Friday, July 1, 2011

Friday's Fabulous Woman: Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick DBE MBS

Author, conservationist, and expert in animal husbandry, Daphne Sheldrick is an authority on wild animal rearing.  She has successfully hand-reared over 70 newborn Elephant orphans, some from just hours old, the first time this has ever been achieved. 

She is a Kenyan and from 1955 until 1976 she worked alongside her late husband, David, the famous founder Warden of Kenya's giant Tsavo National Park.   During that time she raised and rehabilitated back into the wild community orphans of misfortune from many different wild species.  Since the death of her husband in 1977, she has lived and worked in the Nairobi National Park, courtesy of the Kenya Government, with her home acting as the Orphans' Nursery.  

Daphne Sheldrick has tirelessly campaigned at an International level against the abuse of captive animals, and has received numerous awards in recognition of her work.  In 2006 she received the first British Knighthood since Kenya achieved independence in 1963.

This CNN clip is a lovely glimpse of the fabulous work that Daphne Sheldrick and the Foundation members do to raise their your elephant and rhino wards.












Images via here and here.

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