Kelsey Envik and her husband first met Jabu, an African elephant living in Botswana, 23 years ago while volunteering at an elephant sanctuary. The couple is now set to return to the elephant's side this weekend to help him with an unforeseen injury that has left the giant mammal debilitated. At the time of Envik's first visit to the Botswana sanctuary in 1995, there were three elephants residing there. When she returned to Canada, Envik decided to enroll in a master's program in non-profit management and environmental science at the University of Calgary. This allowed Envik to return to Botswana and help set up a foundation to protect African elephants as well as conservation efforts alongside the sanctuary owners, Doug and Sandi Groves. "I set it up with villagers; interviewing them that it was ground truth in what their needs were. I talked to the Department of Wildlife and different elephant stakeholders to make sure it met the needs of African elephants," Envik said, adding the foundation was completely set up by 1999. While she remained in contact with the sanctuary in the near 20 years that followed, it was only after the death of one of the elephants quickly followed by the injury of Jabu that drew her back to the front lines of the organization. "We kind of ramped up our efforts again to help where ever I could to get treatments and funds in place for Jabu," Envik said of the elephant who injured his ankle after being attacked by a wild bull elephant. "We didn't think we would be in this situation 20 years later." Doug and Sandi asked Kelsey to help search for treatments. "Sandi had an idea to get an elephant orthotic brace to stabilize the wrist joint," Envik explained. That's when Envik contacted a researcher in Virginia who helped build the brace. "It's the world's first elephant leg orthotic so it's quite exciting," Envik said. Animal Planet and the Dodo, a media broadcaster focused on animal news world wide, caught wind of the story and are planning to air it June 9 as their debut episode in a new series called Dodo Heroes. "It's the love story, it's the story of Jabu and Merula, the other elephant, and Doug and Sandi and the heroic efforts that they go to. Also what Derrick does for this brace and how it works for Jabu," Envik said. While Envik and the Groves are excited to tell the story and even happier to have some treatment for Jabu, the brace alone isn't enough. Envik is currently working on creating orthotic shoes for Jabu's front feet. It involves multiple sheets of 38 by 18 inch rubber sheets weighing between roughly 50 pounds and costing $500. And that's just for one set of shoes that will last one month. "He's such a big guy in such a remote area and wild conditions and it's novel treatment," Envik said. "It's rubber you see on your own hiking shoes ... It will be a big trial just trying him with one cause he has to walk around in the mud and the water just like a wild elephant so we'll see how they go." "It's never been done in the wild before so it's really special." Jabu is also expected to get injections of frozen elephant stem cells at the site of his injury. On of the obstacles in Jabu's treatment is the need for further diagnostics, which would require an X-Ray strong enough to see through the elephant's thick skin. The only X-Ray with this capability near by is in South Africa and they are currently on the wait list. "If we can't get that in time then we really do need to fundraise for our own machine in the country, which we do share with other charities," Envik said. The elephant sized X-Ray has an equally large price tag - $70,000. There are a myriad of other costs for the elephants treatment which is adding up heavily. The group has set up a fundraising page. If you're interested in learning more or donating visit it at https://withelephants.wedid.it/ visit the foundation's page at www.withelephants.org. As well, Envik is selling T-shirts featuring Jabu and her son has turned a recording of Jabu's trumpet into a ringtone, which can be purchased online.
