at HERD with the greatest sympathy.. You did everything you could 💔
Thank you for your message. We will forever be grateful that Phabeni was surrounded by so much love in his last moments. Phabeni will always hold a special place in our hearts.
I have tears in my eyes. I’m so sorry you lost this precious baby. I’m incredibly sad.
I am so so sorry for the loss of Phabeni, you did your absolute best with this little calf and we all thank you for rescuing him and taking such good care of him. Sending you all love and healing prayers 🥰❤️
Oh Adine, my heart breaks for you and the caregivers. Every single day I looked for updates on Phabeni and every day I watched the videos of him. You are one of God’s angels helping these majestic creatures. We can only take solace that in his short life, Phabeni knew such love from his human herd and his elephant herd. You did everything you could, your care for him is a monument to your resolution and commitment to these precious elephants.
I didn’t know the little man , but I know him now . I’m heartbroken , may he rest in peace in a better place than this earth
I cannot describe the very depth of loss I feel right now. I feel like I have lost one of my own family members. I simply can’t find the words…..
All you folks at HERD will become legendary for your love, dedication and perseverance through the years! I love you and honor you all even though I have never met you. Little Phabeni was a great joy to my soul. I have come to look forward so very much to seeing each and every adventure you folks shared with us all. Thank you for giving us all part of yourselves and I will be eternally grateful for everything you have done for all these magnificent animals and us folk who are not so fortunate to be there with you. Thank you very, very much. My heart breaks now just as yours surely does. I have recently lost my best friend to cancer. Some folks say that she “was just a dog” but I don’t believe that nor except that. Same holds true for little Phabeni. Through your kindness I have been blessed to have been in your beautiful nation and have gotten to know some pretty incredible people. That’s all of you there in Africa and HERD! I will never forget this sweet, lively little bull elephant for as long as I’m still here on earth. I hope and pray that when God calls me home that I will meet the essence of this wonderful boy Phabeni! I have grown to truly love him. Some people just wouldn’t or couldn’t understand how one can give his whole heart to an animal he has never met. Some folk just can’t understand I suppose. I have great admiration for you Adine! Adine and all of you! I couldn’t respect you all more if I tried. My heart has been broken a little more today. I suppose it makes one grow. However I surely would pick some alternative way to grow!! I will miss Phabeni more than I can put in words. I live alone and it seems that even my what’s left of my family are just to busy with their own lives to truly care about one old man. So I have lost that little joy in my life named ‘Phabeni ‘! wish and pray that he would have overcome all his challenges. Butet it be known that you all tried your very, very best. May God comfort you Adine and all of you there at HERD. My heart is surely there with you. Love and respect too you all.
Love you Phabeni! May you run free and healthy with joy little one….My sincere condolences to you all. Love and respect, Mr. Tim Stay.
Your message means a great deal to us, Tim. We are so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved pup. The loss of our orphan elephant has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD community to recover. Thank you for for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
I am so very heartbroken for you and your incredible team who all loved this precious little soul and who all worked so hard to heal him. My heart is in shatters. I so wanted this little soul to live the rest of his life with comfort and love from the heard. May he rest in peace and my his soul sore. I am so so sorry for your loss
y’all did an amazing job with this little angel. he truly was shown so much love. and he knew he wasn’t alone. he had y’all and his heard till the end. this truly breaks my heart. but nothing like i know yours are breaking. we seen a little and y’all were so much closer. sending love light and prayers for all.
Thank you for your kind message and support.
My heart is with all of you. Sad day indeed.
Thank you, thank you for your outstanding care of little Phabeni. My heart is nroken along with yours. Blessings and Love from Colorado, USA.
I will never forget the little bull who stole all our hearts! After the joy of seeing meisiekind grow and thrive it is hard to accept. Go well little boy!!
Will setombe get to see him one last time? Will the herd get to see him one last time?
What happens to his remains?
Do you have a elephant cemetery?
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.
Phabeni’s body was laid to rest in the reserve next to Mopane.
my heart is broken beatuiful Phabeni I followed your videos everyday, my heart hurts for you Adine and all your wonderful carers the love you gave to Phabeni and all the herd is AMAZING AND WONDERFUL your help to give them the chance is OUTSTANDING. My thoughts are with you all and I so hope the Herd will be alright and everyone god bless you all and THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for all you do. (A devoted follower)
God bless you all XXXXX
I will miss Phabeni. Even though he was sick he was still handsome.
I am so sorry for you all at HERD for the loss of baby Phabeni. Thank you so much for all the love & care you gave him.
So sorry for your loss. I am deeply saddened and feel very loss myself today. Thank you all for loving baby elephants knowing the emotional risk.You are the best of the human heard.
Dear Adine, the Team and all elephant family members in mourning.
Please have my sincerest condolences for loss of a true miracle, which Phabeni was. When I first see him, I fel in a true love with him – he was my main reason why I followed and shortly after, support HERD Trust – later on, Fishan joins too. Soon I will support solar power fund too, but I resign a chance to win a lottery for stay at Jabulani’s – with all respect, it is least important now.
Dear all HERD foster parents – today we mourn our elephant child, after thought 7 month battle. This is a tough loss for us. In this time, lets gather all together and support Adine, her family, friends, team and elephants to make HERD more and more perfect place for elephant rehabilitation, with – I hope – more saved orphan, which they will find a place for second chance in life – this is the best way to keep Phabeni legacy alive.
