Wild is Life

A big thank you to @rogerallenphotography and the @dailymail for this lovely article about the big move for Bumi, Moyo, and the five elephants we relocated from the #wildislife_zen Sanctuary in Harare to Panda Masuie re-wilding site near Victoria Falls a few months ago. We invite you to click on the link in our bio - Daily Mail Article - for a heartwarming read... 🐘💕🥰 @ifawglobal

Beatrix and all her friends invite you to investigate our brand new and much improved website! Visit our link in bio.😍🐘 Photo credit: @donalboyd @ifawglobal • • • • • • #wildislife_zen #cultureofcare #onebyone #africananimals #conservationoptimism #rescue #rehabilitate #rewilding #orphans #zimbabwe #orphanedanimals #africa #charity #elephant #animalsanctuary #animalsofinstagram #naturephotography #wildanimals #wildislife #littlebylittlealittlebecomesalot #visitzimbabwe #proudlyzimbabwean #showingthemthewayhome

We thought it would be a good time for an introduction for our new followers from around the globe! 👋🥰🌍 Wild is Life is a genuine wildlife and landscape conservation operation. We Rescue, Rehabilitate and Rewild orphaned animals in Zimbabwe… We pride ourselves in our #cultureofcare and we feel honoured and privileged to do this work in the world. Our efforts span the country. The Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery (ZEN) and Wild is Life Sanctuary are located Harare, and our Landscape Conservation Project is in Victoria Falls, almost 1000km away but our efforts are united in striving to make a difference to the animals we care for #onebyone. ZEN and The Sanctuary are where the rescued and rehabilitated animals live and then they are moved to Victoria Falls (once they are ready) for the last part of their journey - rewilding! Since our inception over 20 years ago by Roxy Danckwerts, we have successfully rehabilitated over 300 individual animals - compromising 18 different species of African wildlife and we look forward to many many more! Thank you for following us and all your amazing comments, questions and feedback. It really is so wonderful to engage with you and if you have any questions about what we do - pop them in the comments section below. We would love to answer them! Photo credit: @donalboyd • • • • #wildislifezen #wildislife_zen #cultureofcare #animalsanctuary #elephants #babyelephants #elephantsofinstagram #naturephotography #littlebylittlealittlebecomesalot #wildanimals #visitzimbabwe #proudlyzimbabwean #harare #showingthemthewayhome #wildislife #inspiringconservation

Here she is - Moyo now swims joyfully and with relief during the blistering hot hours of the day. She dresses herself with mud and dust. The “old” Moyo is finally peeping out and has her sense of humour back. 💕🐘😊 We are so incredibly proud of her! @ifawglobal #wildislife_zen #onebyone #cultureofcare #movingmoyo

It’s been a while since I last wrote about Moyo, but this entire event brought both Moyo and myself, to our knees. Today, however, we are both still standing taller & stronger, recovering from our intertwined destinies, trauma & injuries. It has been a time of growth, sadness, learning & healing. Moyo was injured by another elephant in the truck, en route to Panda Masuie Forest, near Victoria Falls. Whilst she is not yet fully healed & remains with some minor issues, we are seeing positive changes daily. For 3 months, she would not lie down to sleep, which certainly affected her circulation & ability to heal. She rested her massive head on the uprights in the boma & managed to get some rest in that position. And then, one random night, she lay down & slept! There was such joy from the team, for this seemingly minor event, but it marked a turnaround for Moyo’s health. Moyo moved up to the top boma, when she was strong enough to make the climb up the hill. This also vastly improved her mood, & she started to interact and engage more with the other elephants. The herd, particularly the older females were deeply concerned about Moyo, laying their trunks over her. During the awful ”sleepless" time, Moyo inadvertently threw me backward, breaking one of my ribs. I was very shocked, frightened and upset by the incident, & so was she. It was a “trunk"-jerk reaction and of course, one should never forget that one is dealing with a wild animal. Unfortunately the broken rib set off a chain of events that left me in the ICU with severe lung problems & unnervingly close to departing this mortal coil. Luckily, I received the most incredible care from my Specialist physician, as well as my loving family. It left me weakened in mind, body & spirit, but I am slowly regaining strength & courage. In the meantime, January Gweshe & his inimitable team have continued to nurse Moyo, day & night. What soldiers those men are! We continue to keep up the impetus of her intensive nursing, to maintain this upward trajectory. Thank you for keeping beloved Moyo in your thoughts & so much gratitude for your concern & encouragement. Love, Rox x @ifawglobal #cultureofcare

