Sacred Elephants

Room to Roam at San Diego Zoo's New Elephant Odyssey?

Thank you to Wanda, one of my elephant-loving readers for sharing this topic with us.

 

Click here to download a full-size PDF of the Elephant Odyssey Flyer.

The San Diego Zoo is nearing completion of their new and improved elephant exhibit, Elephant Odyssey, scheduled to open on Memorial Day of 2009. The $45 million estimated construction costs are for the creation of a 7-acre mostly outdoor habitat designed to enclose the zoo's eight elephants. However, a recent article in the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the elephants will truly have access to only 3 acres.  

Read the full article here: Room to Roam, San Diego Union-Tribune

The new exhibit brings up an elephant-sized ethical quandary. Is it alright to keep elephants in zoos at all, and if so, what are the proper parameters? As with other elephant conservation topics, many of the experts are divided. I am certainly no expert, but consider myself a conservationist at heart, having a fondness and sympathy for these precious pachyderms. I have still not settled into a firm position on elephants in zoos.

Unlike other more purist conservationists, I do see some educational value in zoos. Perhaps in these days of multimedia internet and whole television channels devoted to animal programs we could declare that the need to import live animals is obsolete. Yet I can still vividly remember the wonder and awe of inserting my elephant-shaped key into the recorded description box at the San Francisco Zoo's elephant exhibit when I was a little girl. Oh, how I adored the elephants! That feeling of being close and in love with them was powerful. I think that being able to emotionally and intellectually connect with live animals in a conservation-minded setting can inspire people to become more cognizant of those animals and their needs.

Recently, I took my 5 year old nephew to that same zoo. I delighted in watching his face light up as we made sure to visit all of his favorite animals. (I think they are all his favorites!) He made me proud as he read the "please whisper near the gorilla exhibit" sign, and dutifully tried to hush the other children who were shouting nearby. I felt a twinge of sadness as I remember writing a letter to my legislator in favor of banning elephants at the San Francisco zoo, due to the inadequate (less than 1 acre) facilities and deaths of 2 elephants there in 2004. Looking at the faded stucco building that used to house them, and knowing that it was empty inside made me feel better. The only elephant in that area now is a cute bronze statue of a baby ellie.

The Oakland Zoo has done a lot to turn around their elephant care reputation by creating one of the country's first protected-care facilities that allows elephants to avoid direct contact with keepers (trainer bullying was a problem for the Oakland Zoo in the past.) Oakland elephants have about 6.5 acres of space they can roam on. The photo below is taken while on a "back stage" tour of the zoo, where Colleen (the head keeper) was introducing us to Osh, the bull elephant there. (That's me, shielding my eyes from the late-afternoon sun as I'm looking at Osh.)

Photo ©2006 Jaya Savannah.

It's worth mentioning as not everyone knows this: elephants are migratory creatures. In the wild, they roam for 30-50 miles per day. This is one of the reasons that elephants and humans have conflicts (besides ivory poaching.) Migrating elephants will roam and forage, eating and destroying the vegetation in their path. They are a dangerous nuisance to farmers. Yet it's our over-expansion into elephant territory that creates this problem in the first place. We all need room to coexist.

In zoos, elephants are deprived of the space needed for them to roam naturally. This causes them many health issues, most notably foot ailments, but also obesity, mental stress, shortened lifespans, and other problems.

The article "Room to roam," has a reader poll in a column to the right. The question is "What should zoos do about elephants?" The poll options are:

• Standard enclosures are fine, it's a shame so many are shutting down.
• Larger enclosures like the one San Diego is building are the responsible course.
• Zoos should stay out of the elephant business, it can't be done humanely.

Today, I voted for the 2nd option about larger enclosures and responsible care, and 67% of poll responders agreed. Yet I still don't feel settled with my opinion. Part of me also agrees with the 30% of people who voted that it can't be done humanely. 7 acres for 8 elephants still seems woefully small to me. It only sounds better when compared to the prison yards they were in previously.

