Now is the season of giving. We see people around slowing winding down for the year end, celebrating the spirit of Christmas. The readers at the Young Readers' Club experienced a different kind of giving and helpful spirit. They took a virtual trip to Panda Masuie forest reserve, Zimbabwe.
There is plenty of information all around us. While most of the time we read to know more at the Young Readers' Club, sometimes, it just becomes easier to take a virtual trip instead. There is a lot more to feel, connect with and even ponder.
We watched a short video of an elephant care giver taking us through his day. It felt somewhat real as we walked along with him experiencing the forest, the lush green trees and the dusty paths glowing in the early morning sun. The elephants appeared to be happy to see him. The baby elephant, Maggie, comes running to him with a childish sense of joy and love. He explains that she is a new addition and she needs to be fed formula milk every morning.
"Why is she being fed special formula milk?" asked one of the readers. That question led us to the concept of rehabilitation. We spoke about how these elephants have somehow lost their families or have been hurt in some way. Baby elephant Maggie too must have a similar story. She needs to be fed formula milk from a bottle as there is no mama elephant who could feed her. Elephant families move in groups but sometimes, baby elephants get left behind. Some survive, others don't without care. This is where, organisations such as the Wild is Life, step in to take care of these animals who are lost, injured or perhaps sick.
Silence followed that discussion as the young readers watched the video proceed with rapt attention. The elephant care giver explains how much he enjoys spending the day with these amazing elephants. He says they have their own quirks and moods but have immense grace as they go into the wild everyday. Why go in to the wild everyday? That's to get them accustomed to being in the wild by themselves. The elephant care givers hover around in case a need for care arises.
"Why let them back in to the wild? After all the wild is dangerous. There must be lions, leopards etc that could kill these elephants."
"True, but the wild is their home. Just like parrots like to fly out freely out of the cage in to the open skies, every animal likes being in their natural habitats."
This seemed like a perfect moment to introduce them to a fun fact that the founder of Wild is Life, Roxy Danckwerts shared in an interview.
A baby elephant which had lost its family was desperately looking for help. Somehow it found its way to the elephant camp, injured and dehydrated, possibly scared too. Before the humans could intervene, the other elephants in the camp surrounded the baby and led him to the camp. Danckwerts says that it almost seemed like they were assuring the baby elephant that these human beings are safe. We spoke about how poaching is rampant and why there is a sense of distrust when it comes to humans.
Danckerts shared another anecdote in which an elephant that had chosen to go back into the wild, sometimes came back after a year, simply to spend time in the camp for awhile and then head back. A holiday from daily grind in the wild? :))
Intrigued and curious to know more, we continued watching the video. The day was ending. The elephants played merrily in the water hole, splashing water, stomping in water. There was a sense of calm and joy amongst all the readers as we watched these amazing elephants walk forward to the elephant care givers and offering their trunks as a way to say thank you.
"The life of an elephant care giver is not easy. It is very hard."
"They need to know what to do when these elephants have tantrums."
"Why send them back into the wild?"
"Taking care of them is good to make them healthy and help them manage their moods."
"A way of conserving the forest."
"These people work 24/7 with no break. How do they do that? Don't they need a weekly holiday?"
We ended the session on a thoughtful note. Showing another living being compassion and care brings so much peace and calm.
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