0:00:07 > 0:00:11African elephants are one of my favourite animals.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13They're emotional...
0:00:14 > 0:00:15..and intelligent.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17ELEPHANT GROWLS
0:00:17 > 0:00:20For them, family is everything.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26I'm Gordon Buchanan - a wildlife cameraman.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30For the last 25 years, I've tried to get close to wild animals.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Now, I'm in Africa to follow my dream
0:00:34 > 0:00:37to get to know an elephant family.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41In order to understand a family of elephants,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44I'm going to do something that few people have ever done,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47which is to actually be on foot with them.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51I really believe that, to better understand any animal,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53you have to inhabit their world.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58In the case of the elephant, that is easier said than done.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03I'm returning to see struggling first-time mum Wendi...
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Hey, Wiva.
0:01:06 > 0:01:07..and her baby, Wiva.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13He's here. Hey, how are you doing? ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
0:01:13 > 0:01:17In 25 years of watching wild animals,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21I have never, ever seen something as magical as this.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26It's the dry season - the most difficult time of the year.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28I want to see how they cope.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30That's the one thing - despite the fact
0:01:30 > 0:01:32that it's tinder dry around here,
0:01:32 > 0:01:35this whole herd of elephants just walked up behind me
0:01:35 > 0:01:36and I didn't hear them.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38BENJAMIN SHOUTS COMMAND
0:01:38 > 0:01:42And an unexpected arrival changes everything for Wiva.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45This is the most exciting thing that can happen to an elephant family.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47LOUD TRUMPETING
0:01:47 > 0:01:48Can you tell?
0:01:50 > 0:01:54I hope this experience can show me what the future holds
0:01:54 > 0:01:56for Africa's elephants.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24It is wonderful to be back in Kenya, and I'm heading back down to
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Tsavo National Park in the south-east of the country
0:02:27 > 0:02:29to catch up with my elephant family.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33When I was last here, Wiva, the smallest member of the herd,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36was running into trouble with some of the biggest members of the herd -
0:02:36 > 0:02:38the big bulls.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41She was just about to enter her very first dry season.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46The dry season is the riskiest time of the year for any baby elephant.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50So now that the dry season is in full grip of Tsavo,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54I want to catch up with them to see how they're doing.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56And I am very excited about that.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05When I first met Wendi four months ago, it was an alarming experience.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07- BENJAMIN:- Wendi, stop. Wendi, don't...
0:03:07 > 0:03:10don't...don't try to do anything funny.
0:03:10 > 0:03:11Wendi!
0:03:12 > 0:03:15- Not sure I like that. - Don't grab the camera.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21Meeting any elephant face-to-face is potentially dangerous,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23but I have help.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Group of elephants here, and Benjamin up ahead.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Benjamin Kyalo is my mentor.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34Hello, hello.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37- Hi, hi.- How are you?- How are you? - Good.- Just park here.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40'He's spent the last 16 years with this herd.'
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Benjamin never stops smiling. HE LAUGHS
0:03:45 > 0:03:46How are you doing?
0:03:46 > 0:03:48- I'm fine, and you?- Good.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49- Great to be back.- How have you been?
0:03:49 > 0:03:51- Good.- Yeah, welcome back.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54This is the only place I know where I can safely
0:03:54 > 0:03:57walk with wild elephants.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00BENJAMIN WHISTLES Hey, Wendi.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Hey, Wendi-Wendi.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04'I wonder if Wendi remembers me?'
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Hey, Wendi-Wendi. Hey, you.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10Don't grab me.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12No grabbing.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16There's nothing in the car.
0:04:20 > 0:04:21Nothing for you.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27'This is one-year-old Wiva...'
0:04:27 > 0:04:28Hey, you.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30'..Wendi's first baby.'
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Hey, Wiva.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Look at this beautiful elephant.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Oh, wow.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Am I OK here?
0:04:44 > 0:04:45Am I OK here?
0:04:47 > 0:04:48Wendi? Wendi, are you OK?
0:04:48 > 0:04:50WENDI SNORTS
0:04:50 > 0:04:51Are you OK with me here?
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Just have a sniff. Do you remember me?
0:04:55 > 0:04:56Do you?
0:04:57 > 0:05:00You had a sniff before, so I imagine you do.
0:05:00 > 0:05:01WENDI SNORTS
0:05:01 > 0:05:02HE LAUGHS
0:05:04 > 0:05:07It's amazing that such a huge animal
0:05:07 > 0:05:09can be quite so tender.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11HE LAUGHS
0:05:12 > 0:05:16It's like being caressed by a very soft vacuum cleaner.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30That's the closest I've ever been to Wiva.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Hey, Wiva. Look at you.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36You beautiful elephant.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38It's amazing not only to come back and find to find her -
0:05:38 > 0:05:40to find her well and find her happy -
0:05:40 > 0:05:43but to find that she's actually kind of developing.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44LOW GROWLING
0:05:44 > 0:05:47She looks...she looks bigger.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49I'm not sure whether that's because I'm closer to her,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51but she definitely looks as if she's grown.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54And more...more independent.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Kind of less like a baby, I think.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04No, she has definitely grown. She definitely has.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05HE LAUGHS
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Pretty sure the last time I was here,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12she could walk under her mother's stomach without touching.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18'When I first came here,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22'Wiva was the star attraction for the females in the herd.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26'She never went anywhere without a group of nannies...
0:06:27 > 0:06:29'..and for a good reason.'
0:06:29 > 0:06:30Here comes a big male.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31MALE BELLOWS
0:06:31 > 0:06:34'Wendi was an inexperienced new mum.'
0:06:34 > 0:06:36LOW GROWLING He is a scary beast.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39'She wasn't by Wiva's side when it really mattered.'
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Look! Look, look, look. There's...
