The Zimbabwe Elephant Center That Lets Visitors Get Hands-On With Animal Conservation

Let's be honest, who hasn't dreamed about caring for orphaned wild animals? A strong desire to help nature is deeply ingrained in many people, but sadly, there are many tourist attractions harmful to wildlife that prey on these good wills. Thankfully, there is a place in Zimbabwe where you can sign up to support the care and conservation of many animals — including orphaned elephants — in an ethical way.

The Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery (ZEN) was established in 2012 by the IFAW-Wild Is Life Trust as the first nursery for elephants in Zimbabwe. This nonprofit is focused on rescuing and rehabilitating African wildlife, while the elephant nursery tends to the calves that are without a mother. These elephant babies spend around three to five years with the nursery. Once they reach the appropriate age, they are released back into a nature reserve.

Neither the Wild Is Life Trust nor ZEN has a volunteer program like other wildlife sanctuaries. However, they are open to visitors in a by-appointment-dynamic with a $70 to $100 admittance fee per person at the time of writing. The experience might seem a bit pricey to some, but it's important to keep in mind that the funds are destined for the care and rehabilitation of the species at the Trust.

Poaching and human-animal conflict are some of the main reasons why elephant calves end up motherless in Zimbabwe. Without their mothers, these mild-mannered, dependent babies struggle to survive and to run from predators. This is why they are in need of human care.

According to the IFAW-Wild Is Life Trust website, every calf gets their own keeper and "personalized attention" while at ZEN, and they also receive a unique name. The nursery works closely with the founder of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust — another elephant haven in Africa — for implementing new and better care protocols guaranteeing the recovery and thriving of the animals.

When visiting the nursery you can partake in short walking tours throughout the sanctuary. During the tour, you will witness firsthand the care and day-to-day life of both the elephants and their dedicated keepers. You can also meet the other rescued residents — like pangolins — and even help feed some of the wildlife. The Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery is one of the many great places in Africa for unique close encounters with wildlife, and according to visitors on TripAdvisor, at the end of the tour, you will be offered some champagne along with snacks.

The calves that arrive at ZEN form tightly-knit family structures with others at the nursery. This is crucial to their survival. However, when the time comes to release these elephants back into the wild, ZEN has its hands full. Since the elephants are released as a group, the nursery has to find the right area with enough space for the whole herd to survive.

In order to guarantee a safe release environment for the elephants, ZEN has partnered with Zimbabwe's government agencies. Together, they have secured around 85,000 acres in the Panda-Masuie Forest Reserve. The nursery has also partnered with the Reserve's local communities to avoid as much human-animal conflict as possible. Thus far, these joint efforts have secured the safe release of six elephants.

Another seven orphaned elephants were released at a site near Victoria Falls, one of Africa's most thrilling capitals for adventures. According to the Wild Is Life Trust, these elephants are now thriving on their own. Despite the immense challenges — as the Trust's founder puts it — the Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery continues to push through. However, as long as the poaching and human-wildlife crisis in Africa continues, this nonprofit — and the animals under their care — continue to need all the support they can get from visitors and animal lovers worldwide.