Five years ago, a 15-month-old elephant calf was airlifted from the Shaba National Reserve after her mother was shot dead by poachers. Aptly named Shaba, when the calf arrived at Kenya’s Reteti Elephant Sanctuary for orphaned and abandoned jumbos, she was anxious, and charged at everyone she saw. Over time, however, she became the matriarch of the orphan herd, a story that award-winning American photojournalist Ami Vitale has been following since. “I’ve been getting to know every keeper working for the sanctuary and the story of each rescued elephant. Shaba was an extraordinary elephant whose story captured the hearts of everyone who knew her,” says Vitale, whose film, Shaba , is now available online on shabafilm.org .
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Having spent close to six years on the film (up for three awards at the prestigious Jackson Wildlife Film Festival in September), Vitale, 50, shares her learnings from the local Samburu community and, most importantly, how we can turn guardians for our elephants.
The most important lesson Shaba taught you?
When I met her for the first time, she tried to charge me and she was not a little elephant. Shaba arrived traumatised after watching her mother get killed in front of her by poachers, and had no trust for humans. The metallic sound of my shutter further aggravated her. This went on for almost a year until one day, I knew she had finally accepted me when she brushed her trunk on me as she idly walked by. As a filmmaker, I have to build relationships, not just with people but also with the creatures whose stories I’m telling. Shaba taught me how important it is to have that same trust with animals that we build with humans.
Ami Vitale
What makes Reteti different from its counterparts?
I have visited other sanctuaries in Kenya and Thailand, but what makes Reteti so special is that it is wholly owned and run by the Samburu community. It also works with the first indigneous female elephant keepers in a traditional, patriarchal community. Recruited from within the Namunyak Conservancy, they have perfected the skill of returning lost calves to their family herds. Since September 2016, they have rescued over 35 elephants and returned 10 back to the wild.
There seems to be a thriving ecosystem between the women and the elephants.
By caring for and protecting the elephants, the Samburu people are also helping care for the land they live on. Today, the sanctuary is buying fresh goat’s milk to feed the newly-arrived orphaned elephants from the Samburu women. Not only does it provide income for them, but it is a sustainable way to feed the elephants. They are no longer relying on expensive milk formula shipped from thousands of miles away.
Among other celebrities, you’ve worked with musician Dave Mathews when he visited Reteti.
Dave Matthews is an incredible inspiration as he uses his star power to encourage others to get involved. On his first trip, he allowed me to make a short film about his visit and then collaborated on a fundraising effort. Today, he donates directly to the sanctuary and has become a de facto ambassador of the elephants.
A snapshot from ‘Shaba’
How can the common man become an elephant guardian?
Elephants are a keystone species, meaning they impact life for all of us in wild and mysterious ways! They are great engineers of our ecosystem — they push over trees to maintain savanna ecosystems, excavate waterholes and fertilise land, which help grass to grow and other animals to thrive. This ultimately helps humans too.
One must make their voices heard to pass legislation that protects habitats and wild elephants. Learning how to determine whether a sanctuary is truly acting in the best interest of the animals empowers you to make better choices and support those doing good work. Visit and support the places that are protecting wildlife.
What have you lined up next?
I am working on a number of projects including covering the race to save the northern white rhino from extinction as well as another edition of the Prints for Nature campaign to raise money for more grassroots nonprofits working hard to protect this planet.
Shaba is available on-demand till August 31 on shabafilm.org. All sale proceeds will go towards operating costs of Reteti.