My only reason that supports elephants in zoos being somewhat useful is that I think education is so important. Surely, if we have any intelligence at all, we can find other ways to help people learn about and become interested in elephant conservation. Large wildlife parks in the animal's native regions seems to be the only truly humane solution. Perhaps larger safari-style parks here in the states could work. Yes, to me that sounds like a better compromise: minimum space requirements starting at something like 40-acres and up.

What are your thoughts on elephants in zoos?

Further reading:

• San Diego Union-Tribune Article: Room to roam.
• San Diego Zoo Press Release: Construction Begins at Elephant Odyssey
• San Diego Zoo Link: Elephant Web Cam (in the current older exhibit)
• PETA Prime Article: It's Official, Zoos Kill Elephants

Elephant Watch Camp in Architectural Digest (August 2007)

Congratulations Elephant Watch Camp!

I received a letter from my friend Oria Douglas-Hamilton in Kenya announcing that her fabulous elephant eco-camp is featured in the annual Exotic Homes edition of Architectural Digest. I'm not a regular subscriber to AD, but I always buy the August issue because it usually has homes that turn me on. So to hear that my favorite conservationists are featured this month really makes me happy.

Meeting Oria and staying in her camp in Samburu (Northern Kenya) was one of my primary motivators for going to Africa. She and her husband Iain are heroes of mine. What she's done with her camp is absolutely magical, and of all the places in the world that I want to visit, returning to Elephant Watch Camp is still at the top of my list.

Here are the online links to read the article about Elephant Watch Camp in Architectural Digest:
Read the article.
View the photo slideshow.

I've got a million photos and stories to share about my experiences there, but here are a few snapshots.

When Oria came to meet me at the Samburu airstrip, it was love at first site. She knew exactly who I was and came up to me with a warm welcome. The Save the Elephants plane was nearby, and she proposed taking this photo of me standing in front of it.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

I didn't take a lot of photos of Oria, as she was feeling a little under-the-weather. But here is one of her in the big outdoor living room at the camp.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

This photo is taken at the Save the Elephants research center. According to the GPS tracking histories, elephants have very interesting migration patters. Some take regular seasonal routes, but what facinated me were the patterns that only repeat every couple of years over great distances. It appears to me that elephants also take semi-regular holidays to special places.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.
My heart and soul want me to take a migratory holiday back to Kenya. I can only describe it as feeling "homesick." More than want, I need to return there.

Click here to visit the Elephant Watch Camp website.

Elephant Safari in Kenya: A Soft Landing

It's a long haul from San Francisco to Nairobi. Having anticipated that, I had pre-arranged for transportation from the airport to our first lodge in Langata, just outside of the Nairobi city limits. As soon as we passed through customs and headed outside the airport doors, we bumped into our driver from Abercrombie & Kent (the fraternal organization of A.K.Taylor, or travel agency.) It was about 10pm, and after about 17 hours of traveling, being cared for was oh so nice.

When we arrived at Ngong House, it was like walking through a dreamscape of darkened pathways and candlelight-- suprises at every turn. The eleven guest lodges are raised up on tree trunks--tree houses, as the hosts call them.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

A trap door opens at the top of the stairs to the treehouse (pull the weights on ropes to the right of the stairs.)

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

Inside, the first thing you see is this romantic bed made from an old boat. Later that night, the room attendant comes with hot water bottles wrapped in batik fabric to warm up the sheets. Then she unfurls the mosquito nets, creating a heavenly cocoon.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah..

Our host Christoff's father Paul designed these lodges out of local materials in a luxe Swahili style. I'm so appreciative of the environment they created. My heart sang with each new discovery. This settee is made out of rustic split woods, framed by the modern "stained glass" panels.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

This close-up shot in the morning shows the beautiful detail. The glass pieces are various plates, bottles, and broken glasses.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

Our particular lodge was two large circular buildings, connected by a long hallway. The bedroom and sitting areas are in the front, and the bathrooms in the back. As I walked down the hallway for the first time, I really had no idea what to expect.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

What a surprise to find yourself walking into an enormous space, with this large bathtub made from a rustic fishing boat. So much for thinking of safari lodges as fancy tents! This was high-style.