We still have a job to do!
Rest In Peace, Seuntije – and as I called you everdy day, Little Trunk [*].
Your message means a great deal to us. The loss of Phabeni has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD community to recover. Thank you for all the love and to our foster family for standing with us during this difficult time.
I will always remember you baby Phabeni and love you forever. May you rest in peace! My deepest condolences to the HERD family, Adine, all carers, Dr Roger’s and his staff, everyone around the world ( supporters) that loved baby Phabeni. He was really loved by his human family and elephant family, never to be forgotten! . Blessed all of you! ❤️🐘
So sad about Phabeni. It brings me to tears. Thank you and your team of HERD Elephant Orphanage for your all out efforts to try to save him. I’m so sorry.
For Adine, the carers and all at HERD,
I am so heartbroken to hear about this dear, sweet bull who captured my heart every day. Your dedication to Phabeni and the entire herd is remarkable. Thank you for sharing his journey with us and keeping us updated through it all. Your organization contributes to my joy and sense of goodness in these challenging times. It’s clear by the number of tears I’ve cried the impact of this little orphan has had.
I can only imagine with the recent loss of Kenneth and now Phabeni it must be so difficult – I’m very sorry for your loss.
Your message means a great deal to us. The loss of Phabeni and Kenneth has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD community to recover. Thank you for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
so said and shocked to hear about Phabini tonight. my heart goes out to everyone..
I’m so saddened for all of you and for the Herd🐘❤️🩹🐘❤️🩹🙏🏻 you all did an amazing job showing Phabeni love and care of a family❤️🩹and gave him the best short life🥲❤️🐘
God Bless you all and the Jabulani Herd
I have tears in my eyes, poor little guy. God bless you for all that you do for the elephants. Denise from New Jersey.
Heartbreaking as everyone at HERD is also. I will so miss the feisty little one.😢
I’m so sorry for your loss, as humans and elephants both. I spent years raising baby calves and it can be a heartbreaking journey of successes and losses combined. My heart is with you all as you cope with this loss. May God bless and keep you close.
Heartbreaking news. condolences to the whole family – human and elephant. He will be missed so much. His life did matter. rest in peace little one. no more pain.
I am heartbroken, but I know you did everything possible to save this baby. God bless you all.
To all who loved and cared for Phabeni I offer my condolences.I am heartbroken as well. Remember that God takes care of all of his creatures – great & small, human & animal. I do have 1 question. I believe elephants have always wanted to touch and basically pay respects to their peers. is there some reason this did not happen at the minimum for Setombe?
I’m heartbroken. I never thought I would be so moved by another Elle after Khanisa. but Phabeni was really growing on me. I was so looking forward to see him again in the bush with his herd. And watching him grow to spar with the other big boys. God bless all of you at Herd for all you did for him. I know what I’m feeling is nothing compared to what you all must be going through. I will never forget how happy the carers were when the went to pick him up and bring him home. I know you all fought hard to help Phabeni make it. So glad we still have Meisiekind to love.
We truly appreciate your kind words. Phabeni’s spirit will always be part of the HERD family.
Such beautiful, loving energy has been shared by all in the care and daily interaction with this baby boy.. May all, humans and herd who shared his life, be comforted by the love and blessed by their experience with this baby.
It is deeply saddening to hear of this loss. The little elephant has touched so many with his struggles. We all fell in love with him and I can only imagine the deep heartache that is left in his death. Phabeni, may you be running and playing now, free from distress and pain, surrounded by many elephants who welcome and love you as we all did.
I am so sorry, you did so much to help him live.
I am heartbroken for you and all of us that loved this little prince. Adine and all caregivers, he knew and felt the love you had for him. Run free little one. 💔
I am so sad to hear this news. I am so sorry for all of you who took such good care of him and for your beautiful elephants who also lost a family member. 💔
The heartbreaking news today for your loss of little bull Phabeni. It really seemed that he had turned the corner with the newest formula gifts milk; it was a shock to hear how quickly he lost his fight. And he really was a fighter > as well as all of his care-takers and his Adopted tribe of caring elephants. I’ve been following th e HERD for a few years now. I tried to watch the video but found it too hard to watch. Thank you for all your loving efforts to get him healthy & for all that you do for this most incredible of animal species.
Your kindness is deeply appreciated. We miss Phabeni every day, but his memory lives on.
Thank you so much for being there for our Little Bull. Without you he would not of lived as long as he did. I so enjoyed watching him everyday. Again, thank you for sharing his life. He touched my heart and you have entered into my world and the good work you are doing. Bless you❤️
OMG my heart hurts sooooo bad! I know he was truly loved, and I can’t imagine the heartaches you have as caregivers. Prayers for all of you and the herd.
So sorry to hear about little Phabeni. I watched his story and thought he would get strong and grow. You did an amazing job with him. Thank you for your wonderful work with these amazing animals.
Thank you for the loving care that was given to Phabeni.
True sorrow for all.
My condolences to Adine, Stavros & everyone at HERD on the sad loss of our little precious baby Phabeni. Such a fighter till the end. Even though I’m on the other side of the world🇦🇺 I started to follow his story & bonded with him. In reality he had his own Fan page. He was our Star. I’m heartbroken for me, his fans & for all of you about the sad news. Phabeni touched & will live in our hearts forever. He certainly won’t be forgotten. Thankyou for taking care of him. 🐘💔🇦🇺
Thank you for your message. Phabeni will always hold a special place in our hearts.
