A Day in the Life of Albino Baby Elephant, Khanyisa ~ Part 1

Good morning from a zebra-blanket-clad Khanyisa! We're about to take you on a "Day in the Life of Khanyisa" ride over the next few days, with PART ONE right here!

The beginning of Khanyisa's day in the nursery starts with, well, getting up! It's a feat that is not as easy for elephants as it is for, say, the big cats of the wilderness, even with four big strong legs and a trunk! Having already had a morning bottle of milk formula, and dozed off back to sleep, it was now time to get started on her day.

Adine's camera offers another unique view of an elephant, filming from a low angle as Sunshine begins to rise, her beautiful white-blue eyes looking into the lens. And then it's up onto her wrists and then feet and then all fours. Just look how tall she stands now beside the door to her and Lammie's nursery! Loyal Carer, Herman and Adine greet the calf as she heads into the new day, slowly adjusting to being awake.

You may remember a screenshot we shared from this video recently, and now you can view the morning as it unfolded around it! Lammie, having risen earlier, is already out and about on the other side of the nursery fence and Khanyisa knows it! The calf sniffs out her friend with her curious trunk and Lammie seems to sheepishly play hide-and-seek, but there's no fooling the trunk!

It's a cloudy morning in the reserve, with the summer bringing its rains, and in the distance you can see the Jabulani herd heading out from the stable area to the bush to wait for Khanyisa to join in. Khanyisa's "periscope" goes up to pick up all the scents, far and near. It takes Khanyisa a little while to wake up entirely but then she gets a pep in her step and heads out into the lush garden, while she waits for the human herd team in the kitchen to finish preparing her morning milk bottle.

How clever she is, knowing just where the latch to open the gate is! Waiting for her day's milk bottles is proving to be a test of her patience on this particular morning! Once Herman has her milk ready and packed away in his backpack for the journey ahead, the team head off, past the stables, with Sunshine leading the way! She seems to not be a big fan of the wet grass and sand beneath her feet as she walks and lifts them extra high. She finds some nice tall grass and helps herself to a trunkful or five, before she's ready to meet with her family in the field!

No two mornings are ever the exact same at HERD, as Khanyisa sets the pace. But be sure to tune in for tomorrow's episode, for PART TWO of A Day in the Life of Khanyisa!

Видео A Day in the Life of Albino Baby Elephant, Khanyisa ~ Part 1 канала HERD Elephant Orphanage South Africa