When Daphne raised her first infant orphan elephant all those years ago, she had no idea the enormity of what she began. She was faced with an orphan robbed of its family, and she made it her mission to help save its life. Years of trial and error ensued, as Daphne fine-tuned the milk formula and husbandry needed to successfully raise infant elephants, and one orphan soon turned into an entire herd. Through her work, millions of people throughout the world have learned of the wondrous ways of elephants, fostering a more sympathetic understanding of these remarkable creatures both locally and abroad. Daphne and David’s vision spawned our many field conservation projects, which today help protect, secure, and support great ecosystems across Kenya.

I always go back to these words Daphne wrote in 1979: “One last triumph I longed for, was to be able to look with pride on an animal like an elephant, born of a mother I had nurtured from the start, and think, deep inside my heart, ‘But for me……’” She was acutely aware that, by saving one life, we had the potential to impact generations of elephants.

To date, we have met 55 calves born to orphans we rescued, raised, and reintegrated back into the wild. Each one of these babies is alive today because of the dedication and determination of one great matriarch — a remarkable woman who was decades ahead of her time, motivated to build upon her late husband’s conservation vision.

Thank you for supporting our conservation mission, bringing David and Daphne’s extraordinary life’s work into the 21st century. Together, we are forging a future for Kenya’s wildlife. I cannot think of a more meaningful way to honour my parents’ legacy.

- Angela Sheldrick