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Wiva's just right in front of that big bull.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46She just does not have a clue how dangerous he is.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50All these females know how dangerous this is -
0:06:50 > 0:06:52that's why they're trying to chaperone her
0:06:52 > 0:06:54and get her well out the way.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57GROWLING
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Now, Wendi and Wiva have new challenges to face.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07WIND HOWLS
0:07:07 > 0:07:09It's the dry season.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Midday temperatures can reach 30 degrees Centigrade.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20Elephants need up to 150 litres of water a day,
0:07:20 > 0:07:22and supplies are dwindling.
0:07:28 > 0:07:29GROWLING
0:07:30 > 0:07:33To make matters worse for Wiva,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36the herd now have to roam further into the bush to find food.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43GROWLING
0:07:52 > 0:07:56Elephants must eat 5% of their own body weight each day...
0:08:05 > 0:08:08..and the shortage of forage means it's more difficult
0:08:08 > 0:08:10for Wendi to produce the milk that
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Wiva will need if she's to survive.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23WOOD CRACKS
0:08:26 > 0:08:30The herd are on a constant search for the most nutritious plants.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Somewhere like this is very, very thick,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40and that's why the elephants are here - there's good feeding here.
0:08:40 > 0:08:41And it's much greener, actually.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44When you look around, you can see these trees.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53In the wet season, elephants feast on the abundant greenery.
0:08:54 > 0:08:59Now, woody branches, bark and twigs are all that remains.
0:09:02 > 0:09:03Wiva learns by watching.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Elephants rely on as many as 100 species of plants,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18so it takes years to learn where and when each is available.
0:09:28 > 0:09:29As they move through the forest,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33elephants like Wendi and Wiva are doing a crucial job.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38They are the primary seed disperser here.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42So many of these plants - the majority of them -
0:09:42 > 0:09:44have probably been spread by elephants.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Because what they do is...
0:09:49 > 0:09:53..in eating this vegetation, eating seeds,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56what they're doing is laying down these big seed bombs
0:09:56 > 0:09:57in the form of dung.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02The presence of elephants means a healthy forest.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06LOW GROWLING
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Wendi's lived in the bush for the last seven years.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19But like most of this herd, she wasn't born here.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24At just two days old, she was found alone...
0:10:25 > 0:10:26..orphaned.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32She was rescued by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36and brought here to Tsavo when she was a couple of years old.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Benjamin helped her return to the wild.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46She's now 13 years old and a mother herself.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48I want to see how she's getting on.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54ELEPHANTS VOCALISE IN DISTANCE
0:10:56 > 0:10:58'Wendi's quite an incredible elephant.'
0:10:58 > 0:11:02The chances were that she would never survive.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05It's a miracle that she made it kind of past her first week,
0:11:05 > 0:11:09given how early she was orphaned.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12And to have gone through this...
0:11:12 > 0:11:14you know, whole process through her life,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17to be able to go into the wild and actually have a baby of her own,
0:11:17 > 0:11:18that's...
0:11:20 > 0:11:22..that's something that's really wonderful.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25It's kind of... She has an incredible story.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43So how is Wendi doing raising her own calf?
0:11:44 > 0:11:47My plan was to follow Wendi and Wiva into the bush today...
0:11:47 > 0:11:48SHAVER BUZZES
0:11:48 > 0:11:50..but just a few hours ago...
0:11:51 > 0:11:54..something extraordinary happened.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08Oh, my goodness.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16There cannot be anything
0:12:16 > 0:12:17as adorable...
0:12:20 > 0:12:21..as a new-born elephant.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23That is the cutest thing I've ever seen.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27It's amazing. Look at it.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30'This baby is just a few hours old.'
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Oh, wow.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35That just makes your heart melt.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Oh, my goodness me.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40Oh!
0:12:45 > 0:12:48I'm incredibly lucky to see this.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Her mother, Galana, must have just brought her here from the forest.
0:12:54 > 0:12:55Couldn't have walked far -
0:12:55 > 0:12:59I think it must have been born really close to here -
0:12:59 > 0:13:03but the first thing it's done is move closer to where Benjamin is,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05and the rest of the workers.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08They've given out some supplementary food, some hay.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Galana is also a rescued elephant,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15so having her first baby is great news.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21She's been pregnant for 22 months.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23And she is tiny.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25She's maybe only about that size.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Oh, God, that's just adorable.
0:13:30 > 0:13:31Out my way.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35This new arrival's been named Gawa.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40- It's incredible.- So incredible.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41Wiva's no longer the baby.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Wiva is no longer the baby. Now, we've got a new baby.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Was it just born through the night?
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Yeah, just a few hours old now.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53At this stage, Gawa's eyesight is poor,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56so she uses her trunk to keep in constant touch with her mum.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59You can see she's wobbling when she's walking...
0:13:59 > 0:14:00GORDON LAUGHS
0:14:00 > 0:14:03- ..meaning that she's just a few hours old.- Yeah.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05So must have been born close by?
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- Yes, close by.- Yeah.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09And Galana came up here because she
0:14:09 > 0:14:11knows it's much more safe that being
0:14:11 > 0:14:13out in the bush on her own.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- She's come home.- Yeah, coming home...
0:14:17 > 0:14:19..to show us her baby.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24But that's wonderful that an orphaned elephant
0:14:24 > 0:14:29can be returned to the wild and have a wild baby,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- and her story, Galana's story, can continue.- Continue.- Yeah.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38She'll be suckling Gawa for the next four years or so.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41For the time being, it's quite a stretch.
0:14:44 > 0:14:45Just a little bit higher up.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Come on, you can do it.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50You can do it. She's just almost on her tiptoes
0:14:50 > 0:14:53trying to reach up to her mum's udders.
