Elephant Shot By Darts Returned To Find Friends For Help

An animal trust in Nairobi, Kenya, welcomed a very sick, but very smart, elephant last month. The elephant, likely the victim of poachers, made his way to the safe haven after being hit with arrows. Though he had been away for over a year, workers believe he returned because he knew he would find people who could help him and his friends. On August 12, according to a blog post on The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's website, the elephant arrived with some other injured elephants. After their wounds were treated, the entire group of elephants "have all made a full recovery." The World Wildlife Federation lists African elephants as "facing a high risk of extinction in the wild." Though the ivory trade has been banned internationally for decades, the black market is booming. Per one estimate from the National Academy of Sciences, 100,000 elephants were killed for their tusks between 2010 and 2012. The Wildlife Trust, which was created in 1977, has raised more than 150 elephants from birth in addition to caring for elephants in need. You can support the fostering one of their baby elephants by donating here.