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

There was even dual sinks and an amazing walk in shower. (The wooden shower enclosure is visible in the mirrors above the sink.)

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

*What I wouldn't give to be there right now.*

Nestled in the enveloping white cloud of our feathered bed, we drifted off to sleep with the faint sound of hyena's and dogs yipping in the distance. My first night in Africa was a very sweet, soft landing indeed...

Photo ©2005 Jaya Savannah.

...only to be awakened by angels in the morning, bearing smoky-dark Kenyan coffee, which I sipped quietly while listening to the beautiful sounds of African birds. Everything was new to my senses--and I am swooning in love with Kenya at first sight. I still am.

Elephant Safari in Kenya: Planning the Journey

Having decided to follow my calling to visit the elephants, it was time to plan the details. Admittedly, this was not a trip that I knew how to book myself. Here in the states, I've never used a travel agent, but Africa seemed mysterious and complicated. When I asked Oria Douglas-Hamilton if she had someone that was stateside who could help, she recommended A.K.Taylor International in Montana. She explained that they specialize in conservationist travels to Africa. Perfect. It was March and I heard the best time to safari was August, so I didn't hesitate to call right away.

When I called, the ever-capable Mary Zrubek answered the phone. Having assumed that conservationist-minded trips to Africa were all that they do, I simply stated that I was a potential new client wanting to book a trip. There was a humorous moment when Mary replied, "Are you calling to book a trip to Disneyworld? Because we don't do trips to Disneyworld." A little confused, I said, "Um--no. I was wanting to go to Africa. I was told that's what you do." We were both laughing when she explained that there was a misprint of their phone number and people had been calling all day for some Disneyworld special package. Then Mary became completely alive (her voice conveys her passion for her work) and we proceeded to plan out my entire itinerary in the first call.

It came together very quickly because I already knew the 4 things that I wanted:

1. To begin our trip with a visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage near Nairobi.
2. To stay at Elephant Watch Camp in Samburu.
3. To visit one more area where there would be good elephant viewing.
4. To end our trip at some place on the Swahili coast.

Not only did Mary have the inside-track on the beautiful places to stay, she understood the timing and pace. I knew that the flight from California to Kenya was long, and didn't want my husband to be tired (read: cranky) when we started our safari in earnest. I felt a little concerned about that because I have endless energy for the elephants, and knew my husband was really just tagging along on my passion. So I wanted it to be comfortable for him. Mary knew exactly what I needed and said she knew of a very special place right near the elephant orphanage that would make for a "very soft landing."

I was thinking that I'd like to visit elephant-abundant Amboseli as the third stop, but Mary tipped me off that the park is really over-crowded in August. Knowing that I'm a conservationist at heart, she thought I'd be turned off by the tourism there. Instead she suggested the Masai Mara, as the Great Migration of zebra and wildebeast would be passing through, along with plenty of lions and other wildlife.

The coastal part of our trip was really something I planned for my husband. Don't get me wrong, I love the ocean, but I adore the elephants more and would have happily gone elephant watching for the entire two weeks. Yet I was nervous that my husband would be bored to tears after the third elephant stop. I had read a New York Times article about Lamu and thought that might be good, but then I did a little more research and asked Mary if she had heard of the Funzi Keys. She didn't have any experience with booking clients there, but I just had a feeling that was where I wanted to go.

Everything came together so quickly and easily (thanks to Mary making all the international phone calls & booking the charter flights between stops) that it seemed divinely guided. I was so excited! Mary handled the Kenyan portion of our trip, and I booked our international flights and began the planning of innoculations and packing.

