HERD Trust, South Africa

Thanks to South Africa’s first dedicated elephant orphanage, elephants left out of the herd are given a family and a fighting chance for survival. 

The MISSION of HERD Trust is to give orphaned elephants in South Africa a fighting chance for survival by stepping in as their family and protectors when they need it most. 

Why is it important?

The HERD Orphanage is the first dedicated elephant orphanage in South Africa. It was built in 2019 in response to a growing number of young orphaned elephant calves that need a place for rehabilitation and more importantly, an existing herd that will accept them unconditionally. Every elephant needs a herd. As a species, their strong family bonds and delicate social dynamics are integral to their wellbeing and survival. Because of this, orphaned elephant calves have a slim chance of survival in the wild.

The HERD Trust also commits to being active within its local communities. To increase the orphans’ chances of survival, wellbeing and successful integration into their new herd, HERD understands the need to innovate more. Thus, in collaboration with the University of Pretoria and the University of Witwatersrand, they work with nature conservation and environmental science students to conduct valuable field research.

How do they do it?

Each and every HERD Project is about respecting and acknowledging elephants’ unique and delicate needs that so desperately depend on HERD, as well as creating sustainable ways to positively impact conservation and community. HERD contributes to elephant conservation by providing a safe and well-equipped orphanage with experienced carers to rehabilitate calves who have been orphaned or displaced to human-elephant conflict; a gradual integration process of orphans into a herd of their own, land otherwise unavailable to a flagship species, to roam and forage during the day; and a safe homestead.

The HERD Trust commits to being active within its local communities through education, awareness, and online communities. To increase the orphans’ chances of survival, wellbeing and successful integration into their new herd, HERD understands the need to innovate more. Thus, in collaboration with the University of Pretoria and the University of Witwatersrand, they work with nature conservation and environmental science students to conduct valuable field research.

The HERD elephant orphan program dates back to 2002 when they rescued the very first orphan named Jabulani. Following this, HERD has successfully rehabilitated and integrated two more orphans: Kumbura, Timisa and Khanyisa. The official orphanage was built in 2019 to provide a well-equipped temporary home for orphans to heal and recover. 

HERD aims to help restore and recycle as much as possible, constantly working towards greener methods and solutions. This includes how they feed the rescued elephants, protect the land they live on, use their dung byproducts for new purposes -- all while cultivating its on-site wormery, aquaponics, conservation research, community empowerment initiatives, school development projects, and even rodent control.

How you can #TravelKindly: 

• Choose HERD Trust as your local charity when booking your hotel through Kind Traveler. 
• Fulfill a specific needed item from HERD’s wishlist. Your gift can include different items for their around-the-clock carers, as well as food and supplies for the orphans as required daily or in the rehabilitation and integration phases of their development. Or, show your support by purchasing some cool merchandise from the HERD store. The proceeds benefit the herd.
• Since HERD does not accept visitors to the orphanage, you can still visit the elephants during their day out in the wilderness at Jubalini Lodge or on an early morning Elephant Moments experience. 
• For longer term Kindness you can foster an elephant. Fostering an elephant is a gift that makes a valuable and tangible difference on the ground, whether you would like to foster one of the orphans at HERD or an elephant in the Jabulani herd. By fostering an elephant, you will receive a fostering certificate and email updates on your fostered elephant.