10 conservation projects saving endangered wildlife
10 conservation projects saving endangered wildlife · 1. Giving African elephants room to roam · 2. Restocking and enlarging a park for greater ...
Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery (ZEN)
In 2012, IFAW’s partner organisation Wild is Life established the <anchor>Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery (ZEN)</anchor>. We support the rescue and rehabilitation of elephant calves who end up there often as a result of poaching, human-wildlife conflict, falling into mud or ditches, or becoming separated from their herds. These orphans spend about three to five years in the care of rehabilitators, receiving round-the-clock, personalised attention from the keepers. Once they mature, it’s time to find them a herd to join in the wild.
Elephant Nursery and Landscape Project - Zimbabwe | IFAW
Skip to main content

animals elephants Elephant Nursery and Landscape Project - Zimbabwe

the death of a mother elephant is often a death sentence for her young calf

# the death of a mother elephant is often a death sentence for her young calf

## In Zimbabwe, we want to ensure that, instead of a death sentence, orphan elephants get a new lease on life.

##### Problem

Without their mothers, orphaned young calves struggle to find milk and shelter. They struggle to avoid predators. And they struggle with psychological trauma. They struggle, in other words, to survive.

##### Solution

In 2012, our partner organization, Wild is Life, established the Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery (ZEN), the first in the country. Today, we help them to rescue and rehabilitate the elephants orphaned by poaching and human-wildlife conflict.

Orphaned elephants found in Zimbabwe spend three to five years under the care of ZEN. Each elephant receives personalized attention from full-time keepers, who ensure that elephants get the care they need to survive, and the support they need to thrive.

Once these elephants reach adolescence, they start to outgrow the nursery. At this point, it’s important to help them find a herd—and a place where they can roam.

At ZEN, the orphaned elephants create their own social family structure. So, to find them a home, we worked with government agencies to secure an 85,000 acre habitat in the Panda-Masuie Forest Reserve, converting that land from a hunting concession into a nature reserve where the elephants could be released.

We also engaged local communities to ensure that they can peacefully coexist with the elephants that would be living in their backyard. Six elephants have been introduced into the reserve.

## Every problem has a solution, every solution needs support.

$50$100$250

$500

Elephant Nursery and Landscape Project - Zimbabwe

##### Related

##### Share

55+ years of helping animals, people, and the place we call home.

### Follow us

Get involved

International Fund for Animal Welfare

290 Summer Street, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 | USA

© 2024 | IFAW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Manage my cookies



Fast Company 2023 awardee,

World’s Most Innovative Non-profits



United States

Unfortunately, the browser you use is outdated and does not allow you to display the site correctly. Please install any of the modern browsers, for example: