Journey Back to the Wild; Layoni, Rombo and Dabassa move to Voi

Journey Back to the Wild; Layoni, Rombo and Dabassa move to Voi

As the stars sparkle brightly over the Nursery in Nairobi National Park, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trusts elephant Keepers are all wide-awake, scurrying quietly around the sleeping orphans as they prepare for the exciting day ahead. For it is on this early morning at 4am that three orphans, Layoni, Rombo and Dabassa, are to embark on their journey down to the Voi Unit to begin their journery back to the wilds of Tsavo. A floodlight illuminates the dark stockade grounds where the Trusts elephant-mover truck is positioned, ready to transport its special passengers. The orphans have been acquainting themselves with the elephant-mover for the past couple of weeks, their Keepers encouraging them to move around the truck tempted by bottles of milk and tasty treats. This cleverly designed vehicle can comfortably transport three elephants and several Keepers, allowing all passengers to touch and see one another, whilst allowing even more space for all the necessary luxuries such as milk, water, cut greens and other encouraging treats. Once the elephant-mover is fully prepared, the Keepers, clad in their familiar green uniforms and pale floppy hats, all wait silently in the moonlight as one of their team appears in the shadows, milk bottle in hand followed by the first traveller, Dabassa, who faithfully follows his Keeper and his milk into his travelling chamber without hesitation. Next to follow is Rombo; he is slightly more hesitant yet still cant resist the lure of his milk and is soon comfortably enclosed in his chamber next to Dabassa. Layoni is last to be led from his stockade and walks slowly towards the truck, studying the surrounding Keepers warily, whilst keeping his trunk stretched towards his milk. He is unsure and reluctant to be enticed forward despite the weeks of training for this moment, but with the encouraging calls of his Keeper he slowly inches forward into the shadowy spotlight and into the truck.

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