Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna leave their home in England to care take a house in Kenya; Landing in Nairobi they have to travel 150 miles through the wilderness to get to the house, using a very temperamental Land Rover 2 series. They are able to cope with the primitive amenities, made up for by the stunning landscape that surrounds the compound. One morning they awake to find three young elephants bumbling around the grounds causing mischief. They name the two larger elephants Kadengi and Jaspar, and the smaller elephant Pole Pole; Swahili for "Slowly Slowly", pronounced Po-lee Po-lee. After having visited George Adamson (A conservationist who suggests the elephants have "adopted" the couple) they return to find Pole Pole has moved in and made herself comfortable on the property. The couple subsequently bond with the young elephant, building a wallow for her on the grounds and even taking evening walks together. As their house sitting duties end Travers and McKenna leave feeling confident the three elephants will join a nearby herd.
This is the real life story told by the 1969 film "an elephant called slowly" starring the real Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna as themselves. Pole Pole had originally been captured and earmarked as a gift for the London Zoo and was only borrowed from the Tsavo National Park for filming. Upon completion of filming Pole Pole was to be transported to England. Travers and McKenna protested this decision in an effort to reintroduce Pole Pole to the wild. The response was initially positive, however it become apparent that another elephant would have to take Pole Pole's place if she were returned to the wild. It seemed pointless to save Pole Pole only to subject another elephant to the same distress and trauma. As a result Pole Pole was taken to the London Zoo and placed in the infamous concrete Elephant House.
Living in almost complete solidarity for almost 15 years made Pole Pole "difficult to handle", creating a concern for zoo officials which led to discussions about euthanising her if the situation did not improve. This was brought to Travers and McKenna's attention by Dr Dame Daphne Sheldrick, the senior warden at Tsavo National Park who originally lent Pole Pole for the film . Returning to London Zoo they found Pole Pole pacing alone at the rear of the enclosure, however as they shouted her name they were instantly recognised and she rushed across to greet them.
"I recall this moment with a mixture of fondness and sadness" added Virginia, "it broke our hearts to see her alone and so far removed from what should have been her home, and her family, in Africa". Immediately they campaigned for Pole Pole to be returned to Kenya but the zoo refused. Eventually it was decided that Pole Pole would be moved to Whipsnade Wildlife Park, where she could again live as part of a herd; where she belonged. The attempt to relocate her did not go as planned with Pole Pole collapsing in the travel crate, injuring her foot in the process. She was sedated a week later for a veterinary exam, however it was concluded Pole Pole had 'lost the will to live' and on the 17th of October 1983 she was euthanised.
"How can it be right to drag animals away from their families in their homelands and put them into a totally alien environment, like a traffic-choked European city, where they become so damaged by captivity?" -Virginia McKenna
Virginia and Bill were determined that Pole Pole would not die in vain, together with their son they set up Zoo Check; a watchdog organisation promoting captive wildlife issues.30 years later (as the successor to Zoo Check) the Born Free Foundation continues the movement started by Pole Pole, by working tirelessly to ensure all wild animals are treated with compassion and are able to live according to their needs. We have an option to donate to Born Free with all our shirts, but you can also head over to https://www.bornfree.org.uk/about-us find out more about their work and how you can support them.
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