SUMMARY

LOCATION | NAIROBI, KENYA

This photo essay is a chapter from the Kindred Guardians project, a long-term series that chronicles the dedication of individuals to animal welfare and wildlife conservation. This segment highlights the daily routines of caretakers at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, Kenya, who are committed to nurturing orphaned elephants.

Established in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick DBE, the Trust honors the legacy of her late husband, David Sheldrick. It is renowned for its rescue and rehabilitation efforts for orphaned elephants and spearheads numerous conservation projects across East Africa to secure a prosperous future for the region’s wildlife.

The caretakers provide round-the-clock care, feeding the orphans with oversized milk bottles and even sleeping alongside them in their stalls to foster a familial bond that these young elephants sorely miss. This intensive rehabilitation journey is crucial, representing just the initial steps toward their eventual return to the wild—a place they inherently belong.

THIS STORY IS PART OF MY KINDRED GUARDIANS PROJECT - Kindred Guardians is an ongoing self-funded personal project focused on documenting people around the world who dedicate their lives to helping animals in need. Each chapter explores a new issue and a new bond between humans and animals.

The goal of the project is to shed light on wildlife issues globally and to celebrate and showcase the crusaders who make it their life’s work to give wildlife a voice.

.All images/text are donated to each individual/organization featured in the project and are also available for purchase for media outlets around the world.