Every 22 minutes, an elephant is killed in Africa for its tusks. Your fundraising support means that the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust can continue our pioneering work to save more wild elephants, like Zongoloni, whose mother was shot by poachers

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The first time our Keepers saw Zongoloni, she had her trunk draped lovingly on her mum. But sadly, it wasn't a family portrait of happiness. At just 18 month's old, Zongoloni was in fact bravely guarding her dying mother who had collapsed because she had been shot by poachers. Defenceless and clearly frightened, Zongoloni was trying to keep her mother safe, as she was unable to stand. It was clear she had tried though, her scuff marks in the dirt.

With no hope of recovery for her mum, and with Zongoloni still milk dependent, a rescue team made up of elephant Keepers from The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust allowed her to have a last feed and her final moments with her mother, before taking her into their care.

Ivory poaching kills one elephant every 22 minutes across Africa.

Taking the lives of mothers, like Zongoloni's, young elephants and old Tuskers, the killing is indiscriminate. And it leaves behind orphaned babies like Zongoloni who, with no help, have no hope of survival. Devastatingly, without action to stop it, ivory poaching could wipe out Africa's elephants within our lifetime. We can't bear a future without elephants and that's why we are running for their lives.

We want to ensure the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust can be there for any orphaned elephant in need offering a safe haven, a second chance at life and importantly, a new family. Every orphaned elephant needs intensive care for the first few weeks including veterinary care which can include IV drips, regular milk fees, warmth, shelter and 24/7 companionship. When the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rescued Zongoloni, she was so traumatised and deep in grief that it took several weeks for her to build bonds with her rescuers. Thankfully, she soon realised that despite the violence caused by human poachers, her human carers could be trusted.

But we don't just want to ensure that orphaned elephants can have a second chance. We want to stop poachers destroying other elephant families too and fund projects to help keep wild herds safe. At the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, thirteen De-Snaring Teams, five Mobile Vet Units and a skilled team of pilots work 24/7, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service, to keep wild elephants including ex-orphans safe.

How your fundraising can help the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust:

• Just $20/ £15 can ensure the younger orphan elephants stay warm with a lined blanket.
• $60/ £45 can fund a Mobile Vet Unit for a day, providing urgent treatment.
• $660/ £500 can fund the care of an orphan elephant for an entire month.
• $2000/ £1,500 could fund the rescue of a vulnerable, orphaned baby elephant.

Zongoloni is now learning how to live life as a wild elephant at the Sheldrick Trust's Umani Reintegration Unit. In a few years, she'll gradually made the transition back to a wild life. By running today, we can give her a safe and protected wild future and give other orphans the chance at a wild life too.

If you want to find out more about the work we're doing, visit www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org.