ORPHAN PROFILE FOR: LOISABA

A female calf born approx. January 1998; Estimated age on arrival, 18 months. This female calf was undoubtedly a victim of poaching, the body of her dead mother having been found minus tusks on Loisaba Ranch in Laikipia district. 4 inches of the calf’s trunk had been sliced clean off, probably slashed by the poachers finding her presence by the body of her dead mother a nuisance when they turned up to hack the tusks from the carcase. Having been rescued, she was sedated and flown directly to Tsavo to join the other orphans, but on arrival, all she wanted to do was to kill every human in sight. The other orphans calmed her, but she has never lost her distrust of humans, and although she accepts the presence of the Keepers, she does so reluctantly and grudgingly. Because of the horrors she has been exposed to in her short life, she remains fearful around humans, but is a loving little elephant, who became devoted to Malaika, and suffered yet another tragedy when Malaika died during childbirth. Currently she is with Emily, and has struck up a close friendship with Mweiga. But, the grieving for her mother, and then Malaika, lasted for a long time, and it is only recently that Loisaba has literally begun to "come to life". Due to the handicap of her shortened trunk, and the loss of its "fingers", she is isolated in the stockades in the evening so that she can partake of her ration of Copra (Coconut) without competition from the others who are better equipped.