0:14:53 > 0:14:54Nearly there.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Come on.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59A baby elephant like this is still
0:14:59 > 0:15:00going to be quite weak,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02quite unstable on its feet. So it
0:15:02 > 0:15:04just needs to get as much milk...
0:15:04 > 0:15:05LOUD THUD ..into it as possible.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07BELLOWING She's fell over!
0:15:08 > 0:15:09GROWLING
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Suckling will take a bit of practice.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Gawa will need to drink up to 12 litres of milk every day.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22It's low in fat and high in protein.
0:15:25 > 0:15:26There you go.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Galana's just pointed -
0:15:28 > 0:15:30she's pushing the baby's head in
0:15:30 > 0:15:32towards right place.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44In 25 years of watching wild animals,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48I have never, ever seen something as magical as this.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55It's one of nature's miracles.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57HE LAUGHS
0:15:58 > 0:16:01The rest of the herd have been in the bush all night,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04so they won't know that a new baby has been born.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09The birth of a calf is a big moment.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11I wonder how they'll take the news.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14OK, here come the rest of the herd.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Everyone's just moving up through the trees.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20I'm just going to back off a little bit because there's a couple of big
0:16:20 > 0:16:23bulls in here. I'm really,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25really interested to see what's going to happen
0:16:25 > 0:16:27once they realise that there is a new baby.
0:16:30 > 0:16:31GROWLING
0:16:34 > 0:16:35DEEP GROWLING
0:16:37 > 0:16:39LOUD GROWLING
0:16:43 > 0:16:46To witness this celebration is wonderful.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48GROWLING CONTINUES
0:16:48 > 0:16:51It's sheer elephant joy.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53TRUMPETING
0:16:53 > 0:16:55That's the excitement right there.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57GROWLING
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Yeah, they couldn't have known that this baby was born and they've
0:17:02 > 0:17:04just realised that they've got... TRUMPETING
0:17:04 > 0:17:06..a new member to the herd.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09This is about the most exciting thing that can happen.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Actually, this is the most exciting thing that can happen
0:17:12 > 0:17:14to an elephant family. TRUMPETING
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Can you tell?
0:17:16 > 0:17:17GROWLING CONTINUES
0:17:18 > 0:17:19LOUD TRUMPETING
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Everyone's just crowding round.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26Wiva's in there somewhere.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30She looks like a giant in comparison to this baby.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35The herd are clearly moved.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Secretions from their temples show their emotion.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42TRUMPETING
0:17:43 > 0:17:44GROWLING CONTINUES
0:17:46 > 0:17:49It's almost as if they want us to be part of this celebration.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52They've all come up, all these big females...
0:17:52 > 0:17:54LOUD TRUMPETING
0:17:54 > 0:17:58..just shepherding the new baby and bringing her closer to us.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01TRUMPETING
0:18:05 > 0:18:06TRUMPETING
0:18:09 > 0:18:12And it's not just the herd who are thrilled by the new arrival.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17I feel very proud.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19It's like getting more babies.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22I'm a grandfather now.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23TRUMPETING
0:18:25 > 0:18:29It's almost impossible to take my eyes off this baby.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34It is cute in every single way.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37From the tip of its trunk, to the end of its tail.
0:18:37 > 0:18:38HE LAUGHS
0:18:38 > 0:18:42From its tiny toenails to its little fuzzy back, it's just adorable.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48It seems that this herd has got a new little princess,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52and it'll be very interesting to find out how Wiva responds.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00With the birth of baby Gawa, the herd's priorities will change.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Wiva might not be the centre of attention any more.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18ELEPHANT VOCALISES IN DISTANCE
0:19:32 > 0:19:36In order to best see the difficulties faced by elephants,
0:19:36 > 0:19:37I need to get into the air.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41- Right, you comfortable? - I'm all good.- Beautiful, right.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43I'm about to pre-rotate.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50'This might look like something from a Bond movie,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52'but it's an ingenious way to track elephants.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00'I'm trying my very best not to look nervous.'
0:20:02 > 0:20:03- And we're off. - GORDON LAUGHS
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Woohoo. All right.
0:20:05 > 0:20:06Beautiful.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Let's go find some ele's.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15Keith uses this gyrocopter for surveying Tsavo's elephants.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Being up in the air like this just gives a much better idea of where
0:20:28 > 0:20:30these elephants are going.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32You're so enclosed on the ground,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36and you can get a bit of a sense of the landscape on top of the rocks,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38but it's not until you're right up
0:20:38 > 0:20:39here in the air you actually can see
0:20:39 > 0:20:42literally for miles and miles and miles.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Elephants are a big needle to look for, but this is a
0:20:45 > 0:20:49very big haystack in which to look for them.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54Let's see if there's any juveniles. I've got bulls.
0:20:54 > 0:20:55- I've got calves.- Good eyes.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Hang on.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.- Check in the centre of the herd there.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Right, here we've actually got them, right...
0:21:03 > 0:21:05I think that's them underneath us now.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10There they are just down there.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13There are dangers here for the elephants.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16This wilderness is not endless.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19And it eventually gives way to civilisation.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28Tsavo National Park is divided into east and west.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30To cross from one to the other,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34many elephants have to move through farmland and over several roads.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43HORNS BLARE
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Stretching from Nairobi to the port of Mombasa,
0:21:50 > 0:21:52this is one of Kenya's busiest roads.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00It's hazardous for both elephants and motorists.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02TRUCK HORN BLARES
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Just a month ago, a baby elephant was killed not far from here.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22It's a tough life being an elephant.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27Some have to travel hundreds of miles just to find food and water.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31But in doing so, they play a vital role maintaining ecosystems.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Inevitably, if you follow an elephant path,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39it will lead you to water.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42And this river, the Tiva River, looks completely dry, but it
0:22:42 > 0:22:45doesn't mean to say that an elephant can't find something to drink.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55The surface is kind of... It's all dry and baked in the sun.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59But as soon as you start wiping away the top, dry stuff...
