Join presenters
Michaela Strachan and
Jonathan Scott as they follow a year in the life of one of Africa's most unusual families: a herd of elephants raised by people.
Elephant Diaries is a real-life drama filled with friendship, jealousy, bravery, humor and heartache.
The story begins at the
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's elephant nursery in Nairobi, Kenya. Here, calves that have lost their families are raised by a team of keepers who have dedicated their lives to saving orphaned elephants. The keepers become their human mothers, nursing them back to health, feeding them, playing with them and even sleeping with them at night — anything to give these vulnerable babies the care and reassurance they so desperately need.
At the nursery, Michaela meets a 2-year-old calf named
Wendi who has become the mini-matriarch of the orphan family. When a wild orphan named
Naserian arrives, Wendi takes the frightened youngster under her wing and gently eases her into the group. Emotions run high when the family unit is broken apart as Wendi and four of the older calves graduate to the Ithumba release site in Tsavo National Park. Later, a 3-week-old calf named
Jipe arrives and immediately becomes a keepers' favorite, followed by
Lualeni, a 4-month-old consumed with grief over the death of her mother. Can these fragile youngsters overcome their trauma and become one with the herd?
Meanwhile, Jonathan is at Voi, an orphan release site in southern Tsavo National Park where the older calves live until they're ready to join the wild herds. A 10-year-old named
Emily, the matriarch of this group, is about to take her first steps into the wild — a giant accomplishment for an elephant reared by human hands since she was only a month old. Is she really ready? Jonathan also escorts four orphans from Voi to Ithumba to meet up with Wendi and the gang, but tragedy strikes when a rabid dog attacks the herd. Will they survive?
Elephant Diaries is an emotional roller coaster ride you won't want to miss. (Sorry, this Whoa! Sunday special has already aired.)
Picture: DCI |
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