Page 114 - Discover Botswana 25th Edition - 2025

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Elephant Havens, located in Botswana, began its journey in 2013 when co-
founders Debra Stevens and Scott Jackson met a young orphaned elephant
named Naledi during a trip to Africa. This encounter sparked a deep
connection, leading them to return regularly to visit her. The pivotal moment
came when Boago ‘Bee’ Pokolo, a third-generation elephant handler who cared
for Naledi, approached them with a vision to establish an elephant sanctuary dedicated
to rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants. Inspired by this vision, Stevens and
Jackson agreed to help create what would become Elephant Havens.
In 2017, the organisation was officially formed as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the
United States, aiming to provide care for orphaned elephants, while also addressing the
increasing human-elephant conflict in Botswana due to habitat loss and growing human
populations. Elephant Havens focuses on rescuing young elephants from various tragic
circumstances, including poaching and abandonment, and nurturing them until they can
be reintroduced into the wild.
In addition to caring for elephants, Elephant Havens is committed to community
outreach and education, working with local communities to promote coexistence between
humans and wildlife. They engage in habitat protection initiatives and offer educational
programmes aimed at reducing conflict between villagers and elephants.
Rescuing, raising and caring for often traumatized baby elephants is no easy task,
and the work goes hand in hand with DWNP (Department of Wildlife and National
Parks). Reported young elephants who may have been abandoned, trapped in mud or
even wounded by gunfire, initially get monitored for a few days for full assessment of the
situation. First prize, of course, is that the animal is assisted and returned to its family.
However, this is not always possible, and plans are then made to make a rescue and
bring the orphan to the sanctuary, and into the loving arms of the passionate people who
dedicate their lives to caring for them. And this is only the beginning of the first phase at
Elephant Havens. For the next five years, these gentle creatures will be fed and nurtured
by their keepers and the older rescued elephants. Essentially forming strong bonds with
each other, they do, to some degree, get to experience life in a herd.