My condolences to Adine, Stavros & everyone at HERD on the sad loss of our little precious baby Phabeni. Such a fighter till the end. Even though I’m on the other side of the world🇦🇺 I started to follow his story & bonded with him. In reality he had his own Fan page. He was our Star. I’m heartbroken for me, his fans & for all of you about the sad news. Phabeni touched & will live in our hearts forever. He certainly won’t be forgotten. Go rest in Paradise little Phabeni with your Mum. Sadly missed already. Thankyou for taking care of him. 🐘💔🇦🇺
Thank you for your support. The impact he had on HERD and our community will live on forever.
I’ll miss you little buddy and always remember your excited little bolt towards Setombe and the herd. RIP sweet little angel Phabeni.
I’m heartbroken. I’ve been watching him since January. Sweet baby. My heart is with you all.
My heart goes out to you, Adine…and all the caregivers and support staff. All of our hearts are broken for you, and this precious boy. May God hold Phabeni in his loving arms and care for and protect the family at HERD. Please never give up.
Little Phabeni with hid twirly trunk, his flying cape , and his peering over gate into the. Nursery captured my heart. He seemed so scared and shy hiding in the reeds but then he came out of his shell with sparkling eyes and feisty spirit. Like so many others I’ve been holding.my breath each day when I check in. Today was devastating and must have been even more so for you. Thank you for the love, devotion and care you gave. Sweet Phabeni has a place forever in our hearts. My love to everyone at HERD and to. Te Ellie’s 💜💜💜
Thank you for your heartfelt message. The loss of Phabeni has been deeply painful for all of us and the elephant herd. We will always cherish the memories and the time we had with him.
My heart breaks for all of you. I know you did all you could, and that the herd supported & loved him as best they could. My deepest sympathy to you all.
We have watched Phabeni’s little life since the beginning and, like everyone, couldn’t help but fall in love. What a character! The love and care shown by everyone, especially Adine and the other carers (including all the other elephants) has been a true lesson in love which has swept us all along with it. Now this devastating blow which has broken our hearts. Thank you for all of your efforts. We will never forget him and the way he brightened our lives. Bless you little man – may angels sing you to your rest, and give peace to the hearts of the other members of the Herd.
We truly appreciate your kind words. Phabeni’s spirit will always be part of the HERD family.
Such a sad outcome for such a fighter.
Thank you ALL, for doing so much for him, as you do for all the creatures in your care.
May his beautiful little, brave soul rest peacefully now. The end was a struggle and now he’s resting.
I send my love to you all.
Solo puedo acompañarlos en su tristeza porque mi corazón está repleta de esa misma tristeza!!!! seguí cada día al hermoso Phabeni como lo hice con Khanyisa,nuestra hermosa princesa!!! Se lo veía débil pero siempre estubo tan cuidado !!!!que estaba la esperanza en que mejorara!!! Al igual que nuestra querida Fenya quedará siempre en nuestros corazones!!!
I really thought he was going to make it. My heart hurt when I saw your email. this morning . I loved watching Phabeni with the other elephants., and how he interacted with Aldine and the carers. Thank you all for the love and care that you gave him. He is now running free with his new herd in heaven.
Sending prayers to all at Herd. My heart is breaking for Mother Setombe.
I know you have received so many replies. My deepest sympathies to all the staff, who do get attached to the elephants, and of course to Adine. I do have a question….something I did not see in the comments when I watched the youtube video during the morning of July 1: was it possible to somehow wheel Phabeni out to the fence so the herd could see/smell him one last time? (I ask since, being a pet owner, when I have had to put down one of my pets, I bring him/her home for the other pets to know that s/he is “gone”).
Again, my condolences….
Andra
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.
I’m so very sad to hear of little Phabeni. I followed his story daily, and am in wonder at the miracle that elephants are. Adine, you were so loving, as were all the carers, and I so admire your work.
Such Sad news of this precious baby who was so lucky to have been rescued & given such love & Care during his short life.
Devasting for Adine, Stavros & the team but thankyou so much for your Love & Care of Phabeni.God bless you all.🙏
Goodnight sweet Boy,🌈🐘💤
Thank you for your message. Phabeni will always hold a special place in our hearts.
I am so deeply sorry for your loss. We all came to love that little bull. Thank you for the love and constant care you gave him and for sharing him with us. May God comfort you.
I am heartbroken, I have followed Phabeni’s story from the beginning. Thank you
to everyone at HERD for caring for all of your elephants, God Bless you all. I
am already missing Phabeni, he was a special little fella.
This is incredibly sad news. You must all be devastated.. I’m so sorry for your loss. Poor little Phabeni, fighting so hard to live. I hope he’s finally found rest and peace. My love to you all.
We watched you from afar Auckland New Zealand. The wonderful work & dedication you and your team give these abandoned elephants. The love you gave to a little elephant called Phabeni. In time your broken 💔 hearts will heal. All our resect.
I am absolutely heartbroken, and I know you are all as well. Heartbroken for the loss of this precious little soul, and for all who loved him – elephants and carers alike. Thank you for the care and love you gave to him. May you find peace in the happy memories you have together.
