In honour of World Elephant Day, 12AUG, the TreadRight Foundation screened National Geographic photographer and TreadRight wildlife ambassador, filmmaker Ami Vitale’s new short film Shaba.
The TreadRight Foundation is the social good/philanthropic arm of The Travel Corporation, the parent company of Insight Vacations, Trafalgar Tours, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and African Travel Inc., among others.
The ten-minute documentary focuses on the orphaned elephant Shaba who was brought into the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Sereolipi, Kenya. The sanctuary is also the only one in Africa run by Indigenous workers.
You can watch the film trailer here:
The screening and subsequent Q&A with Vitale, hosted by the CEO of the The Travel Corporation’s Africa Division Lucille Sive, with African Travel, Inc. and Lion World Travel. Both safari outfitters partner with Reteti Sanctuary.
Vitale had been following Shaba, the sanctuary’s first matriarch, since 2016. Vitale spoke fondly of building a relationship with the traumatized elephant.
“What was very interesting in the beginning, the sound of my camera's shutter has this metallic sound. And I think it must have reminded her of the gun that killed her mother because she wanted to kill me in the beginning,” said Vitale. “I remember the day when I was finally accepted into Shaba’s herd. Just like it does with humans. It took a lot of time to build the trust and the relationship with her.”
The filmmaker also spoke proudly about the women of the sanctuary, and their own relationship to the elephants in their care.
“It is the most beautiful thing to see how these elephants empower them. It's this reciprocal relationship, all helping each other,” she said. “I love all of those people so deeply. They teach me so much every day.”
African Travel, Inc. and Lion World Travel currently bring guests to Reteti Sanctuary on their Kenya safaris. They both offer a sustainable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience, where guests are given a behind the scenes tour of the sanctuary and meet the Samburu women who are breaking barriers while taking care of these orphaned animals.
Further, the companies have committed to donate two bed-time blankets and 3 bottles of milk to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary for every couple that books trips featuring Reteti in 2022.
The value of tickets for Thursday’s exclusive travel media screening was also made as a donation of milk and medical care to Reteti from African Travel Inc. and Lion World Travel.
Vitale hopes the film will raise awareness in its audience about on just how important the animals are. And beyond that, how their choice in travel and activity impacts not only the animals but the environment around them.
“I think it's just really important for people to realize that you need to research the places you're visiting. You can actually be incredibly helpful, or the opposite, incredibly harmful. There's so many unethical places,” she said.
“One big red flag is, if places are allowing you to go and cuddle with animals and take selfies, avoid it, don't go and visit,” she offered as one piece of advice. And another:
"Make sure that all the places you're visiting, that your tourism dollars are going back into the community.”
The film is available for viewing online here for the rest of AUG, for a donation to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.