0:23:00 > 0:23:03..it's damp - sort of damp to the touch.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05But obviously you can't drink
0:23:05 > 0:23:08or get any of the moisture out of this sand.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11But elephants are like a big excavator.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14They can use their big tusks just to
0:23:14 > 0:23:17dig down really deep into the sand.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21They can use their long trunk to just scoop and scrape.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24So that combination of scraping, scooping...
0:23:24 > 0:23:25HE LAUGHS
0:23:26 > 0:23:28..gets you down to..
0:23:30 > 0:23:31..the water.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38But a lot of these smaller animals can't dig.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40It's the elephants that do all that digging.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42And once they've drank their fill...
0:23:43 > 0:23:47..and they move away, a whole range of other animals will come in.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51And it's just another way that the elephants not only benefit habitats,
0:23:51 > 0:23:55but how elephants - the presence of elephants - benefit other animals.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Without elephants around in the dry season to dig these holes,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00a lot of other animals would go thirsty.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02So water is essential to elephants,
0:24:02 > 0:24:04and elephants are essential to other
0:24:04 > 0:24:07animals that need to access that water.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22It's been a few days since I've seen Wendi and Wiva.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23I want to catch up with them.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28They have a better chance than most elephants in the park.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31They don't have to travel far
0:24:31 > 0:24:34because Benjamin keeps the water holes topped-up.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44A place like this is essential for an elephant's wellbeing.
0:24:49 > 0:24:54A thick coat of mud keeps them cool, acts as a sunscreen,
0:24:54 > 0:24:55and keeps insects off.
0:24:59 > 0:25:00GROWLING AND SNORTING
0:25:02 > 0:25:04TRUMPETING
0:25:05 > 0:25:06Oh, yeah!
0:25:17 > 0:25:21The herd are more relaxed around me at the water hole, and I'm noticing
0:25:21 > 0:25:25that there are big changes in the relationship between Wendi and Wiva.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Ah, I absolutely love how...
0:25:29 > 0:25:32..together these two are.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Wendi is just... TRUMPETING
0:25:34 > 0:25:37..the picture of a perfect mother.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39'With the nannies focusing on Gawa,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41'Wendi is now giving a great job
0:25:41 > 0:25:44looking after Wiva without their help.'
0:25:45 > 0:25:46GORDON LAUGHS
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Erm, it wasn't always like that.
0:25:53 > 0:25:54Oh, big jump.
0:25:54 > 0:25:55HE SNICKERS
0:25:56 > 0:25:58That's pretty classy.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00She did that with style.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04OK, and here comes Gawa coming down.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Oh, look.
0:26:08 > 0:26:09Come on, Gawa.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Baby Gawa, with nannies in attendance,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17is preparing for her very first bath.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23When you're just a few days old,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25everything is an adventure.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31She's right on the edge.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34If you're not careful, you're going to fall in, baby.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Careful, careful, careful.
0:26:36 > 0:26:37Careful! Oopsy daisy.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40That's one way to do it.
0:26:42 > 0:26:43HE LAUGHS She's fine.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Anything Wiva can do...
0:26:48 > 0:26:50..Gawa can do as well.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57'In comparison to Gawa, Wiva is looking strong and confident -
0:26:57 > 0:27:00'so much so, she's taking the hard
0:27:00 > 0:27:03'way out of the water hole.'
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Up you come. You can do it.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08You can do it. Wendi lends a helping trunk.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Bit of help? Or is that a hindrance?
0:27:11 > 0:27:13No, that's a help. HE LAUGHS
0:27:13 > 0:27:17In times of real need, the nannies are still there for her.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20That is so lovely to see.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Look, she's getting crowded round by other elephants.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24They see that she's struggling a little bit,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27and are just helping her out. There's a trunk coming down.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29That's really wonderful. Do you know what?
0:27:29 > 0:27:32That's sort of a testament to how much Wiva has come on.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35She's pushing herself, she's testing her abilities.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38She's back on dry land.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Now, it's Gawa's turn.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45LOW GROWLING
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Oops. Ooh, I think you've come up too soon.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49That baby's going to struggle.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Whoa, she's almost doing the splits.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56Oh, my goodness me.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Bambi, up you come.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Come on, up you come.
0:28:02 > 0:28:03Come on. Come on.
0:28:06 > 0:28:07Come on.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Come on.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12Oh...
0:28:12 > 0:28:17At this age, she has limited energy reserves.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Quickly, she's overwhelmed with exhaustion.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20GROWLING
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Baby elephants can perish stuck in the mud.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Her head's flat down in the mud. She's...
0:28:28 > 0:28:30She's really tired.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35The adult members of this herd sometimes lack the experience
0:28:35 > 0:28:37to deal with problems.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Normally, herds are led by an older
0:28:40 > 0:28:43matriarch who would know how to get Gawa out of this mess.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48LOUD TRUMPETING
0:28:48 > 0:28:51'Benjamin has to show them the easy way out.'
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Just trying to courage encourage them out.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58OK, Benj is just going to go in and see if he can push them out.
0:28:58 > 0:28:59That's the one.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00HE LAUGHS
0:29:03 > 0:29:04That's doing it.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Yeah, that's helping, definitely. Look, she's coming out.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Out you come. Keep coming, keep coming.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17Keep coming, keep coming.
0:29:17 > 0:29:18Keep coming.
0:29:26 > 0:29:27Yeah, she's out.
0:29:30 > 0:29:31Phew!
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Look at that. It's ridiculous - look at that.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43That is one very happy, very muddy
0:29:43 > 0:29:45baby elephant.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49I caught a bit... Oh, yuck!
