Our rescue team must give their best every single day. There’s no room for complacency or lack of focus — as either could result in disaster out in the field. They go out no matter the weather, no matter the hour. And the work is not only unpredictable and dangerous, but also mentally exhausting. When does a capture become too dangerous to continue? How do you safely reunite a young elephant with its mother? And when they can’t save them all, how do they process the loss while staying professional and pragmatic?
This Christmas Eve, we are celebrating our incredible field team, who have faced an extraordinarily long and challenging year. This year, our team has responded to over 100 call-outs — the highest number yet — and saved 50 animals, also a record high.
The demands have been overwhelming, but we are deeply grateful — to our team on the ground for their tireless efforts, and to you, our supporters, for providing the vital resources that make their work possible.
In that spirit, we’d love to share the story of just one of those animals — a giraffe that got lucky. This giraffe is just one of the 50 animals saved this year, thanks to your support and our team’s dedication.
Not your average walk in the park…
A terrified 700kg animal at risk of overheating and worsening its injuries; a sweltering landscape; the mounting pressures of carrying out a meticulously coordinated capture… and all this under the watchful eye of a nervous and potentially dangerous elephant family herd hovering nearby… It doesn’t sound like a pleasant walk in the park, does it?
The day they tracked down the giraffe (pictured above) in the Zambezi National Park, our capture team, together with our field partners, had a lot on their minds.
Due to their unique anatomy and physiology, giraffes are one of the most challenging species in the animal kingdom to immobilize. They have high blood pressure to maintain adequate blood flow to their brains and any factor causing a drop in blood pressure can severely compromise this flow.
Additionally, their hearts have high energy and oxygen demands to sustain this pressure – if their breathing is impaired, heart failure can quickly follow. Add to that their sheer size, their rock-hard necks that can act as lethal snapping levers, their powerful and potentially fatal kicks, and their thick skin that’s difficult to penetrate with a dart needle,
“Due to their unique anatomy and physiology, giraffes are one of the most challenging species in the animal kingdom to immobilize.”
and the pressure is really on to make sure that the team is prepared, alert, and perfectly synchronized.
Our team handles these high-stakes wildlife rescues so often – and with such calm precision – that it’s easy to overlook just how complex and demanding these multipart operations truly are. Each rescue requires specialist knowledge of various animal behaviour, top-tier veterinary expertise, and, on top of all this – the ability to work as a team, maintain a cool head under pressure… and extend a quiet, kind word to the panicked animal when its most needed.
On that day three months ago, this giraffe got a second chance. The operation went smoothly. Like a fine-tuned symphony everybody played their part with finesse and precision.
As the year comes to a close, our Rescue and Rehabilitation ground team won’t be taking a break like everyone else. They’ll be out there, tirelessly helping the creatures that need them most.
This season of giving, we have some exciting news to share: two generous donors have pledged a combined match funding of USD 20,000.
But we can only access it if we match their contribution.
Every gift, no matter the size, will make a difference. By giving today, you’ll double your impact—and help us double ours in the field.
We wish you and your families a festive and safe holiday season.
For Wild Africa,
Jessica Dawson
Executive Director
Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust | PO Box 23183, San Diego, CA 92193 www.vicfallswildlifetrust.org
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