First lady Melania Trump, in the third stop of her Africa tour, fed baby elephants Friday at a national park in Kenya to highlight wildlife conservation efforts.
She fed formula to two of the elephants raised at David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s elephant nursery and orphanage in Nairobi National Park. She also reached out to others, patting one’s back and stroking the ear of another.
“FLOTUS meets an Elephant in the most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world,” Kenya’s State House Secretary Digital Dennis Itumbi tweeted.
Melania Trump also laughed after one of the baby elephants made a sudden move and she momentarily lost her footing.
Her first-ever visit to Africa is also her first extended solo international trip as first lady.
Kenyan first lady Margaret Kenyatta accompanied Trump in the baby elephant feeding.
The goals of Trump’s “Be Best” initiative are similar to those of Kenyatta’s “Beyond Zero,” Kenyan newspaper The Star reported.
Trump began her tour Tuesday in Ghana and continued Thursday in Malawi. After Kenya, she will travel to Egypt.
Kenyatta and former U.S. Ambassador Robert Godec welcomed Trump at Jomo Kenya International Airport on Thursday, Kenya’s Standard Media reported.
“Delighted to receive and welcome US First Lady Melania Trump to #Kenya,” Kenyatta tweeted. “Tomorrow, we will visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust before heading to State House for talks and later the Kenya National Theatre for a showcase of Kenyan creative cultural performances.”
Delighted to receive and welcome US First Lady Melania Trump to #Kenya. Tomorrow, we will visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust before heading to State House for talks and later the Kenya National Theatre for a showcase of Kenyan creative cultural performances | @FLOTUS pic.twitter.com/FT0Suld9pI
— The First Lady Kenya (@FirstLadyKenya) October 4, 2018
A quick safari was planned later Friday as Trump learns more about steps the East African nation is taking to conserve elephants, rhinos, and other wildlife.
She also was expected to visit an orphanage and take in a children’s performance at Nairobi National Theater.
The Egypt stop on her tour will focus on child welfare, education, tourism, and conservation.
Her visit has included promoting the work of the U.S. Agency for International Development, whose funding President Trump has twice proposed slashing by nearly a third. Lawmakers essentially ignored those requests.
This Fox News report is used by permission; the Associated Press contributed.
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