Just a few days ago, we were alerted to a baby elephant in Zimbabwe with a rope wrapped tightly around the top of its legs.
The s.wel.ling was so severe; that veterinarians worried the calf would lose its leg if the trap were not removed soon enough.
The only option we had to save this baby elephant was to hire a helicopter, dart the elephant from the sky and send a team of experts to treat it as quickly as possible. It’s a race against time to save the baby elephant!
Two days passed while waiting for the flight plan to be approved by all relevant authorities, a team of Zimbabwe National Park Rangers kept watching over the herd.
But early yesterday morning, the team took to the sky. They quickly located the herd and released the young from the helicopter.
Veterinarians and ground rangers worked urgently to clean and treat the wo.un.d, in.ject anti.bi.otics and immobilize it, while professional helicopter pilots kept the mother in the bay for the team’s safety.
Once the baby elephant (whom veterinarians discovered was a girl!) began to wake up, the helicopter pilot herded the mother back to her baby.
The team watched as they reunited with the rest of the herd and moved together.
This baby elephant is expected to make a full recovery, but something MUST be done to prevent this from happening again!
The trap cut deep into the elephant’s leg, but treatment arrived in time, and she is expected to make a full recovery.
However, this is not always the case, and that’s why ASI is committed to ending the use of traps.
Snakes are ter.ri.ble devices used to tor.ture and ki.l.l animals in.dis.cri.mi.nately; Even elephants are not safe from their cru.elty.
Thanks to your support, ASI was able to make a generous do.na.tion to the Kariba Animal Welfare Fund Trust, which will fund regular trap sweeps in the area.
We will do all we can to prevent this from happening to another animal!
