Their hopes of survival had looked slim after the traumatic start to their lives. But the orphaned baby elephants thrived and grew up strong thanks to their rescuer’s incredible love, care and attention.
Moyo, the first elephant rescued by Roxy Danckwerts when she was just two weeks old
First, they had to be sedated by tranquilizer darts, then specialist teams monitored their breathing and heart rate before they were fitted with straps so they could be hoisted by their feet and lifted while hanging upside down — which experts agree is the simplest, easiest and quickest way — on to a flatbed truck by a crane.
Bumi being hoisted onto a truck ready to head to Panda Masui forest where he will roam free
Moyo being loaded onto a truck ready to head to the forest where she will also roam free
After arriving at his new home on the 85,000-acre reserve, Bumi is pictured below enjoying a refreshing drink of water, flanked by Unity, who arrived at the nursery in 2017 after her mother stopped producing milk due to a drought, and Sienna, rescued last year after being spotted alone aged 15 months and suffering from malnutrition.
Bumi, centre, is pictured with two other elephants after the 22-hour trip across Zimbabwe to their new home near Victoria Falls
As they set off for the reserve, she said: ‘It’s a really bittersweet moment. I’m so glad they’re returning to a proper life in the wild.