Photos: Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk as healthier feed option

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Photos: Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk as healthier feed option

Orphanage to use goat milk-based formula as alternative to costly powdered baby milk

Published: October 27, 2021 15:18 Reuters and Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — Samburu: An elephant orphanage in Kenya is testing goat milk as a food for its small herd as a potentially healthier and cheaper form of nutrition than human baby formula - a solution that also puts money back into the pockets of the local community. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, in Samburu County in the semi-arid scrublands of northern Kenyan, helps to rescue orphaned and abandoned elephant calves. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — When the elephants are old enough to survive on their own, the sanctuary, founded in 2016, releases them back into the wild. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — The sanctuary has been using costly powdered baby milk to feed the calves, but Dr. Steven Chege, the facility's veterinarian adviser told Reuters they have started using goat milk-based formula as a potential replacement, especially for infant calves. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — This is an animal that has just have maybe lost a mother, they have been separated from their family. So, they get a lot of psychological traumas, that is a big challenge, which can compromise their health," he said. "Goat milk is very good for the survival and the health of small (elephant) calves." Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — Human baby formula, he said, was very expensive, and that switching to cheaper goats' milk could slash feeding costs for the sanctuary's herd which fluctuates between 15-30 animals. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — A keeper prepares bottles of milk before feeding orphaned elephants. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — "Goats milk is very rich in protein, and not just protein, it's very highly digestible protein, unlike cow's milk," he said, adding it causes less stomach upsets. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — Pauline Leariong, Reteti sanctuary nutritionist, prepares bottles of milk. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — On a recent day, the calves rushed across a dusty enclosure to take a gulp of the milk, exposing their budding tusks as they opened their small mouths to take in feeding bottles. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — Pauline feeds an orphaned elephant with a bottle of milk. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — Local goat farmer, Liwana Lenakukunyia, one of many farmers selling goats' milk to the sanctuary, told Reuters she was happy to get a new source of revenue. Many of the farmers who are benefiting from the new scheme are women. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — "Since we started milking goats and selling the milk to the sanctuary, at least we have our own cash whereby you can feed your family with," she said. Image Credit: Reuters

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Kenyan elephant sanctuary tests goats' milk — Image Credit: Reuters

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