I have been following Herd since you found little sunshine. I have felt every ups and downs you have been through with both babies. You as a Mother will feel all the hardships of loss as well as all working with you. My gratidude and thank you goes out to you all. We need more people like you that care. Don’t give up you are all doing an amazing job.
We (my mother and I) are deeply sorry for the loss of little Phabeni. You brought so much happiness into our family with all the videos and posts you shared! Our condolences and love to all of you who took great care of him all this time! May his angel soul rest in peace and be happy for eternity. Take care of yourselves all of you at the HERD and God bless you for everything that you do for the ellies!
Phabeni left his footprint on my heart & will forever be remembered as this beautiful feisty, strong willed young fella who looked so proud when he got to lead the herd. He is very lucky to have been cared by all at HERD Trust. I know he was in the best hands. I’m very lucky to have come across your YouTube page while looking at elephants. The way you present what you all Herd does and allow us to come along on the journey is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced. I worry about the rest of the herd. What they must be feeling. Was Setombe mourning when she let out her roar? Does the whole herd mourn together? My heart goes out to all of you & your all in my prayers; Adine, Carers, Everyone at Herd, all the supporters & the beautiful herd. Thank you so much for the beautiful story & photographs. I will cherish this forever.
Thank you for your heartfelt message. 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.
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.
Setombe mourned for several days, constantly secreting, but found comfort in the presence of her daughter, Klaserie, and close friend, Sebakwe.
Dear Adine and Carers
I accidentally noticed Little Phabeni had died.
I inwardly howled in grief. this cannot be. please let this be untrue.
this is so unfair to the wonderful little Phabeni.
how are we going to stop the grief tipping us into madness.
my adventure seeking younger brother died on 12 June through unfortunate accident. Shane was 58 fit strong and 6 foot 2.
and now Phabeni it is nearly too much to bear.
the world currently is a horror show.
in addition the NSW government in Australia are killing our heritage horses for no reason.
when will the misery of this world end humans respect wild life
Phabeni could and should have done a lot of good for the herd.
RIP Phabeni
you will be sorely missed
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx love yo
We are so grateful for your heartfelt message, and we are so sorry to hear about your brother’s passing. Phabeni’s legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come.
I am devastated, I can’t stop crying, I am so so so sorry for your/our loss…I don’t know what else to say, except if I am feeling like this, I can’t even begin to think how the whole team are feeling…..RIP Phabeni, you were LOVED by so many people….
I am so sad that you’ve lost dear little Phabeni. It has been a wonderful privilege to follow the ups & downs of his short life and see him with his family & learning to be an elephant. You all did everything you could for him but he has now gone to a better place.. I’ve been crying so much for him. Thank you for all the work you do looking after all the elephants.
I was shocked and heartbroken with tears for this courageous ba,by. I followed him from the day he was rescued! the herd and especially would need to say goodbye as is their loving custom! I hope you will allow them to say goodbye! I know you Adine and Mostly Stravos and rest of carers loved and tried everything to help him! God Bless you for all you do for this amazing special herd,!
Thank you so much for your lovely letter.
My heart is 💔I love all elephants but he was special and his character was showing and like Khanyisa with her pink eyes.
Thankyou for everything you all do to care for these beautiful, magnificent Elephant’s.
I wish I was able to help but my health is deteriorating.
RIP beautiful baby Phabeni 💙💙💙💙
Dear All at the Orphanage,
I am so sad for you all (humans and animals). Phabeni will leave his sweet mark with you and with all the us supporters of you tireless care and work.
Thank you for taking such excellent care of the precious gem that was Phabeni. My thoughts also go to the amazing Setombe who must be so devastated by the loss of her baby.
All the best to all of you. Cuddles to Lammie and Spotty who were all along such outstanding support to Phabeni.
Best regards, Muriel
Your support means the world to us during this time of loss. Thank you for keeping our team in your thoughts.
I am so heart so at the loss of this little guy. My condolences to Adine and all the carers, especially Stavros who cared for him to the very end.
I am weeping buckets for all concerned regarding the loss of little Phabeni. Not only for the little elephant but for his potential progeny and impact on the area. Hugs for all of you who loved and cared for the little fella. ❤️🩹
Totally heartbroken.
I just now saw this news on my Facebook I am terribly heartbroken about sweet little Phabeni I have been following HERD elephants since Kaneshia was resued. I’m so sorry Phabeni didn’t make it! I know you all did all you could to save him .I appreciate so much all you do for all the wonderful Elephants and the wonderful rescue team. Sending love and prayers for you all as well as all the Elephants too.💖💖🐘🐘💖💖
I am só só sad! Phabeni’s in his short life will be in my heart for ever! Every morning I firrst search to see if there was any new news of him and the herd. Enjoy and watched the video’s – sometimes it felt if I was there!!
Thank you for sharing Phabeni’s short walk of life!!
I am so very sorry to hear this news about our little warrior Phabeni. He stole my heart from day one! He and Setombe were such a joy to watch and my heart goes out to her and Khanyisa. Little Phabeni will be missed by all of us, including his elephant family. I love him so much 💕🐘!