As a rule, I'm suspicious of Western medicine and innoculation. Yet I also know a lot of stubborn naturalists who've become quite ill when traveling abroad. So I had to ask myself: if I should become so sick that I can't enjoy (or finish) my trip, how would I feel about that compared to the risks of getting sick from the preventative medicines? Ultimately, I decided to take the malaria and hepatitus vaccines (and the others recommended) from my local Passport Health clinic. I even bought some Deet-infused lotion (after much hesitation over the toxicity.) Friends who had suffered from mosquitos in India told me to just get over it and buy some of the specially formulated insect repellant--and if not Deet, than at least the permethen to spray on my clothes and hat. Reading the lable, the expensive Deet lotion I bough here in the US is less skin-permeable than what you can get overseas. I swore I'd only use it if the mosquitos & tsetse flies were really bad though.

The only advice I didn't trust from the Passport Health clinic nurse was regarding clothing. She fiercely cautioned me to wear full pants, heavy socks, boots, and long-sleeved shirts at all times. As motherly and likeable as she was, my hunch was that she was being overly cautious and that I'd feel like a total idiot wearing what amounted to a beekeeper suit on holiday. My mother was like that too, so I'm used to sorting out the paranoid from the useful. So while I packed one long sleeved shirt, pants and walking shoes, I mostly packed clothes that felt like me. So into the 22lb-limit duffle bag went shorts, sarongs, Teva sandals, bathing suit, and my favorite Ganesh t-shirt. Baby, I'm so-outta-here.

Friends of Nalitu: An Elephant Rescue Story

What a happy synchronicity! I received a wonderful email from a blog reader this week, who is also a friend of Nalitu, the 1st elephant orphan I adopted (pictured below.)

Copyright photo of Nalitu by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

It is such a good story. I asked Don for permission to share his letter with you:

"Dear Jaya, Jambo, jambo, jambo. This email proves what a small world we live in. Really small, Jaya ! I hope this will put a little smile on your face and that's why I'm writing. I was part of the travel agent group that rescued little Nalitu in November 2004.

It was an amazing experience and something I will never forget. In fact Jaya I have some of the rescue on my video, but at the time we were not sure what was happening until we saw Nalitu struggling in the Ewaso Nyiro (spelling?) river and all of the adult ellies trying to free her little legs. It was truely amazing watching how all of the elephants reacted to this poor little ellie and the trumpeting noises was deafening. All of the elephants that had already crossed the river all came back to see what was going on. It was then that we realized that Nalitu was in serious trouble. Anyway, to make a long story short, we called (radioed) Nairobi and the Sheldrick Orphanage sent a rescue team and airplane up to the area to rescue Nalitu. It was the same evening we had a travel agent thrown off her camel and dislocate her shoulder. What an evening !

When we finished our 2 week safari I went back to the Sheldrick Orphanage to see Nalitu and except for the "sniffles" she was doing okay and living with a keeper 24 hours a day. They had her separated from the other ellies in a little barn like structure and she was the cutest little elephant you ever saw. I also have a minute of her on video at this visit too. It was only when I got back home to Florida that I found out that Nalitu had passed away and the mild case of sniffles turned into pneumonia. I too was heart broken, Jaya.

During this same trip, I had the pleasure of having dinner at the US ambassadors residence and the HIGHLIGHT was meeting Iain Douglas and Oria Douglas Hamilton. What a thrill for me especially since I have a "crush" on their daughter Saba and told Iain that; he had quite a good laugh. Saba too would have been there but she was filming in Samburu and just could not get back to Nairobi for this dinner. Regardless I was fascinated talking and meeting with the Hamilton's.

I'm currently planning my 4th trip back "home" to Kenya.... I have been going every year now for the last 3 years. Have you seen or been to Loisaba ? Beautiful lodge, Jaya !

Well, I really don't want to keep you but would love to hear back from you and exchange some of our adventures to Kenya. It sounds to me like you love the country and people as much as I do. If it means anything to you I could probably put you in touch with some of the other travel agents who were in on Nalitu's rescue; I'm sure many of them also have pictures they could email to you??? And needless to say, if you have any questions about her rescue as best as I can remember (?) I'd be happy to answer anything.

