Welcome, Orphan Protector!

Elliot at Wild is Life. Photo: Jesse Maree / © IFAW

Your decision to join us as an Orphan Protector is changing lives—and we are so grateful to have you by our side. Thanks to your support, orphaned animals like Elliot, a young elephant calf, have a second chance at life.

Meet Elliot: A Story of Hope

Last December, tragedy struck Elliot’s herd. At just two weeks old, Elliot found himself lost and alone near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The local community tried to help, but without his family, Elliot’s future was uncertain. Thankfully, swift action from the Forestry Commission, ZimParks and Zimbabwe Republic Police brought him to safety, saving his life.

Elliot’s journey didn’t stop there. He was airlifted to the Wild is Life Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery (WIL-ZEN), where he began his new life surrounded by love and care. Today, he’s thriving under the watchful eye of his foster mum, Kadiki, a three-year-old elephant who has become his protector and teacher.

With your help, Elliot is learning how to be an elephant again. He’s mastering essential skills like foraging, playing with his friends (he adores watermelon!), and even learning to use his trunk. And thanks to the 50 litres of milk he drinks each day, Elliot is growing into a strong and healthy young bull, hitting every developmental milestone along the way.

Your Impact: Nourish, learn, prepare.

Because of you, Elliot’s future is filled with hope. He will spend the next several years at the nursery, preparing for the day he can return to the wild where he belongs. When that day comes, it’s your compassion and generosity that will have made it possible.

We can't thank you enough for being an Orphan Protector. Your commitment is giving orphaned elephants like Elliot, and animals all over the world a brighter future.