The one-week-old elephant – Twiki was rescued by a fisherman, he found it when it’s abandoned by his herd at the shores of Hamukungu Island on Lake George in Queen Elizabeth National Park in the southwestern part of Uganda.
The dehydrated and tired baby elephant had gotten stuck in the mud on December 5, 2016.
Mr. Twikiriza Livingston the fisherman at Hamukungu Island on Lake George called the officials of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for support in rescuing the animal.
“Since we always train the local people and sensitize them on the importance of these wild animals, Mr. Livingston found the animal stuck in the mud, he attempted to help the animal as he called us for more help and that is how our rescue team reached the scene to rescue this helpless animal,” said the Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority Dr. Andrew Seguya. He also added that the calf is currently undergoing rehabilitation at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) in Entebbe.
James Musinguzi the Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) affirmed that they have got the animal and immediately introduced it to medication.
“The baby elephant is currently being fed on human baby formula milk (SMA) according to the age-specific manufacturer’s formula suggestions for a predefined period and afterward we will begin mixing SMA with fresh dairy UHT milk from the which the cream is removed after boiling in a ratio of 1:1,” says Musinguzi.
He also included that the baby elephant presently feeds 2.5 liters of milk 4 times each day at 6am, 11am, 2pm and 8pm.
This elephant is now in quarantine, where he is required to remain for some time before he is taken to his new home in a common habitat where tourists will be able to visit him.
Mr. Musinguzi honored the relationship between UWA and UWEC that enabled Dr. Sseguya to quickly call them to take the animal from Katunguru after to saving it.
