Dr. Sheldrick-Elephant Orphanage
I met Dr. Daphne Sheldrick who runs an elephant orphanage in Kenya. She has spent many years caring for elephants. Queen Elizabeth II has awarded her the M.B.E for her service to the conservation of Kenya s elephant population.

Dr. Sheldrick explained how these animals became orphans. Poachers have left many a baby elephant an orphan. Sometimes the herd stampedes and a baby can become left and abandoned. Draught is another reason. Accidents sometime occur and baby elephants playing where they should not have fallen into trenches or down wells. In the rainy season they have got stuck in the mud. Whatever the reason they have been rescued and brought to the Elephant Orphanage to be reared by a human family until it is time for them to be returned to the wild.

I was amazed as she explained that elephants live in families. So if a baby elephant becomes lost then they become very upset. It is hard to help elephants overcome their sadness. However, under her care, elephants are able to recover from their unhappiness. I was told that this battle is well on the way to being won when the elephant rests its trunk on the keeper s neck while it is being fed. This sign of trust.

She went on to explain that baby elephants have also to be looked after when they go outside. The cold, rain and the hot sun can make them ill. In rainy weather they wear rain clothes. During the hot sunny weather sunscreen is put on them and they shelter under an umbrella.

I then saw the keepers bringing the babies to the water hole. I was invited to watch their fun. Dr. Sheldrick watched the scene, remembering all the work that she and her team had done to reach this success in saving these animals. I found it a joyful experience to be with her animal family, Mulika, Nasalot, Mweya, Sweet Sally and Thoma, the orphaned elephants. They were gathered around the water hole happily feeding, drinking or wallowing in the mud. I realised watching this that our planet was the beneficiary because an endangered species was being given the chance to survive.




Elephant Orphanage

Harry Potter - The New Film
The new Harry Potter film will be the Chamber of Secrets. Two new actors are to be Jason Isaacs playing Lucious Malfoy,Draco Malfoy's father. Kenneth Branagh is to portray Professor Gilderoy Lockhart.

Chris Columbus and David Heyman are again the films's director and producer. David Barron also joins them as executive producer.

Other actors not in the previous film are:
Miriam Margolyes playing Professor Sprout.
Mark Williams plays Mr. Weaseley (Ron's Father).
Shirley Henderson will play Moaning Myrtle.
Gemma Jones will portray Madam Pomfrey.
Sally Mortemore will play Madam Prince.

The Chamber of Secrets will be the second Warner Bros film adaptation of a J.K.Rowling novel. Again at Hogwarts we find our young apprentice, heroic wizard in his second year. Of course with him are Ron and Hermione who share new challenges and adventures as they do battle with a dark force that again threatens them and the school.

We can look forward to seeing this film in the cinema later in the year, some time around November.

The School Principal.