Thank you for all you do for these dearest of creatures. I have learned an enormous amount from the Herd vlogs on YouTube. Like so many thousands of others I was deeply entranced by Phabeni, as I was by Kanyisa, and eagerly awaited news of the dear little bull calf. And this was is of course the news none of us wanted to have. All of the wonderful carers and of course you Adine will all grieve for a time. But you also gave him such wonderful care and love over these past few months. Kia Kaha (stay strong of heart) Love to you all from Lindy in Aotearoa
Your message means a great deal to us. Thank you for your kind message and support.
I am so very sad to learn that little Phabeni didn’t survive. Elephants are my favourite wild animals! I have just finished reading, for the second time, Daphne Sheldrick’s book “Love, Life and Elephants”. How she managed to mix a milk formula that the elephant babies could digest was fantastic. I presume that all orphaned elephants that have been saved, wherever they are in Africa, are given the same milk formula in the hope that they will survive. My condolences to all of you who knew her and cared for her.
Thank you for your kind message and support. Each elephant orphan is different, and the milk formula must be constantly altered to meet their needs.
Dear Adine and Carers, I am heart broken for your loss, for the loss of Phabeni, and for the feelings the others in the herd might be feeling. I absolutely loved Phabeni from a distance and I thank you for all that you do and the care that you give so readily.
July 2nd 2024. It has taken 24hrs to process this devastating news. He had touched the hearts of so many and battled through so many ups and downs with the unstinting love and support of the HERD community. It, doubtless, goes with the territory but that reality doesn’t make it any easier to bear and I know how much you will all feel his loss, elephants, sheep and humans alike.
Bless his little soul which will now be at peace with Kenneth and all those who’ve gone before him. So much loss in such a short time.
Thank you for all you’ve done and will continue to do.. God bless
The loss of Phabeni and Kenneth has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD community to recover. Thank you for for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
Very sorry for not seeing sweet Phabeni darling again. Very difficult for all the members of my family to accept and believe that now we can’t see baby Phabeni. We were watching him since the day he came to the orphanage. I don’t know how we all will console ourselves. This is an irreparable loss for us. We will miss his innocence loving activities. These can’t be fulfilled by any means. We pray to God for eternal peace of the departed soul of lovely baby Phabeni.
Thank you dear Adine, Dr Rogers,Stavros, Godknews, Joshua, Ruan, and Liverson for putting on their full efforts to treat and save little baby Phabeni. We will miss sweet baby Phabeni forever, very difficult to forget him.
We can’t forget to thank Setombe, Khanysia, and others in the Herd to accept and love sweet Phabeni.
We will miss you baby Phabeni forever, you will always be there in our memories.
Miss you baby Phabeni 😢
our message means a great deal to us. It will take time for the HERD team and community to recover. Thank you for for the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
Thank you very much – for all your help for all these elephants. It is so sad – Phabeni had do leave…. RIP Phabeni
As sad as this news is, it is fitting that Stavros was the first carer Beni had and was the last to hold and comfort him as he left this world.
Dear Adine,
Yesterday was a shock to thousands around the world. Personally, it drove home how big little Phabeni was in my life. I chose him as compensation for the loss of my first dog, a 70kg Neapolitan Mastiff called Gina who I loved more than anyone or anything in my 77 years. Each morning in the past 8 months was made bearable thanks to you. The POV videos made me feel as though I visited you in person. You and the carers became my new heroes. Your relationship with the carers is, in itself something beautiful. And the bond between all of you and the herd should be an example of how the world should function. And dear, wonderful Madame Roode, how you managed to write the account of Phabeni’s last hours boggles the mind. I can’t thank you enough for all that you do for the ellies, for your family, for your followers and for me. Merci, Dankie. Big hugs from Montréal.
Thank you for the lovely message, Michel. We are so sorry to hear about Gina, but glad Phabeni could provide some comfort for you during those rough times.
My heart is broken for the Herd and all the caregivers. I have followed the Herd for some time and fallen in love with everyone. I’ve been on several safaris and have a special place in my heart for all animals especially elephants. You all deserve thanks and love for your work. I am too emotional to be able to see and be involved with these babies care. I’m thankful for your ability and love you show these animals. I followed the care of haven and thought he was getting better. It shows how fragile these Ellie’s are. Bless you all for your loving care and continued work.
I’m completely devastated at losing Phabeni. I can’t wrap my mind, and more importantly, my heart, that that sweet, goofy and completely adorable baby is gone. I watched and fell in love with him from the day he was rescued. I know that if my heart is broken that the Herd team is feeling even worse. I send my prayers to all of you in your time of grief along with my thanks for rescuing Phabeni and giving him a beautiful life along with all the care that you gave him. How will you tell Setombe?
Thank you for keeping our team in your thoughts. 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.
Too heartbroken to speak😥😭🐘✝️✝️💔
I am so sorry for such a big loss to all of you and for the elephants. You made his little life much happier for the brief time you had him.
Please accept my sincerest condolences on your devastating loss. I am grateful he was in your excellent care and able to bond with with the herd.
Will the herd be able to see his remains? I’m sure they will be grieving for a long time. Thank you for all you do for elephants.
Thank you for the heartfelt message, Julie. 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.
He was so blessed to have his elephant & human families with him all the way!
Thank you so much for sharing him with the whole world!!!!!
