The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) works at a field level in Kenya for the protection and conservation of wildlife and wild habitats. Africa’s wildlife is being pushed to the brink of extinction. The lucrative illegal ivory trade is killing up to 70 elephants a day, human-wildlife conflict is leaving behind injured and orphaned wild animals that would not survive without intervention and habitat destruction is endangering important biodiversity areas.
The DSWT adopts a multi-faceted approach to conversation and our teams work at a field level every day to put an end to poaching in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service, preserve endangered habitats and rescue and care for injured animals so that they can return to the wild.
Established more than 40 years ago, the DSWT is best known for the successful rescue and rehabilitation of infant orphaned elephants and rhinos, so that they can live a life back in the wild when grown. Today,more than 200 orphaned elephants have been successfully hand-raised, with more than a 130 already living a wild life, and we know of at least 30 babies, that have been born into the wild by orphans once raised by the DSWT. The safety of these elephants, their wild kin and all wild species is a priority and we ensure this through the deployment of 12 fully mobile, trained Anti-Poaching Teams, an Aerial Unit comprising 5 fixed wing aircraft and 2 rapid response helicopters, a Canine Tracking Unit, 5 Mobile Veterinary Teams and investment into tried and tested conservation practices including electric fencing, water provision, and critically education programmes and community engagement projects aimed at improving the livelihoods of those living alongside wildlife.