On a recent patrol to resupply ranger bases and check on the water supplies, the team in Panda Masuie Forest, consisting of Kevin Louw, Simba Mupanwha and Smart Nyathi witnessed an incredible sighting. 😍🤩 A pack of Painted Dogs (Lyacon pictus) had killed a kudu close to Sitangani ranger base. The alpha female was seen carrying meat to feed at litter of 6 pups, who were waiting impatiently in the shade of the big trees at Murphys pan. A big herd of elephants and some giraffe were also seeking the precious shade nearby. The transformation of Panda Masuie Forest over the past 7 years has been remarkable. From an area depleted of wildlife and neglected to now a secure area brimming with biodiversity! The forest also forms a crucial ecological link between Zambezi National Park and Kazuma Pan National Park. Painted Dogs are a critically endangered species that require vast areas of wilderness to thrive. The fact that these animals are both living and breeding in Panda Masuie is a testament to many years of tireless work by the team of people working every day to protect this magnificent forest. The collective vision and dedication of #wildislife_zen, @ifawglobal and Forestry Commission, and especially the 62 people working on the project have all resulted in the success of the transformation of this incredible ecosystem! 🌍🙏🏽🌱

In a very distressing incident, one of our Team came upon a large tree that had just been felled, in a public area. Noticing the commotion and loud bird calls, she investigated to find that the tree was home to an old and much-used colony of breeding Grey Herons. These colonies are called heronries and are used consecutively, for many years, by these beautiful birds. To her horror, she found 33 dead chicks on the ground, ranging from newly hatched to almost ready to fly. Overhead the parents were calling helplessly. 😭 She got permission to thoroughly check the area and was only able to locate one live chick, with a badly broken wing. Every other nested bird was dead. The little fledging was brought back to Wild is Life and Xrayed and treated by Catherine Jennings and Dr Mark Lombard. It is receiving round-the-clock care and although it will never be able to fly, it may still have a chance at life within the Sanctuary. We would urge professional “tree cutters” and those who are considering chopping down trees that are considered a nuisance, to think carefully and also investigate what may be living in said tree. 33 deaths of large grey herons is a massive loss to a vast range, and frankly, is an appalling act of cruelty as well as a blatant disregard for biodiversity. This could have been avoided, had the relevant authority considered waiting a few weeks for the birds to grow and disperse. Very well done to Catherine Jennings @my_zimbabwe_ for an incredible job of raising this little being! 🐣❣️🙏 #wildislife_zen #wildislife #cultureofcare #onebyone #animalsanctuary #animallovers #harare #zimbabwe #birds #rescue #savethebirds #birdlife #birds #heron #zim #conservation #inspiringconservation

Spots and stripes 🦒🦓😍 Skye the giraffe wasn’t too sure what to make of James the zebra when he came to greet her earlier today! #wildislife_zen #cultureofcare #onebyone #animalsanctuary #harare #zimbabwe #carefornature #careforanimals #orphanedanimals #giraffe #zebra #zim

Bless sweet Kadiki! She has effortlessly taken up the role of the new matriach at #wildislife_ZEN after her friends were moved to Panda Masuie for the next step in their rewilding journey… 🐘🇿🇼😍 She is loving and attentive to little Elliot, a support and friend to Limpopo and ever patient with Queen Beatrix! Take a look at Beatrix and Elliot attempting a Kadiki pile. 😂 @ifawglobal #wildislife_zen #cultureofcare #onebyone

Skellum is back on Splat - now utilising him as his very own Uber eats! 😂🐐🐒🥙 5-star rating for Splat this time for not throwing off his passenger this time… #wildlislife_zen #onebyone #cultureofcare

Kadiki leading the swim team! 🐘🥽😍 We love how bravey little Elliot follows her and all the fun that ensues… Take a look! @ifawglobal #wildislife_zen #cultureofcare #onebyone

Little Elliot 🐘 Have you ever seen a head that hairy 😄 . Elliot was rescued at just a few days old and will grow at @wildislife_zen, under the daily care of January and his team, until it’s his time to return to the wild 🍃 . Baby elephants require a daily milk formula to survive, but his care is just as much about the bonds he will form on his journey back to the wild. . Kidiki, his adopted Mum will help teach him to be an elephant on their daily rewilding walks, the same way other elephants will rouse on him when he’s out of line 😅 .
Elliot’s story is one of survival, love, and ultimately, freedom. Join @IFAWGlobal on this journey to give him and many others, the #RoomToRoam they deserve