The Story of Shmetty (1999)

sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

20 points·yashevde··3 comments

Three little ostrich chicks recently brought in by a tourist bus were the main victims, and were ruthlessly hauled in with her whenever they came within trunk range. They were her constant playmates, providing the companionship so vital for a baby elephant, for they had immediately attached themselves to her as a mother figure to be followed: albeit a rather rough one at times, for in her more playful moments they were expected to take part in chasing games and had to put up with being dragged around the orchard by the neck whenever she managed to catch one.

This article apparently begs us to anthropomorphise and empathise with the elephant. We get some ostrich chicks later on that are roughed up.

Elephants come from Africa or India. Ostriches come from Africa. Given the sheer size of Africa does "come from" mean anything?

This is a pretty story.

"And then, one day, she was too weak even to get to her feet, although she greeted me with the usual rumble, which tugged at my heartstrings. I again stared at the rows of tins in my store. I had tried them all, and then suddenly one on the shelf caught my eye, which had been given to me some weeks before. My interest rose when I saw that it contained coconut oil added to a fat-free base, for I remembered once being told that coconut oil was probably the nearest substitute for the fat of elephant's milk. This last one I would try, and suddenly I felt a good deal happier, at least all was not lost yet.

It worked. My joy knew no bounds. Finally we had unlocked the mystery of how to bottle-rear a baby elephant." - Dr. Daphne Sheldrick

This was a real tear-jerker. One of the best short reads I've come across in a while, and an interesting look into the science and experimentation that goes into conservation efforts.

Oh that ending :(

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