0:29:50 > 0:29:51Thanks a lot(!)
0:29:53 > 0:29:56This stinks. It smells so bad.
0:29:56 > 0:29:57Jeez.
0:30:04 > 0:30:05Imagine being covered in this?
0:30:05 > 0:30:07It's honking.
0:30:07 > 0:30:08Jesus.
0:30:10 > 0:30:11SNORTING
0:30:12 > 0:30:15After a very smelly mud bath,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18the family top it off with a final coating of dust.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22TRUMPETING
0:30:22 > 0:30:23LOW GROWLING
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Like all babies, Wiva has delicate skin.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48It's important to make sure all areas are well covered.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00There's nothing happier than a baby elephant...
0:31:00 > 0:31:01covered in dirt.
0:31:04 > 0:31:05TENSE MUSIC
0:31:16 > 0:31:19The dry season hits hard in this part of Kenya.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Wendi and Wiva are spending more time away from the water hole.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30I want to follow them to see how they're coping.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35TRUMPETING
0:31:37 > 0:31:40But, for me, the bush is dangerous.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43GROWLING
0:31:44 > 0:31:47A number of wandering bulls have joined the group.
0:31:47 > 0:31:48GROWLING
0:31:50 > 0:31:53I'm going to have to rely on Benjamin to keep me safe.
0:31:55 > 0:31:56ELEPHANT BELLOWS
0:31:58 > 0:32:00There's a big bull elephant that's been quite...
0:32:01 > 0:32:02..quite boisterous...
0:32:04 > 0:32:06..about 70 metres over that direction.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12My first thought is to run, fast, back to the car,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15but Benjamin knows how to deal with this bull.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17BENJAMIN SHOUTS COMMANDS
0:32:17 > 0:32:19HE WHISTLES
0:32:19 > 0:32:23'A sharp shout lets the elephant where and who we are.'
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Yeah, shall we move?
0:32:25 > 0:32:27'Then, we back off slowly.'
0:32:27 > 0:32:28OK, let's shift.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32- BENJAMIN:- Hey! - ELEPHANT SNORTS
0:32:32 > 0:32:36'While we're distracted, Wendi's herd come up behind.'
0:32:36 > 0:32:37That's the one thing -
0:32:37 > 0:32:40despite the fact that it's tinder dry around here
0:32:40 > 0:32:44and you can crash and crunch your way through the bush,
0:32:44 > 0:32:47this whole herd of elephants just walked up behind me
0:32:47 > 0:32:50and I didn't hear them. They're almost silent.
0:32:54 > 0:32:55OK, here they come.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59Elephants don't like to be surprised...
0:32:59 > 0:33:01HE WHISTLES
0:33:01 > 0:33:03..so Benjamin's technique is to let them know that we're here
0:33:03 > 0:33:07and to give them space so they don't feel threatened.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15I keep on making the same mistake again,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18which is forgetting there's other elephants around.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23Maybe 15, 20 elephants just walked past. Pumped her up.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26'Away from the water hole, my herd are more nervous.'
0:33:26 > 0:33:28OK, I can step back
0:33:28 > 0:33:30if you want me to step back.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32'It's no surprise.'
0:33:32 > 0:33:33I can do that.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36'There's lots of dangers for my family in the bush.'
0:33:38 > 0:33:39LOW GROWLING
0:33:42 > 0:33:43CAR ENGINE STARTS
0:33:50 > 0:33:53I think I'd have to be doing this as long as Benjamin has
0:33:53 > 0:33:54to do this without Benjamin.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58It's good - I get a sense of actually being with elephants
0:33:58 > 0:34:01and being, erm, alone with them.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05But it's always reassuring to have Benjamin right there, cos...
0:34:05 > 0:34:08this is how Benjamin spends his life.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12It wouldn't surprise me if he knew more about elephants than he does
0:34:12 > 0:34:13human beings.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17So, yeah, it's quite good for him to step in and say,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21"OK, this is getting a little bit dicey, it's time to move out."
0:34:23 > 0:34:24ELEPHANT GRUNTS
0:34:24 > 0:34:27'It can be intimidating being on foot
0:34:27 > 0:34:29'with elephants in the bush.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33'Local people often bump into them while walking.'
0:34:33 > 0:34:37When that happens, it's frightening for both parties.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44'With Benjamin, I feel safe,
0:34:44 > 0:34:46'but I can see how you can easily get into trouble.'
0:34:55 > 0:34:58Nearly all of Wendi's herd are orphans
0:34:58 > 0:35:01who were rescued and returned to the wild.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Some come from south of here on the border of the park,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08close to several villages.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20I'm going there to see what problems both elephants and people face.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28The numbers are alarming.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33Every year in Africa, 30,000 elephants are killed.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Ivory poaching is often cited,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39but could the growing human population
0:35:39 > 0:35:42be the root of the problem for elephants?
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Humans now occupy previously wild places,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50and are increasingly coming into conflict.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Every year, hundreds of people are killed by them.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00I've met elephants that have had bad experiences with people.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Now, I'm away to meet some people that have had
0:36:03 > 0:36:05some very bad experiences with elephants.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11'In 2009, Mwakro's mother was killed by a bull
0:36:11 > 0:36:15'just a few hundred metres from her front door.'
0:36:15 > 0:36:19And she was coming from this direction,
0:36:19 > 0:36:23down, following this route. After reaching somewhere there,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26the...the elephant noticed her,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29- but she didn't see it.- See it.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33And then, after reaching somewhere here, you know,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35it was coming very fast. She started running.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37So she came running this side.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41She was first hit here.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44- She died instantly. I say...- Right.
0:36:44 > 0:36:45..we found her here.
0:36:47 > 0:36:48God.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52'Despite the dangers, Mwakro's father is determined to stay.'
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Your father lives here by himself?
