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Serendib Elephant Project
The four elephants Shaka, Thandi, Sukiri and Seeni continue to thrill the hundreds of children who visit the Mokolodi Education Centre each year. Many Batswana children have not seen an elephant before in their lives and have only heard stories of these "dangerous beasts" which trample crops and kill people.
Lifestyle demonstrations by the elephants provide another perspective for consideration by the children. Once the children enjoy the skills and interaction between the elephants and their handlers, they appreciate that it is a highly intelligent animal which can be very sensitive and gentle.
The children then understand why foreign tourists are willing to pay large amounts of money to visit the wilderness areas of Botswana, just to see elephants in their natural habitat. Their days are
spent roaming free in the park with their handlers who ensure that there are no unplanned encounters with children out on nature trails.
As Sir Christopher Lever of the Tusk Charity, a visitor to Mokolodi, observed: "the Mokolodi elephants enjoy the best of both worlds - guaranteed food, veterinary care and attention, and also the freedom to roam the wild".
Visitors to Mokolodi have the special opportunity of walking with the elephants and their handlers and enjoying a magical morning as "members of the herd", observing their natural behaviour, and watching the elephants disport themselves at a favourite waterhole, while the guests enjoy a tasty lunch.
The four young elephants are truly Mokolodi's ambassadors for the elephant kingdom, showing that life with humans of the type they enjoy is worthwhile.
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