Wild Orphans Book

The stars of Wild Orphans are the "Orphan 8" -- Natumi,. Icholta, Nyiro, Lolokwe, Salama, Laikipia, and Edie -- eight baby elephants who arrived at the nursery of the David Sheldrick Wildlife trust at the Nairobi National Park in Kenya, East Africa, in the summer of 1999 during a time of prolonged drought and increased ivory poaching.

Wild Orphans tells the emotional tale of these baby "elies," who were orphaned either by poaching, environmental forces, human interference, or abuse. It chronicles their story over two long years beginning with stunning photographs of the rescues of abandoned baby elephants, and follows their upbringing by dedicated 24-hour surrogate human "mothers," the lessons the orphans learn (including what to do at a mud hole!), and ultimately, their release back into the wild. The sidebars will introduce the reader to the other orphans living at the nursery, their human caregivers, the older elephant "graduates," who return from the wild to visit and teach the babies, and the bigger story of the plight of the African elephant.

Never before has a photographer been granted this kind of access or spent this length of time photographing the orphans of Nairobi. WIld Orphans is certainly a landmark in nature photograpy and journalism, but it is also -- and perhaps more importantly -- a story. A story that will warm the soul and pull at the heart-strings of any animal lover.

During his 20-year career, acclaimed photojournalist Gerry Ellis has traveled to the remote reaches of the world in his quest to document the world's most endangered animals, threatened ecosystems, and indigenous cultures. His photographs and writings have appeared in dozens of books, such as American's Rainforest, The Outdoor Traveler's Guide to Australia, Gorilla, Elephants, Penguins, and several titles in the highly acclaimed children's series by CarolRhoda Books, including Cheetahs, African Elephants, Hippos, Rhinos, and Slugs. His work also has appeared in such internationally respected publications as BBC Wildlife, Natural History, Terre Sauvage, Audubon, GEO, Ranger Rick, and National Geographic.