0:36:54 > 0:36:56Yeah, he lives here by himself. Jambo.
0:37:00 > 0:37:01HE CHUCKLES
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Jambo.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07So what do you think? If you see elephants now, what you think?
0:37:07 > 0:37:08How do you feel when see them?
0:37:08 > 0:37:10HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:37:11 > 0:37:13He thinks about his wife.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17And do you feel scared when you see them?
0:37:17 > 0:37:19HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:37:19 > 0:37:22He's very scared. He's scared because they kill.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27You've got a good son that can look after you.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Make sure he looks after you, takes good care.
0:37:30 > 0:37:31HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:37:31 > 0:37:32- MWAKRO:- "Who?"
0:37:33 > 0:37:34HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Him.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39THEY LAUGH
0:37:39 > 0:37:40He could come and live with me.
0:37:40 > 0:37:41The more the merrier.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Does your father not want to leave here?
0:37:45 > 0:37:48If he's living by himself, he must get lonely.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52He doesn't want to come to where I live.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54He says he cannot leave his wife alone here.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56- Oh, really?- Yeah.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20There is no easy answer.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23This is an area outside the protected park,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26where people are entitled to live.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32But elephants have migrated through here for thousands of years.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42Hungry elephants can be destructive
0:38:42 > 0:38:44and see farmers' crops as an easy meal.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51A herd came through here recently.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Jambo. Salama.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56Do you see elephants coming through?
0:39:04 > 0:39:05Moringa?
0:39:09 > 0:39:10OK.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31'Many residents are too scared to leave their homes after dark.'
0:39:31 > 0:39:33CATTLE LOW
0:39:36 > 0:39:37SHE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:39:40 > 0:39:42- SHE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE - Oh.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45They came here and they were eating the tamarind.
0:39:45 > 0:39:46So they were just around here.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48SHE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:39:48 > 0:39:52She cannot come out just now because she lives alone,
0:39:52 > 0:39:54so she just stays inside.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59Can you imagine this lady - I don't know, maybe she's sort of...
0:39:59 > 0:40:00in her 70s, she lives alone,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03and have an elephant coming right outside your house and feeding?
0:40:03 > 0:40:06You know, it's sort of this notion that we all love elephants.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Of course we don't all love elephants,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11because this lady is being terrorised by them.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15At this level, there's no bad people
0:40:15 > 0:40:18and bad elephants, it's just a bad situation.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27CATTLE LOW
0:40:27 > 0:40:30Some elephants return to these farms again and again.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39Often, villagers see little choice but to take action.
0:40:40 > 0:40:44For these farmers, losing their crops could mean starvation.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52It's understandable that people living in rural Africa
0:40:52 > 0:40:55might feel differently about elephants than I do.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00These pressures have contributed
0:41:00 > 0:41:03to the loss of one third of Africa's elephants in the last ten years.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09There's the remains of one nearby.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11It's...
0:41:11 > 0:41:13it's gory and its graphic.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15It's a big bull elephant.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17They reckoned he was about
0:41:17 > 0:41:1945-50 years old.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25'In areas where elephant conflict is common,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28'ivory poaching is more likely to be tolerated.'
0:41:30 > 0:41:32It's complicated,
0:41:32 > 0:41:35this abject poverty across Africa,
0:41:35 > 0:41:39and in some situations people are driven to killing elephants.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45You know, elephants really just want one thing,
0:41:45 > 0:41:47which is to actually live peacefully
0:41:47 > 0:41:50and harmoniously with their family.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53Simply, that's what they're about.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55And, erm...
0:41:55 > 0:41:58the only thing that's really standing in the way of that is us.
0:41:58 > 0:41:59FLIES BUZZ
0:42:08 > 0:42:12It's terrifying that this is the reality for much of Africa.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17It makes me worry that Wiva's family could encounter poachers, too.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Hey, Wendi-Wendi.
0:42:21 > 0:42:22BENJAMIN WHISTLES
0:42:24 > 0:42:27(Here comes Wendi and Wiva.)
0:42:27 > 0:42:28BENJAMIN WHISTLES
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Hey, girl.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32I'm just coming to say hello.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34You beauty.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37WHISTLING CONTINUES
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Hey, Wiva.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43Wiva is definitely...
0:42:45 > 0:42:46..a lot bolder.
0:42:47 > 0:42:48Bigger and bolder.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Coming really quite close.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55It's not something she did before, and it's great to see.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01LOW GROWLING
0:43:02 > 0:43:04HE LAUGHS
0:43:04 > 0:43:05She's completely camouflaged in there.
0:43:09 > 0:43:10Hey, Wendi.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15OK, I think Wiva might come out.
0:43:15 > 0:43:16I'll give it another three seconds,
0:43:16 > 0:43:19and Wiva's going to come out of the bush.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22(One, two, three.)
0:43:25 > 0:43:27HE LAUGHS
0:43:27 > 0:43:29Hey, Wiva. Hey, you.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31She is so beautiful.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34I'm getting to know you.
0:43:34 > 0:43:35I knew it was going to be three.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38Probably more like 3.5 seconds.
0:43:40 > 0:43:41HE LAUGHS
0:43:41 > 0:43:44It's great to see baby Gawa, too.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48She is two weeks old and looks really healthy...
0:43:49 > 0:43:51..if a little unsteady.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00You can see how small she is in comparison to Wiva.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03Look how wide open her eyes are.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10Interested in absolutely everything.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15Little Wiva is growing up.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18She's confident enough to take on older elephants.
0:44:19 > 0:44:20THEY VOCALISE
0:44:20 > 0:44:22There you go, Wiva.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24Elephant herds have a hierarchy.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28Wiva is feisty.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31Some day she might even lead a herd of her own.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39My family are a long way from human settlements,
0:44:39 > 0:44:42but that doesn't mean they're completely safe.