Such sad news. Nature is a tough beast, and sometimes despite the best international & interventions…. It takes its course, no matter how harsh. Terribly sad news. Especially for you and the team, but also for all of us who have been following your story. So sorry for your loss. Rest in peace sweet boy.
all your stories, photos, videos, joyful or sad ones, go straight to the heart! you all do such a good job! never ever stop it!!! donation follows. love
I am heartbroken 💔 😥.
it’s tragic Phabeni didn’t make his 1 year birthday but what I feel must be tiny to how everyone at HERD feel…Adine, all the carers, and the elephants…Setombe my heart goes out to you 💔.
Phabeni touched so many people around the world and showed again the wonderful work you do.
His legacy will endure as we will never forget the little warrior he was.
Lots of love and prayers ❤️ 🙏
Claire xxx
We truly appreciate your kind words. Phabeni’s feisty spirit will always be part of the HERD family.
This is such a heartbreaking day for everyone! I am so sorry to find out about his sad end for him and his adopted mother and family! All of you took such great care of Phabeni and will miss seeing him! My heart breaks so much for everyone! My eyes can’t stop flowing
with tears! Poor baby!
i have been crying for two days. my heart is broken that the little guy has left us. i want to thank yiu for bringing Phabeni into my life. if i am so heartbroken i can not imagine what yiu all are going through. i will continue to support HERD and my thoughts are with the little warrior Phabeni, Adine, the caregivers and the Jabulani family.
I followed this whole thing and was very moved. I have lost struggling animals, it is a special kind of pain, innocents struggling, wanting to stay, you do everything you can, but you lose. Thank you for all you’ve done. Phabeni knew love, he knew having a herd, he knew the sun and the wind, he had so much he would never have had without you. Many condolences.
Thank you for the lovely message and for your support.
I am so saddened by the loss of this beautiful little baby. He brought much joy in his short life as we watched him find comfort with the herd. You did a tremendous job in bringing him into the fold and did an excellent job in caring for him during his last night. I’m so sorry for your loss of him and of your care giver all within a few days. We will surly see them when we all meet on the other side. Go with God Phabeni.
The loss of Phabeni and carer Kenneth has left a profound void in our hearts, and it will take time for the HERD community to recover. Thank you for all the love and for standing with us during this difficult time.
I have learned so much about elephants thru this site. I watch the funny, happy videos and they cheer up and make me smile and laugh. I take care of my 96 year old mother and this sight gives me a welcome break. you are all wonderful to do what u do. I know Phabeni’s short life was full of love. Who can ask for more than that. Bless you all.
My heart was absolutely broken yesterday when I saw the YouTube video post. Thank you for writing all that you did because there was no way I could watch the video. And I came to this page tonight to see if there were any more details, specifically how the herd was dealing with it and what your protocol might be in helping them. Thank you. Thank you for sharing him with us, for doing everything possible to help him along. It just shows me what a miracle Khanysa was and continues to be. God bless., Maura Ganz
We are so grateful for your heartfelt message. Thank you for keeping our team in your thoughts.
This blog brought me to tears. It has been such a gift to have witnessed the little man’s growth.
May the sweet memories of our beloved Phabeni comfort you all and fill your hearts with peace. You are in my thoughts during this difficult time.
Dearest Adine, dearest Stavros and Carers, dearest Team, dearest HERD, dearest Dr. Rogers, Lammie, Spottie, dearest Setombe, and Khanyisa, my Heart is broken. I send to you all my deepest condolences in this great loss of baby Phabeni, a little Ele we all of us loved so deeply, from around the World. I realize your grief runs deep … I am so sorry. I loved this little boy with all my Heart. I believe Phabeni is with his forebears forever in happiness and love. For all Eternity.
God Bless.
Prayers to All who loved him, from New Orleans, Louisiana.
We are so grateful for your heartfelt message. Phabeni’s legacy will continue to inspire us.
I am so sorry for your loss, the entire family of people and elephants who cared for and loved Phabeni. I loved watching his videos and it breaks my heart so I cannot even imagine all of your loss and pain. Please tell your team there are many of us in the world crying too. thank them for all their love and work.
Thank you for your love and support for our team and the herd during this difficult time.
Hello Adine and all Herd employees,
my heart breaks over the loss of Phabeni. I followed your updates about the herd and the little fighter almost every day. Thank you so much for that. It was lovely to see how you looked after Phabeni so lovingly and the life together in the herd. He had a very short but beautiful life. How is the herd? They definitely miss him very much. Time will heal the wounds. You and all followers will always keep him in your hearts and never forget him. At some point another little elephant orphan will need your help and you will give it your all again. I wish you lots of strength in this.
May the sun rise, and you know that he is now free of pain. He is now a bright star shining in the sky tonight. Thank you to the team it’s been a journey that has come to a sad end. Take care of you all he will be missed but take pride in all the hard work you bought forth to aid him and remember the happy times.
God bless him please I pray the highest heaven for the sweet little boy everyone at herd has my deepest condolences thank you for all you did for him he knew he was loved I can’t say anything else I’m crying so bad
The love Adine and elephant family poured into Phabeni cannot be comprehended. What an amazing human and elephant family at The Herd. So very sad to hear Phabeni is no longer walking the planet. He is no longer in pain. Peace be with. D. Mello
I am heartbroken and for all of you, as well. We will Phabeni forever and remember him. Thank you for all you do to save and protect wildlife. Bless.
So very sorry and sad losing him, just a beautiful baby.
You are all such wonderful people who care and truly love these elephants.
