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Ithumba Elephant Nursery

Nature Sanctuaries in Taita Taveta

Ithumba Elephant Nursery: Tsavo East

Callers to Ithumba Camp get to tour Ithumba Elephant Nursery and see the little eles, saved from the hands of poachers, happily thriving. Ithumba Camp is 98 km from Kibwezi. Ithumba Elephant Nursery is a part of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) in Kenya, which rescues and rehabilitates orphaned elephants. It serves as a reintegration unit where older orphaned elephants transition back into the wild, acting as a second stage after the Nairobi Nursery, where baby elephants are first rescued. Older elephants (around 3-5 years old) are moved to Ithumba to learn survival skills in a semi-wild environment. Eventually, they join wild elephant herds in Tsavo. Some famous elephants, like Yatta and Wendi, have successfully reintegrated into the wild from Ithumba. Unlike the Nairobi Nursery, Ithumba has limited public access, but foster parents may visit by prior arrangement with SWT.


Around Kenya are to be found a hatful of delightful nature parks and sanctuaries, many of these being community initiatives to protect wildlife in their natural habitats. Fairly small in comparison to the national parks and reserves, they offer a more intimate exposure to the wild, to fully appreciate the local flora and fauna.


outlook

Situated in south-western Kenya, and part of the Coast Region of Kenya, Taita-Taveta County is known for its stunning landscapes, rich biodiversity, and cultural heritage. The county features diverse landscapes, including the Taita Hills, which are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, and the vast plains of Tsavo, which are part of Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks – Kenya’s largest wildlife preserve.

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The mean temperature in Taita Taveta is 23 Degrees Celsius, cooler around the hills and hotter on the Nyika where the Tsavos sit. Rainfall distribution is uneven, with the highlands receiving higher rains than the lowland areas. Taita mountain sphere receives the highest rains.