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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
