Sandy
Named in honor of: Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith
Current Age: 5 years and 1 month old
Date of Birth (Approximate): October 30, 2019
Gender: Male
Reason Orphaned: Mother killed by humans
Rescue Date: October 30, 2020
Age at Rescue (Approximate): 1 year old
Rescue Location: Gomoti River, Southeastern edge of Okavango Delta
Foster Me!
Sandy was one of our easiest rescues to date. We got a call from the local Shorobe community that there was a small baby elephant wandering near the Gomoti River Lodge and the Shokomoka North settlement not far from Elephant Havens. Immediately, we set off in search of him.
We found him not too far from his mother’s body. She had been shot and killed by humans. The little one was so thin and malnourished that we could see his ribs. October is one of the hottest months in the Okavango Delta area, so he was also suffering from dehydration.
Apparently a lion had attacked him after his mother died. We found deep claw marks on his hindquarters. Our vet, Dr. Comfort, quickly attended to the wounds and they have healed quite nicely.
In just a few short weeks little Sandy is thriving. Love from the handlers, good food and proper medical attention has done wonders for this baby boy. Our other foster babies have given him a warm welcome, too. They are thrilled to have a new baby to attend to and play with.
We’ve named him Sandy in honor of our great friend and supporter Alexander McCall Smith. The author met Debra Stevens by chance on a flight out of Maun in 2018. He was so moved by the story of Elephant Havens that he incorporated the plight of an orphaned baby elephant into his most recent novel in the best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, How to Raise an Elephant.
FOSTER AN ELEPHANT FOR YOURSELF OR AS A GIFT FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL.
For just $100 annually, our foster parents receive by email:*
Foster certificate with the name, photo and details of your orphan
Updates on their care and progress
*Emailing these items saves us money on printing and postage, so we can ensure every dollar you donate goes directly to the elephants.
Donation form
Please call 972-620-2523 if you have any questions about fostering.