Celebrating World Giraffe Day
We can judge the heart of a man by the way he treats animals. - Immanuel Kant
June 21st marked World Giraffe Day, a fitting choice to celebrate the tallest mammal on earth on the longest day of the year. Here’s a story about an encounter with orphaned giraffes I will never forget and the man whose loving kindness helped them return to the wild.
“Come see our orphans, I’ll take you over first thing in the morning.” said Robert, my Samburu guide. Before the sun was up, we bounced down the dirt track in the land cruiser towards the stables at Sarara Camp in Northern Kenya. Feeding animals at daybreak is a ritual I enjoy. I lived that dream for several years when my children were young. I loved the fresh feel of the morning chill on my skin when I left the house for the short trek from house to barn. I can still recall the resistance of the barn door as it scraped across the uneven floor announcing my arrival followed by the shuffle of bodies heaving to their feet, hens flapping and cackling, welcoming nickers from the horses and baas from the sheep and goats. I greeted each of the animals in turn, patting noses as I dumped hay, scooped oats, and filled water buckets.
The routine prepared me for my day like a morning meditation. That magical time when the veil of night lifts and reveals the new day feels sacred to me. The sun rises, no matter what happened yesterday or what is coming tomorrow. Farmers participate in this ritual around the world. The landscape may look different, the climate may feel different, but the bond between humans and domestic animals is universal.
When we opened the gate to the open-air barnyard at Sarara, a unique group of animals leaned out eagerly to greet us. The familiar faces of horses and goats lined up at their stable doors along with wild friends—three reticulated giraffes, three Grevy zebras, and two tiny kudu calves.
Lekupanai, the Samburu caretaker of this diverse herd, handed me a large milk bottle. We got to work feeding the most demanding residents first, two reticulated giraffes. I was in heaven.
With no English between us Lekupanai nodded at the next stall and I followed him into the shadows where two tiny kudu calves zealously latched onto their milk bottles.
After we were finished, I pointed to my camera and mimed “can I take your picture?” Lekupanai nodded shyly. I took a couple of quick shots hoping to capture the special connection I felt between this man and the animals he cared for.
Robert also took some photos with my phone that show my delight. I even snuck in a quick giraffe kiss. It was a rare opportunity to be so close to animals I usually only see in the wild.
When all the animals were fed, Lekupanai opened the gate. The assorted crowd made a hilarious picture as they headed out to the open to graze for the day.
Two more giraffes waited outside the fence. Rescued and cared for by Lekupanai as orphans (one lost an ear to a predator), the pair now roam freely in the wilderness around the camp.
They return every morning to greet Lekupanai, showering him with affection and wrapping their necks around him in a giraffe hug.
Lekupanai’s caring touched me deeply. He also works as a keeper at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. His innate understanding of animals and healing presence is part of the success behind Reteti’s programme of rescuing and eventually rewilding orphaned animals.
Once widespread across Africa, giraffe numbers have declined by over 50% in the last few decades because of poaching, habitat loss and drought due climate change. The good news is conservation efforts are helping reverse this trend..
Wildlife conservation and rehabilitation cannot succeed without the involvement of indigenous communities like the Samburu and Maasai. The Sarara Foundation and Save Giraffes Now collaborate with local indigenous people to create a healthy, resilient, and prosperous landscape in which people and wildlife can thrive into the future.
When you subscribe to my blog or shop my store a percentage of sales supports wildlife conservation in Kenya.
Beautiful post, Kathy! What tenderness with which you describe the morning, the giraffe kiss, Robert's photo of you. Sweet!
Wow! How magnificent, and delightful. Thank you, Kathy.