At the Lusaka Elephant Nursery in Zambia, IFAW and Game Rangers International provide life-saving care for orphaned calves and guide them on a journey from rescue to rehabilitation and—through post-release monitoring—safely back into the wild.
Problem
Across Zambia, elephants face threats from human-elephant conflict, habitat loss, and poaching. When adult elephants are killed or displaced, calves can be left behind without the care they need to survive.
Young elephants rely on their mothers and family groups for milk, protection, and social learning during the earliest years of life. Without that support, orphaned calves often become weak, dehydrated, or injured, and their chances of survival in the wild are extremely low.
Protecting elephants means more than rescuing individual animals. Orphaned calves must be given the opportunity to recover, learn, and rebuild natural behaviors before they can rejoin wild populations.
Solution
IFAW works with Game Rangers International (GRI) and Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned elephants through the Lusaka Elephant Nursery.
When calves are found alone in the wild, rescue teams respond quickly, sometimes transporting fragile animals long distances to reach the nursery safely. There, dedicated keepers provide round-the-clock care, including specialized milk formula, veterinary treatment, and constant companionship that helps the calves recover from trauma.
As the elephants grow stronger, they form bonds with other rescued calves, creating a surrogate group where they can develop social skills and natural behaviors.
The nursery is the first stage of a long-term rehabilitation journey. When elephants are ready, they move to a release facility in Kafue National Park, where they gradually spend more time in the wild and interact with wild elephants.
To support this transition, conservation teams use satellite tracking collars to monitor the movements of released elephants, helping us understand how they adapt, where they travel, and how they navigate shared landscapes.
Impact
The Lusaka Elephant Nursery gives orphaned elephants a second chance.
With intensive care and long-term rehabilitation, calves that would otherwise perish can grow into healthy, independent elephants. Many have gone on to continue their journey in Kafue National Park, where they gradually reconnect with wild populations.
Data from post-release monitoring is helping conservation teams protect key habitats, understand elephant movement across the landscape, and reduce potential conflict between people and wildlife.
Together, these efforts help restore elephant families and contribute to IFAW’s Room to Roam vision—ensuring elephants have the space and protection they need to thrive across connected landscapes.
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