An Elephant Called Zambezi

A hand crafted book that celebrates the rehabilitation of 15 elephants who have been orphaned due to the actions of human society. Your purchase will see at least £30 go directly to the Elephant Orphanage Project in association with DSWF...

"Just received the book and I am really deeply touched! It looks absolutely lovely, I am most grateful! You have all done a terrific and wonderful job... " Hanneke Joustra

"Your book arrived today! It is lovely..." Allison Elizabeth

The Project

The sun warms the air, a slight breeze meanders its way through the trees and a family of elephants walk a path that has been travelled for generations. The matriarch feeds as she walks, rustling every other branch to ensure fresh leaves fall to the ground for her young calf to pick from. Something stirs in the shadows, an uneasy feeling passes through the herd, trunks are raised, tasting the air as they back up closer together.

The young elephants, confused, quickly huddle together and press themselves close to their mother’s leg. Ears flap, the birds have stopped singing. A flash sparks form the shadow, and the silence is quashed by the crack of a gun, over and over again, peace turns into turmoil and the smell of death fills the air. An orphan wonders alone, lost and seemingly without hope... This is where the Elephant Orphanage Project steps in, supported by DSWF.

Elephants are on the brink of extinction, but in the face of adversity there is hope and it is in that optimism that I ask you to pledge your support by purchasing "An Elephant Called Zambezi". Over the past six years I have been lucky enough to spend many hours in the Zambian bush walking and talking with those committed to giving elephants a second a chance back in the wild.

With my camera by my side I have been fortunate enough to capture unique moments in the lives of these orphaned elephants which have been rescued as a result of the tragic consequences of human elephant conflict.

With some of these orphans now in the final stages of their rehabilitation back into the wild, this book is the perfect opportunity to share 40 photographs of their young lives growing up within the Elephant Orphanage in Zambia. Your help will ensure that their stories will be shared and the project’s work will continue. The book is unique in design and handmade by the skilled book publisher Eddie Ephraums.

The images portrayed are intimate and brought to life in the design and touch of the papers used in printing. A momentary peppering of words will accompany the photographs, written by myself and the keepers who are caring for these orphans every single day.

"When I first visited Zambia in the early 1960s it was home to 250,000 elephants and 3,500 black rhinos. Today approximately 25,000 elephants survive and all but a handful of its rhinos are left.

Sadly poaching continues today with the tragic results of orphans such as Chamilandu and Zambezi. We are totally dedicated to saving these babies but more importantly the wider park protection programme which will ensure wildlife survival and benefits to the wonderful Zambian people."

David Shepherd CBE

The Book

The first edition is now sold out, however the second edition is now available with a special A5 print of Zambezi and a story card from the keeper who rescued him.

Why These Photographs

When you are part of a rescue it is often an emotional roller coaster, what you are faced with can be shocking, often seeing suffering in its rawest form.

A young elephant emancipated and in complete shock from losing its mother and family. We all know the facts, every fifteen minutes an elephant dies, for a product called ivory, nicknamed white gold.

However the rescue gives hope and is a turning point in these traumatised elephant’s lives. Rachael (Head of the Elephant Orphanage Project) and her team bring the little orphan into their care and give unconditional love and support.

It is these positive moments of optimism and happiness that I want to share with you and as many people as possible through the book. It is the young elephant’s new life with their new family that is celebrated as they learn how to be an elephant, enjoying the innocence of youth in a safe environment, full of water and wildlife.

Then when they feel ready and confident, their inquisitive nature takes over and they leave the project to go about their own personal journey within the Kafue National Park.

"If an elephant calf under 2.5 years old loses its mother it will almost certainly die. Tragically due to increasing levels of ivory poaching more and more young elephants are becoming orphaned at the hands of the greedy ivory trade. The Elephant Orphanage Project aims to give these tragic victims of the illegal poaching a second chance for a life in the wild"

Racheal Murton