Aug 16th 2026
Meet Bumpy: How One Wildlife Sanctuary Is Giving Orphaned Animals a Second Chance
Every once in a while, you come across a story that reminds you how powerful compassion can be.
For us, it was Bumpy.
A tiny orphaned hippo whose life was forever changed because someone chose to help.
But Bumpy's story is really part of something much bigger.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
For more than four decades, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting some of Africa's most vulnerable wildlife.
They're best known for their work with orphaned elephants. Each year, elephant calves that have lost their mothers are brought to the Trust's nursery, where they're cared for around the clock. Every bottle feeding, every blanket, and every overnight watch is part of the careful process of raising an orphaned elephant and giving them another chance at life.
Many of those elephants eventually return to protected wilderness, where they can live as wild elephants again.
And Then There Was Bumpy
While elephants are what many people associate with the Trust, they also step in when other wildlife desperately needs help.
That's how Bumpy arrived.
After losing his mother, he became one of the youngest hippos ever cared for by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Hippos are incredibly social animals, and young calves depend on their mothers for nearly everything. Without constant care, Bumpy wouldn't have survived.
Love Looks Different in Every Species
One of our favorite parts of Bumpy's story isn't just his rescue.
It's the relationship he shares with his keepers, Festus and Jackson.
He follows them everywhere. He watches their every move. At night, he sleeps beside them.
It's a simple reminder that healing often begins with patience, trust, and someone showing up every single day.
Why Stories Like This Matter
The work of organizations like the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is only possible because people around the world choose to support it.
Sometimes that's through adopting an orphaned elephant. Sometimes it's through a donation. And sometimes it's through choosing gifts with a purpose that help support organizations doing extraordinary work.
More Than a Gift
At Our Green House, we've always believed a beautiful gift can also create something beautiful beyond the moment it's opened.
That's why every gift basket supports one of 20 carefully chosen charitable organizations, including the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
We don't tell these stories because we want credit. We tell them because remarkable organizations deserve to be known.
If one thoughtful gift helps introduce someone to the work they're doing, that's something worth sharing.
Make Your Gift Do More
The right gift can celebrate someone you love and create a little good beyond that moment, too. Whether you’re welcoming a new baby, thanking someone special, recognizing a client, or simply letting someone know you care, choose something thoughtful, personal, and made with purpose.
When you’re ready to send something that means more, create a gift with Our Green House that gives back.