Hope this email brings some warm thoughts to you and if you have any time I would love to hear from you !!
Kwaheri and very best regards
Don Rubin, Manager
Lifestyle Vacations
Delray Beach Florida USA"

How synchronistic and lovely. Thank you, Don for sharing your story with us! 

Elephant Safari in Kenya: The Rumblings of a Calling

It's nearly a year after my visit to the elephants in Kenya, but my heart aches with as much longing as the day I left. Only 11 days on the mother continent, and I felt bonded and grounded there. Now, when I look to the East from my balcony, toward the estuaries that surround San Francisco Bay, I imagine elephants roaming through the golden grasses...hiding amongst the California oak trees. But alas, it's just the spirit of Africa calling my soul home once again. And I realize that I should journal these memories while the details are still fresh in my mind.

Why Africa? Why Kenya? Truthfully, although I've always been compelled to visit Africa, a trip to India was first on my mind. But a series of intrigues and affections pulled me towards Nairobi instead. My love affair with elephants began when I was a toddler. I absolutely adored the elephants at the San Francisco Zoo. Of course, I was too young to understand that the cramped quarters there were not suitable for them. I just loved watching them use their enormous trunks to eat and play, occasionally scooping up bits of dirt that they would blow over their backs to protect themselves from the sun. (Someday, I need to see if my elephant-shaped zoo key is still in storage with the family mementos left behind by my mother when she died.) But my adult philanthropic love affair with elephants started a couple years ago when I began supporting The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi.

One day, I thought about how much I love the elephants, and decided to do some on-line research to learn more. I can't even tell you how it all came about, except that my studies led me to learn more about the migratory nature of elephants and the inevitable human/elephant conflict that results from the over-population of humans in ancient elephant paths, and the devastation of poaching for the ivory trade. It overwhelms me how the earth's largest living mammals need protection from us overly-developed primates. Only our conscious awareness can reverse the trend of humans taking over elephant territory. Shall we overcome our animalistic nature and use good judgment over our stewardship? Or will our lower animal instincts reign supreme as we dominate all other species in our way? I feel a calling to connect with the conservationists who are determined to correct the downward spiral...and help in whatever way I can.

When I came across The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust website, I found myself weeping at the tender stories of the orphaned elephant babies and the nobleness of the keeper's diaries. Immediately, I donated some money and adopted little Nalitu, a baby girl ellie. Her story of loss and abandonment was something that moved me deeply, and I looked at her photo every day and eagerly awaited news of her progression. Sadly, on my birthday morning, I received word that little Nalitu had died suddenly of pneumonia, a condition common to elephant rescues. I was truly heartbroken. However, it was that day's grief and compassion that forged my new conservationist heart. Disappointment and losses are an inevitable part of being involved with something as fragile as orphan rescues. So while I wept for the loss of this baby girl, I typed out an email to my friends and clients, encouraging them to support the specialized work of this small organization by adopting a foster baby elephant.

Several baby elephant adoptions later, I came across the important work of the Save the Elephants foundation. Iain Douglas-Hamilton is a well-known elephant researcher who has made history with his research on elephant family systems and how they convene in both small and large groups. His organization is still doing some very important studies involving GPS tracking collars on elephants to determine their migratory routes, with the intention of preventing human conflicts in those areas. But as famous as his work is, it was his wife Oria Douglas-Hamilton that intrigued me more. I simply had to meet her!

Oria Douglas-Hamilton is not a researcher per se, though she's lived the life for many years. Not standing in anyone's shadow, Oria has created many of her own projects including book-writing, educational & cultural programs for Kenyan youth and families, and creating a wonderful ecological safari camp in Northern Kenya called Elephant Watch Safaris. We emailed once or twice, and I told her I was coming for a visit.

It was as sudden and as simple as that. I decided that I was going to Kenya to meet Oria and the little babies at the orphanage. There was no mulling about, no hesitation. I told my husband I was going to Kenya for a couple weeks, and asked if he would like to join me (he did.) It wasn't a vacation for me. It was a spiritual pilgrimage. I followed the inner-rumblings of my heart to the elephants in Kenya.