In Knysna Park, South Africa, two British women have embraced the role of surrogate mothers to orphaned elephants.

Abigail Hearn, a 24-year-old zoology graduate from Sussex, and Lisa Olivier, 28, have committed themselves to raising these vulnerable young elephants abandoned or rejected by their mothers.

Caring for these elephant calves is a full-time job. Abigail recalls their experience with Fiela, an elephant calf they cared for after her mother rejected her.

They gave Fiela bottle feedings every two hours, massaged her tummy to help her burp, and used teething gel to soothe her discomfort.

Baby African elephants require up to 16 liters of milk daily, increasing to 30 liters by six months of age.

Sadly, despite their dedicated care, Fiela passed away at three months old due to a heart condition and a weakened immune system.

Although this loss was heartbreaking, Abigail finds immense satisfaction in her role as a surrogate mother.

The strong bond formed with these elephants is evident as they sleep beside them and offer comfort and care.

Even after Fiela was reintroduced to the herd, she would approach her caregivers, wrapping her trunk around their legs and playing with their hair.

The care of these young elephants is demanding. At birth, they weigh about 15 stones and need substantial milk intake.

Abigail, who initially came to South Africa for a six-month stint as a safari guide, has worked as a research assistant at  Knysna Elephant Park for nearly two years.

Lisa, who moved from Somerset to South Africa three years ago after graduating from Exeter University, has also devoted herself to the park’s elephants. Many of these animals were orphaned due to historical elephant culls or rescued from circuses.

Abigail and Lisa treat the elephants with the utmost care, even playing ball games with them. Their work highlights the importance of nurturing these magnificent creatures and offers hope for preserving African elephant populations.

The Knysna Park, located in the Western Cape Province, is home to nine elephants, many of whom were orphaned during the elephant culls that were legal in South Africa before 1996 or rescued from circuses.

The park also houses a breeding female herd and occasional male bulls who remain until they are expelled from the territory by dominant females.

In addition to their caregiving duties, the women handle the substantial task of cleaning up after the elephants, as each fully-grown elephant can produce up to 20 kg of dung daily.

Their dedication underscores the significant role of human intervention in the survival and well-being of orphaned elephants in South Africa.