I know I am a bit 'sad' as my sons would say, but this has had me watching the series every evening, handkerchief at the ready...........
Elephant Diaries Elephant Diaries:
BBC One Monday 4 to Friday 8 July 7pm-7.30pm 2005
For a baby elephant, family life is everything and losing your mother is the worst possible start in life. Follow a year in the lives of a unique group of orphaned baby elephants rescued by The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya, presented by Michaela Strachan and Jonathan Scott.
Part 1: Michaela Strachan meets Wendi, the 2 year old orphan who has taken on the role of leading the Nairobi nursery's herd of baby elephants. Jonathan Scott tries to win over 10 year old Emily, the matriarch of the older orphans on their way back to a life in the wilds of Tsavo National Park.
Part 2: find out if Naserian, the newly rescued baby elephant, has survived her first 24 hours at the Nairobi nursery. In Tsavo, the herd of 30 larger orphans comes face to face with a herd of wild elephants, and are visited by Dika, an enormous orphan bull that is now living wild. Michaela Strachan follows the preparations for breaking up the nursery herd and moving their devoted mini-matriarch, Wendi, and 5 older babies, to a brand new release site.
Part 3: After a dramatic journey, Michaela Strachan and the orphaned elephants arrive at Ithumba, the release site in the wilds of northern Tsavo, but their leader, Wendi, is out of her depth in their strange new home. In Nairobi, four baby elephants left behind are struggling to cope with the loss of their mini-matriarch. In southern Tsavo, Jonathan Scott prepares as four bigger female orphans are separated from Emily's huge herd.
Part 4: The dry season brings a flood of new baby orphans and Michaela Strachan meets the latest newcomer, Jipe. In southern Tsavo, Emily, the matriarch of the large orphan herd, is behaving strangely. Jonathan Scott follows the newly formed herd of 10 little orphans as they start to bond. But just as they are beginning to settle down, disaster strikes - the herd is attacked by a rabid dog. Part 5: As a rabies emergency plays out, Jonathan Scott is in northern Tsavo with Wendi and the other 9 little orphaned elephants. What will be their fate? In Nairobi, Michaela Strachan is following the contrasting fortunes of two of the new orphan babies, Jipe and Lualeni, and joins in as the keepers organise a very special football match - Orphans FC versus Keepers FC!
Would you believe that the keepers each sleep with one of the young every night, to make them feel wanted ? - they have to cover the 'babies' with a blanket......... ouch I'm welling up at the beauty of it............
BBC One Monday 4 to Friday 8 July 7pm-7.30pm 2005
For a baby elephant, family life is everything and losing your mother is the worst possible start in life. Follow a year in the lives of a unique group of orphaned baby elephants rescued by The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya, presented by Michaela Strachan and Jonathan Scott.
Part 1: Michaela Strachan meets Wendi, the 2 year old orphan who has taken on the role of leading the Nairobi nursery's herd of baby elephants. Jonathan Scott tries to win over 10 year old Emily, the matriarch of the older orphans on their way back to a life in the wilds of Tsavo National Park.
Part 2: find out if Naserian, the newly rescued baby elephant, has survived her first 24 hours at the Nairobi nursery. In Tsavo, the herd of 30 larger orphans comes face to face with a herd of wild elephants, and are visited by Dika, an enormous orphan bull that is now living wild. Michaela Strachan follows the preparations for breaking up the nursery herd and moving their devoted mini-matriarch, Wendi, and 5 older babies, to a brand new release site.
Part 3: After a dramatic journey, Michaela Strachan and the orphaned elephants arrive at Ithumba, the release site in the wilds of northern Tsavo, but their leader, Wendi, is out of her depth in their strange new home. In Nairobi, four baby elephants left behind are struggling to cope with the loss of their mini-matriarch. In southern Tsavo, Jonathan Scott prepares as four bigger female orphans are separated from Emily's huge herd.
Would you believe that the keepers each sleep with one of the young every night, to make them feel wanted ? - they have to cover the 'babies' with a blanket......... ouch I'm welling up at the beauty of it............