I hope the herd and all of you guys can recover slowly xxxx
My deepest condolences to everyone at HERD. I am sure you are aware also how devastated we are also. Please clarify if you give the baby elephants colostrum in their milk? I read all the comments you folks wrote from Sheldrake about the high baby elephant mortality rate when tusking. Gosh. I know you folks tried your very best. Somewhere somehow there MUST be an answer as to how to keep these precious babies
alive and to survive tusking (have I phrased it correctly?). The colostrum angle looks promising but maybe you and Sheldrake already add that stuff to the baby elephants’ milk anyway. Or maybe you don’t. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💔🙋♀️🇺🇸
How was Phabeni orphaned? Perhaps the trauma of losing his mama (seeing her attacked?) was just too much for this baby to bear. (I’m new to this story, so I don’t know the history).
This is a heartbreaking story. I’m thankful to all who helped and cared for Phabeni. Rest easy, sweet baby. 🙏🏻❤️🩹
We cannot be sure how Phabeni ended up alone. A search for a nearby herd at the time of his discovery was unsuccessful. He may have been separated during a severe storm, or his mother may have been poached. We are grateful we could step in to give him a family for the few months he was with us.
I could barely get through reading your account of Phabeni’s last night, I was crying so badly. I’ve followed your videos for several years, they bring a great amount of joy to me. I don’t have words that adequately describe the grief I’m experiencing. I can’t imagine what you are going through. I had such high hopes for that tiny bull. The herd needed a little one to care for, he filled a void in their lives. I know they have deep feelings and emotions, I’m sure they are hurting too. Adine, God bless you and your wonderful staff for all you do to save those magnificent creatures. You are in my prayers for peace and healing. 🙏🏻🇺🇸🐘
Shambira and Phabeni are together now………Peace and Love
I have been following HERD Orphanage since you rescued Khanyisa, I watched each day the interactions of the dedicated staff. I opened up Instagram on July 1 while I was booting up my computer at work. My heart sank. Everyone who touched Phebani was a hero, I applaud the utmost dedication you give these animals. I love watching the bonding moments around the orphanage. You all have touched my life in many ways. I’m reminded of a few lines from Louise Erdrich’s 2005 novel: The Painted Drum
Life will break you
Nobody can protect you from that
You have to love
You have to feel
It is the reason you are here on earth
You are here to risk your heart
You are here to be swallowed up
Your reward will be getting to see Phabeni again for yours is the kingdom of heaven.
Thank you for the heartfelt message and for sharing the extract, Kathy. Life is all about loving, feeling and healing.
I am sitting here in tears after reading the heartbreaking account of Phabeni. I know all of you at Herd worked so hard for this baby bull. My heart goes out to you all.
I am heartbroken 💔
Sterkte Adine. My thoughts are with all the carers who loved and spent time with little Phabeni
Tears of sadness are flowing…
Adine and his Team, you were all devoted Carers of Phabeni and you did everything you could for him. We have to believe he is in a better place and no longer struggling to survive.
May he rest in eternal peace ♡○♡.
We lost a precious baby. You all are wonderful with how you love and care for these babies.
God bless. I have followed his care for several weeks. Everyone loved this brave little fellow.
I am sobbing.
Just want to thank you Adine and all the staff for the wonderful care you gave Phabeni. I started watching on utube Khanyisa journey and than fiesty Phabeni . So heartbroken and many tears seeing he lost his battle to live. Thankyou for letting us get a glimpse of all you do at elephant herd . They are such beautiful animals.
To Adine, Carers, all Friends of Phabeni,
Much love and gratitude to each and every one of you for all the love you gave Phabeni. I am as shocked as anyone at this terrible news. I am grateful that you were there to support Phabeni throughout his too-short life. He had the love of his human family and his elephant herd. He was surrounded by your loving care right to the end, with the knowledge that he was deeply loved and cared for and not alone. I will think of you often, you who remain behind, person and elephant, and every time I do think of you, please know that I will be sending all of my support and strength your way. It has been an honor to get to know Phabeni just a little bit, and I am grateful to all of you for the hard work you do and for sharing it with me and the rest of the world.
Love and hugs,
SC, Minnesota, USA
Your message means a great deal to us. Thank you for your love and support.
Our hearts are broken. Pabenis human family loved him so much and the love shown was incredible. In his short life Pagani found love and had fun with the other elephants. Its sad people still kill adult elephants leaving these tiny babies alone. Thank you Adine and all of the carers, for embracing this beautiful little boy…too adorable for this world. He is back in the embrace of his much missed Mama…rest in peace darling.
I’m so sorry, shocked, and sad. He was such a sweet, darling little baby and I always looked forward to seeing his escapdes. I am going to miss that little peanut. Thank you for doing your best for him and sharing his life with us. Please accept my condolences to you all.
Thank you for your kind message and support. Phabeni’s legacy will continue to inspire us.
I’m so sorry little Phebeni. Sorry for your loss you tried so hard with him.
Together in mourning. The inspiration of our days is gone!
He’s probably gone to be with his mom a little bit, I would suspect. He’ll be back once he rests up a little. He will return as the large strong elephant he was destined to be, and the other elephants will look up to him. When he returns, he will announce himself to you, and the others will also tell you he’s back. Until then, what a turn of good fortune for everyone to have had some time with this fine young elephant. There is no question Phabeni will return. I am certain of it.
