Goat’s Milk Fed to Protected Elephants in Kenya

 

Elephants in a protected community in Kenya are being fed goat's milk as a less costly¹ form of food.

Workers at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary² in northern Kenya say the elephants enjoy drinking the goat's milk. They say the milk may be healthier for them than other choices.

The sanctuary had been using powdered baby milk to feed the young animals it cares for. But it decided³ to test goat's milk, which costs less and is locally available.

The sanctuary rescues young elephants that are found alone in the wild. It cares for them until they are old enough to be returned to the wild.

Dr. Steven Chege is the sanctuary's medical advisor⁴. He told Reuters news agency the goat's milk seems to be especially helpful to baby elephants.

"This is an animal that has just maybe lost a mother, they have been separated from their family," he said. "So they get a lot of psychological traumas⁶."

This kind of trauma⁵ can harm the animal's overall health, Chege said. But goat's milk has been found to be "very good for the survival and health" of baby elephants, he added.

Chege said goat's milk is helpful because it contains a different kind of "highly digestible protein" not found in powdered baby milk. This results in fewer stomach problems for the young elephants.

The change to goat's milk is expected to reduce feeding costs for the sanctuary, Chege said. The sanctuary usually keeps between 15 to 30 elephants.

Local community member Liwana Lenakukunyia is one of many goat farmers selling milk to the sanctuary. She told Reuters she was happy to get new earnings⁷.

Lenakukunyia said many of the farmers now earning money are women. "Since we started milking goats and selling milk to the sanctuary, at least we have our own cash...you can feed your family with," she said.

Words in This Story

sanctuary – n. a place where people or animals are given protection and shelter

trauma – n. a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes mental or emotional problems

digest – v. to change food in the stomach into substances the body can use

cash – n. money in the form of coins or paper

1 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

2 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

5 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

6 traumas   

n.心灵创伤( trauma的名词复数 )；损伤；痛苦经历；挫折

参考例句：

• She felt exhausted after the traumas of recent weeks. 她经受了最近几个星期的痛苦之后感到精疲力竭。
• Conclusion: Safety lens of spectacles can protect the occurrence of ocular traumas. 结论：安全镜片可以预防眼镜碎片所致的眼外伤。 来自互联网

7 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。