(16 Apr 2018) LEADIN:
The world-renowned conservationist Dame Daphne Sheldrick is being remembered for her pioneering work with elephants, following her death at the age of 83.
She dedicated six decades of her life to saving baby elephants orphaned by droughts and poaching.
STORYLINE:
Africa's elephants have lost a friend and ally.
Dame Daphne Sheldrick, one of the founding patrons of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, has died of cancer at the age of 83.
She set up the trust in 1977 to rescue orphaned elephants.
Born in Kenya, Dame Daphne spent more than 60 years working in conservation.
She was the first person to successfully hand-rear a milk-dependent new born elephant and rhino. More than 230 orphaned elephants have been saved in Kenya as a result of her expertise.
Dame Daphne died on April 12.
Rob Brandford, Executive Director at David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, says she was with her elephants until the end.
"She had been staying here as she attempted to recuperate with the elephants all around her. Now we are at a stage as we try and overcome this loss because Daphne was an icon for conservation, an icon for elephants. She has taught the world so much about this species, so much that has meant that these animals here are all alive today because of Dame Daphne. And it's now the focus of all of us and it needs to be the focus of the world to continue her legacy so that we see more elephants like this being saved and returning to the wild in Tsavo National Park," he says.
In 2016, Daphne had warned of the impending extinction of African forest elephants by 2025. This was due to extensive poaching activities.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust continues to be committed to conservation efforts, despite Dame Daphne's death.
"Now we operate de-snaring teams, area surveillance teams, mobile veterinary units. All of this in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service and across Kenya and, not just in Tsavo, which is where it all began but also Mara National Park where we have just worked with the KWS in forming or enhancing the Rhino Sanctuary in Mara National Park," Brandford says.
"And that is the legacy, that is the focus now is to keep building and expanding that work because there is more and more pressure on wildlife."
Alongside her late husband David Sheldrick she founded Kenya's biggest national park, the Tsavo, prominent for its efforts towards saving elephants.
After his death in 1977, Daphne founded David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth in 2006, Daphne developed a special milk formula that would then be bottle-fed to baby elephants.
Elephant keeper Peter Mbulu can barely hold back the tears as he contemplates her passing.
"It was quite sad to me, her passing away because she had really taught us many things about animals,how to take care of them, how to protect them and also how to preserve the environment," he says.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is now in hands of her daughter Angela Sheldrick, who has been Chief Executive for 17 years.

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