0:44:42 > 0:44:43GROWLING
0:44:43 > 0:44:45Oh, wow. Just behind the tree...
0:44:46 > 0:44:48..big male elephant.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51'Four months ago, this bull came to the water hole
0:44:51 > 0:44:54'with a poacher's snare wound tightly around his leg.'
0:44:54 > 0:44:56Oh, jeez.
0:44:56 > 0:44:57Oh, my God.
0:44:59 > 0:45:00Oh, no.
0:45:00 > 0:45:04He would have died from his injury had Sheldrick's and the
0:45:04 > 0:45:06Kenyan Wildlife Service not stepped in.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11The snare was removed...
0:45:11 > 0:45:12Oh, God.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16..and his wound dressed.
0:45:21 > 0:45:23It's great to see him.
0:45:23 > 0:45:25And I think maybe the biggest surprise of all is
0:45:25 > 0:45:28how much that wound has healed.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31You can still see a bit of an indentation.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36I think he must be the luckiest elephant here.
0:45:37 > 0:45:41This shows me that, even here inside the park,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44Wendi and Wiva are still at risk.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49BENJAMIN CALLS MELODICALLY
0:45:49 > 0:45:52This is why Benjamin is on hand to keep an eye on them.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55HE CALLS MELODICALLY
0:45:57 > 0:45:58HE WHISTLES
0:45:58 > 0:46:01They're part of an ongoing scheme
0:46:01 > 0:46:04that has rescued over 200 orphaned elephants so far.
0:46:15 > 0:46:19This is where they come for baby elephant bush school.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22JAUNTY MUSIC
0:46:27 > 0:46:30Every day, they're walked from dawn till dusk,
0:46:30 > 0:46:32and shown where to find food and water.
0:46:35 > 0:46:36Hello.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41'At the moment, they're still very friendly.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45'But as they grow up, they'll become more wary.'
0:46:45 > 0:46:46HE LAUGHS
0:46:46 > 0:46:49Everyone's coming over to say hello.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51Come on, then. Let's go.
0:46:51 > 0:46:52You and me together.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57I'll be your...your bush buddy.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Feel like I've just entered a scene from the Jungle Book.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04HE HUMS: Colonel Hathi's March from the Jungle Book
0:47:06 > 0:47:10'Eventually, they'll join Wiva's herd in the forest.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14'But for some, there's still more to learn.'
0:47:14 > 0:47:16Hey. Hey, you.
0:47:16 > 0:47:17You have a lovely trunk.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20As trunks go, it is lovely.
0:47:21 > 0:47:22You just want to...
0:47:25 > 0:47:29'This reintroduction project gave Wendi a second chance.'
0:47:34 > 0:47:35WIVA TRUMPETS
0:47:39 > 0:47:41Wiva is developing quickly.
0:47:41 > 0:47:43Her trunk control is improving.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50She learns by copying her mum.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09Wendi has blossomed as a mother,
0:48:09 > 0:48:12which has given Wiva the confidence she needs.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35Sheldrick's work to protect all elephants here.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48As teenagers, males leave the family and form
0:48:48 > 0:48:50their own loose bachelor herds.
0:48:52 > 0:48:54Young bulls can wander far and wide
0:48:54 > 0:48:59and may cause problems at farms and villages on the edge of the park.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03GROWLING
0:49:03 > 0:49:06There's no easy way to stop these conflicts,
0:49:06 > 0:49:10but Sheldrick's have found a way to minimise the problem.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18They've built an electric fence over ten miles long...
0:49:20 > 0:49:22..to separate farmers from elephants.
0:49:29 > 0:49:34Just seeing this fence, it just looks like such a drastic measure,
0:49:34 > 0:49:37but maybe that is how the wild has to be.
0:49:37 > 0:49:41It can't stretch on for mile after mile as it once did.
0:49:41 > 0:49:43It's not endless.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45Sooner or later, across Africa,
0:49:45 > 0:49:48you're going to bump into, you know, the human world.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51So maybe this is not just a way of protecting...
0:49:52 > 0:49:55..the people from the wild animals that are living in these places,
0:49:55 > 0:49:59but just to actually protect the wild from us.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02Because we're eating it up at a rate
0:50:02 > 0:50:04that's unprecedented.
0:50:04 > 0:50:06And it has to stop somewhere.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09So maybe this is literally the line in the sand.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14But I think it's just that gut feeling that I have that,
0:50:14 > 0:50:16looking back across history,
0:50:16 > 0:50:19what conflict have we ever resolved by building walls and fences?
0:50:23 > 0:50:27Maybe for the short-term we do need fences...
0:50:29 > 0:50:33..but as the number of settlements grows outside the park,
0:50:33 > 0:50:37the future of elephants like Wendi and Wiva will depend on their
0:50:37 > 0:50:41relationship with their human neighbours.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44- Hello! ALL:- Hello!
0:50:44 > 0:50:45What a nice, warm welcome.
0:50:45 > 0:50:49- Where am I going to sit? Can I sit here? ALL:- Yes.- OK.
0:50:49 > 0:50:53The charity Wildlife Works is trying to encourage
0:50:53 > 0:50:55a new generation of elephant lovers in Kenya.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00'School trips like this happen every two weeks.'
0:51:01 > 0:51:03- ALL:- Wow!
0:51:03 > 0:51:06This scheme teaches the next
0:51:06 > 0:51:09generation why we need elephants.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22They're all very excited
0:51:22 > 0:51:25about seeing the elephants. I was...
0:51:25 > 0:51:26Well, I didn't know what to expect.
0:51:26 > 0:51:28I thought maybe they see them all the time,
0:51:28 > 0:51:29maybe it's not that big a deal.