Thank you for sharing, Matt. That is a lovely, comforting thought.
Oh, no. I’m so sorry. Thank you for all that you did for Phabeni. And thank you for sharing him with us. I’m holding you all (the herd included) tightly in my heart.
just seen the latest video oh my god my heart hurts for Setombe you can see her pain and loss of darling Phabeni my heart really hurts for the Herd and yourselves im so sorry for your great loss. god bless you all. Angela Worsdale XXXX ❤️❤️
My heart breaks for Phabeni’s surrogate-mom elephants. And for Adine who clearly gave her all, and the carers. Following herd/ phabeni on YouTube got me thru my dark rock bottom days somehow brought me joy and I thank you from the other side of the world you enlighten so many lives ❤️
I’m so so sad that Phebeni is gone. I really thought he was going to make it..
I am truly grateful for you and every member of Herd who cared for him.
I am crying many tears for him..
so sorry for the loss of phabeni. what a precious life to lose and to love. keep up the exceptional work you are all doing. I hope the herd can still be healthy and prosper.
My heart is breaking.. Thank you for giving the best to him when he was still alive ..
RIP MY BEAUTIFUL ELEPHANT , SO SAD I HAVE TEARS IN MY EYES
I am so sad that Phabeni died. I thought being excepted by the tribe would give him a good chance to live. I am especially sorry for all of you. It was especially obvious that you loved him.
I am so sorry for all of you and the herd. Anyone that has had animals knows the heartache of losing one. My prayers to all of you. Beautiful little Phabeni, you are in my prayers.
I am so sorry to all of you who did everything you could’ve for Phabeni. His precious little life touched so many around the world and brought so much love and joy to people with HIS herd at his side. I feel so sad for Setombe, and wonder how she will recover from losing him. Seeing how truly sensitive and deeply connected ellies are, especially when they lose one of their own. They will morn his absence, even if you decide not to allow them to see his remains. They will still know he’s gone. Just really glad they have each other through such a sad and tragic time.
Your videos, blogs and Facebook updates were mravelous– heartwarming and full of love. i felt very involved with Phabeni, the herd, other animals sharing his area and all who cared for him. It’s hearbreaking to know he didn’t live longer. I appreciate all your communication and will continue to admire HERD and those who care for the elephants and rhinos..
I am so saddened by Phabeni leaving us. I have watched him from day one grow. My sad wishes to all of you, but that little guy will be with all of you forever.
I’m sitting here crying I can only imagine how you and the caregivers are feeling. thank you for trying to help him all this time everyone there is wonderful
I just can’t stop crying wow this is so very sad. My heart goes out to everyone at HERD humans and animals.
God Bless each and every one of you who loved and cared for little Phabeni. I have loved watching the videos about him and how he interacted with the herd. I hope he is with his real Momma in Heaven now and that he will RIP. Indeed, July 1 was a very sad day.
Sending love and hugs to each of you as you are very special loving caretakers.
Phabeni was loved deeply and will be forever missed. Rest in peace sweet boy. 🙏🐘❤️
God bless y’all for doing what you do.
Thank you for caring for this brave little soul. Elephants are my favorite animal. To care for them and love them must bring the greatest joy and the worst sorrow. RIP LITTLE BOY PHABENI ALWAYS REMEMBERED AND LOVED.
Devastating for everyone concerned with Phabeni’s love and care…my heart goes out to each of you. ❤
As an adoptive and lover of orphaned elephants through the SWT my heart goes out to the carers of Phabeni and to his adopted herd. It’s saddening to lose a baby and sometimes unfathomable as to why but your work is invaluable so take the time to grieve and know you have lots of support to continue on. Bless you all.
Thank you Adene for posting this message. It is helpful to know all the details in order to understand that you did all you possibly could do. I just couldn’t understand why brave little Phabeni , who made so many people happy, was taken from us. Only God knows. Thank you and your team for all the work you do for this precious species. I hope you find another “Phabeni” .
Thank you for your dedication. Elephants are our partners as well as are all animals. The little elephant was such a love.
My heart aches and my deepest condolences for the loss of this precious little bull. His spirit and his character was so spunky was so unique. And we all fell in love with him. God rest his soul and thank you for the love and care that you gave to little Phabeni.
Phabeni, you will always be alive in the minds of people, and you will be loved.
Bless You All for what you do.
I’m in Australia and in chronic health issues. I began watching you All .
My heart grew with everything that you don, the lil Calf was such a sweet little Elephant.
Universe took him and I lm
Sad for that . Must be a reason why we will never know.
Please take a big pat on the back, I’m grateful to have found You All and showing us not all is bad for the Elephants 🐘
But that little Guy grabbed my heart and I’m crying because he fought so hard.
Much Respect and love to you All in HERD
Even though I am thousands of miles away, I was devastated at the loss of baby Phabeni. Thanks to all of you who were dedicated to his care and the Herd that accepted him as a member. Each loved him in their own way as did I. I feel great respect and support to all who rescued him, showed him respect and affection and gave the best possible care. It is a wonderful thing you all do and a precious gift that you created for baby Phabeni to be able to have a safe space and the chance to be part of the Herd.
My husband and I are deeply saddened for little Phabeni and the entire herd. We started watching The Herd during covid and have loved every minute. Thank you for what you all do. ❤️
Thank you for your kind message and support x