In celebration of World Water Day yesterday (March 22), the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) shared a video of Mwinzi, the baby orphaned elephant, enjoying water from a hosepipe in Tsavo East National Park in Kenya.

Also known as an elephant nursery, it provides a safe haven to orphaned elephant calves rescued by DSWT.

As droughts are growing increasingly severe, the provision of water has never been more important, according to a DSWT Instagram post.

“Every day, our boreholes pump water into troughs and pans within protected areas – and as an added bonus, the majority of our watering points are sustainably powered. We bolster our efforts during the dry season, using our bowsers to ferry water to places that lack adequate resources. This ensures that animals don’t have to leave the safety of the park in search of water and browse, which greatly reduces the risk of human-wildlife conflict,” said DSWT.

Its ‘Water for Wildlife’ projects also turn traditionally waterless parts of Tsavo into viable habitats for all manner of creatures.

“We’ve seen this first-hand with our new Thabangunje borehole and watering point, which has unlocked a previously unvisited sector of the park. Wildlife protectors benefit from these measures, too. For instance, our desalination plant in Ithumba creates potable water for our staff and local animals. It’s a win-win for everyone,” DSWT added.

Click here to watch the video on Instagram of Mwinzi being served water by its caretaker.