Where does your good go? Within each of us is a capacity for doing good for others and when we do this good the rewards are great. This entry is part of a blog series about how our Mermaids Make A Difference. It’s not a platform for us to just talk about our good deeds and to pat ourselves on the back. It’s an opportunity to share our passions and to inspire others. We don’t all have to be passionate about the same things, but it is important for each of us to be open to helping others. Some people are fortunate enough to have lots of time and resources to do great things. Others with less resources can make just as much of an impact. We just have to do good when and where we see the need. Have you thought about it? Where does your good go?
One of the passions we are happy to share is our work to educate and preserve wildlife around the world. Lead by our Head Mermaid Diane, our Mermaids have donated time, monies and resources to fund education and to support conservation efforts around the world. Here’s an update from one of our partners.
On the 1st of July Lewa relayed a report to DSWT from Sera Conservancy that
Samburu Scouts had retrieved a young calf from one of the many wells in that
area, Kisima Hamsini. The baby elephant had slipped in while the herd
crowded around to drink water. Because of the presence of the pastoral
people in the area the elephants do not linger long, and tend to drink here
at night often while passing through to more fertile pastures. By morning
any evidence of elephants had vanished, only the screams of the desperate
baby alerted the community. Due to sensitisation throughout the region
these orphans are often reported and timely solutions sought for them. The
community conservation scouts extracted the calf and he was kept safe until
the DSWT could send a rescue plane to fly him to the Nursery. This is a hot
and arid part of the country and extremely dry at this time of year, human
wildlife conflict incidences increase as both man and the elephants struggle
to share the same water resources.
The flight to northern Kenya past Mount Kenya and beyond Samburu to Sera
conservancy is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The airstrip is short
and fairly crude which makes rescues from here challenging. The calf had
been driven in the back of a land cruiser to wait at the airfield shaded
from the unforgiving sun while the scouts awaited the plane and keepers. He
was a big, robust calf full of fight, but with bruises from his ordeal and
very infected eyes as a result of his struggle in the putrid water while
trapped in the well. Thankfully because the calf was small only about five
to six months old, the weight was well within the limitations for a Cessna
Caravan for a short takeoff as the team departed with the calf safely
strapped in the back and an IV drip in place to compensate for the time he
had been without mother’s milk. On arrival in Nairobi he was loaded onto
the waiting pickup with all the crew at Wilson Airport now extremely
comfortable wrangling elephant orphans having dealt with many before. Even
the Police who man the airport’s entrance gate curiously seek the details of
each and every case as the DSWT exit the airport perimeter for the short
journey to the Nairobi National Park, and DSWT Nursery orphanage.
A very feisty baby was off loaded and placed in a stockade, too stressed for
a stable, and while he looked like the perfect little grey fat-cheeked Dumbo
he packed a punch. It took two intensive days in order to settle him down.
We called him Rapa after a hill in the area from where he was rescued. In
time he calmed sufficiently and was able to join the established orphans for
their daily outing in the forest. He has assimilated well and the calming
care of the others has turned him into a happy member of the nursery herd.
The story and images of his rescue can be viewed by clicking this link:
http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/orphan_profile.asp?N=337To Foster Rapa please click on this link:
https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/foster.asp?nn=1&G=&LP=832015834-p
ic7a.jpg&addn=337&N=337&FN=RAPATo make a general donation please click on this link:
https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/is/donate_now.asp
We are always delighted and encouraged to learn of endangered animals who get rescued and of the great works being done on their behalf. This is just one of our partnerships where we are able to do lots of good for a cause that’s very important to all of us.
Where does your good go? Tell us about your passions and your efforts to do good. We’d love to hear where your good goes. We may even feature you in this wonderful blog series. When you do good, we all benefit, too!