0:51:29 > 0:51:31But as soon as they spotted them,
0:51:31 > 0:51:34everyone got very animated and excited.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36What an amazing thing to do.
0:51:39 > 0:51:43I'm about to get a lesson on the benefit of elephants.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19You're an expert. LAUGHTER
0:52:19 > 0:52:21Did you swallow an elephant book?
0:52:27 > 0:52:30It's all about building positive relationships.
0:52:30 > 0:52:36For Wiva, she's had positive experiences with people.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40In her own elephant way, she must view us as friends.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42She can't view us as enemies.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45She trust us, and I think it's really wonderful to see
0:52:45 > 0:52:48that these kids that are going to grow up alongside elephants,
0:52:48 > 0:52:50they value elephants.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53They see the benefits that they can bring.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57They want to have them as their future,
0:52:57 > 0:53:00and you can't ask for anything more than that.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03It's nearly time for me to leave,
0:53:03 > 0:53:07but I want to see Wendi and Wiva again before I go.
0:53:09 > 0:53:11They're mingling with another herd.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18It's great to see Wiva's confidence building.
0:53:18 > 0:53:20TRUMPETING
0:53:20 > 0:53:22She's tussling with another calf.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25Even after a knock-down...
0:53:26 > 0:53:28..she's straight up for more...
0:53:30 > 0:53:31..with a little help from mum.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36No longer the shy little elephant
0:53:36 > 0:53:38I met four months ago.
0:53:42 > 0:53:43LOUD TRUMPETING
0:53:46 > 0:53:48It's time for my mentor to give his
0:53:48 > 0:53:51opinion on how I've progressed.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57Gordon...is doing well.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01But he needs quite a lot of time
0:54:01 > 0:54:04to learn much about elephants.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07It is not a thing of one day or two, or a week.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12Hey, Chulu.
0:54:12 > 0:54:16- Hey, hey. - HE WHISTLES
0:54:16 > 0:54:19Cross, cross, cross, cross. If you are crossing, you cross.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21'This would have been impossible without Benjamin.'
0:54:22 > 0:54:26Sometimes I do step in to help control the elephants.
0:54:26 > 0:54:29Cos these elephants, they don't know Gordon a long time.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32So that's the reason why they are trying to play him.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35So that's the reason why, most of the time,
0:54:35 > 0:54:38'I'm stepping in and try to take control of the situation.'
0:54:38 > 0:54:39HE WHISTLES
0:54:39 > 0:54:41Down, down, down. Cross, cross.
0:54:41 > 0:54:43HE WHISTLES
0:54:44 > 0:54:47Because they know me, they've been with me for many years.
0:54:47 > 0:54:48So they know.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52The naughty ones, they know I know that they are naughty.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54So when I step in, then, they know,
0:54:54 > 0:54:56"Oh, this guy knows me, so let me just run away."
0:54:58 > 0:55:00GROWLING
0:55:01 > 0:55:02WHISTLING
0:55:08 > 0:55:11'I may not be an expert yet, but I've learnt so much
0:55:11 > 0:55:14'about these complex, intelligent animals.
0:55:16 > 0:55:21'And according to Benjamin, they're also great judges of character.'
0:55:23 > 0:55:26One thing actually Gordon should also learn is that
0:55:26 > 0:55:28these elephants can learn one's heart.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31Whether you are loving or you are not loving.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33So if you are not loving, there's
0:55:33 > 0:55:35no way you can stay with elephants.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40Most of the time they'll be pushing you around,
0:55:40 > 0:55:44or making a lot of noise whenever you are close to them.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46So they are very clever.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50Hey, you. ELEPHANT GRUNTS
0:55:50 > 0:55:53'Many of these elephants were orphaned through conflict
0:55:53 > 0:55:54'with humans.'
0:55:54 > 0:55:55That's me being checked out.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00And yet they're calm with me amongst them.
0:56:08 > 0:56:10I think this, my ability to sit here
0:56:10 > 0:56:13and be so comfortable around these elephants,
0:56:13 > 0:56:16is really just down to them.
0:56:16 > 0:56:20Down to the trust that those elephants have in me.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24And maybe my... HE CHUCKLES
0:56:24 > 0:56:25..ability to trust them,
0:56:25 > 0:56:29my ability to just sort of put aside my fear
0:56:29 > 0:56:32and actually learn from the elephants directly.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38I hope that, in the years to come,
0:56:38 > 0:56:41Gawa's relationships with people
0:56:41 > 0:56:43will be worthy of this kind of trust.
0:56:46 > 0:56:51There is nothing cuter on the face of this planet
0:56:51 > 0:56:53than a baby elephant.
0:56:54 > 0:56:55That is official.
0:57:00 > 0:57:03This year has taught me that it
0:57:03 > 0:57:06takes a whole herd to raise a baby.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10And for this remarkable family, that includes Benjamin -
0:57:10 > 0:57:12he's dedicated his life to them.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18It won't be any time soon,
0:57:18 > 0:57:21but wouldn't it be wonderful to see
0:57:21 > 0:57:25a day when elephants are free of persecution?
0:57:29 > 0:57:33We can't help the world's most majestic animals
0:57:33 > 0:57:36without helping the people who live alongside them.
0:57:38 > 0:57:40Their futures are intertwined.
0:57:45 > 0:57:49Every single member of this family is right here.
0:57:49 > 0:57:52And I think it's a really fitting way
0:57:52 > 0:57:54to leave my elephant family,
0:57:54 > 0:57:59is actually just them demonstrating to me -
0:57:59 > 0:58:01to us all, really -
0:58:01 > 0:58:03why elephants are important.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06Why they are extra special
0:58:06 > 0:58:09is because they are in it together.
0:58:09 > 0:58:11They care about each other,
0:58:11 > 0:58:15and all they need from us is for us to care about them.