We went to visit the Wild Horizons Elephant Wallow just outside Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side. Although generally anti- the idea of keeping wild animals captive and riding them or having them do tricks for the entertainment of people, this project is certainly worth a second look. It’s important to note that there are many people that offer such experiences around the Victoria Falls area and further afield and not all of them are run with similar sensitivity and integrity.

Zenzo is a Zimbabwean who is in charge of this particular project and he speaks well and passionately about its history and the ethos behind it. The core animals that form this herd were orphaned during a culling regime in the early 1990s which at the time, thought that doing away with all the adults and leaving all the youngsters was the way to go. Now we know better, but unfortunately this left a legacy of traumatised and poorly socialised youngsters that went on to become dangerous problem animals. Saving four such individuals from most likely being put-down, the White family took them on and began to instil discipline through training that favoured rewards for good behaviour.

More animals joined the herd as word of the successful rehabilitation of these youngsters spread. Some were rescued having been snared and once their horrific injuries healed, joined the rest of the elephants in training. Now, the animals are stabled on a large conservancy on which they roam for most of the day. During an hour in the morning and in the afternoon, visitors can come and ride the elephants as they go out for a walk and a forage.

As Zenzo says, their ideal is for all these animals to be released but experience has shown that this is not always viable. They have lost their fear of people and the bulls particularly are likely to become crop-raiders and end up being shot. Some have been released into the wild successfully and work continues with that ideal in mind. In the meantime, the cost of their upkeep and continued care is paid for by people who are interested and passionate about their welfare.

Zenzo and the Whites hope that, just as they were one of the first to successfully habituate wild African elephants, they will also be amongst the first to successfully return them to the wild. For now, they have a responsibility to ensure the animals are looked after.

Read about The Elephant Camp in Victoria Falls.

Read Amanda's blog about her experience of riding an elephant.