Orphans, Loved and Lost

Every orphan we rescue becomes a part of our family.

In their hour of greatest need, we provide a place of love and hope for fragile orphaned elephants but not everyone makes it through the critical recovery period.

Witnessing the loss of their mother and herd can leave orphaned infant elephants severely traumatised and many arrive in our care with considerable psychological scars and physical injuries. Battling shock and grief for their lost loved ones, during this precarious period their survival hangs in the balance and not all calves make it through. Others have succumbed to underlying health issues despite the very best in veterinary care. Here, we remember those we have loved and lost.

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Name Gender Date born Age on arrival Comments Reason for being orphaned Date of passing
Ajabu Female Wednesday, 3 April 2013 0 weeks Found 3 kilometers from Masinga Hill following tour vans, fate of mother and herd unknown Unknown Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Asanje Female Saturday, 7 April 2012 18 months First reported by the Masai community near the Masai Mara Game Reserve. She later arrived remained near the waterhole at Cotters 1920’s Camp in the Masai Mara. Unknown Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Ashaka Female Thursday, 10 October 2013 3 weeks Found stuck in a drying waterhole by members of the Kenya Wildlife Service Manyani Ranger Training Academy Stuck in mud Friday, 17 April 2015
Balguda Male Monday, 5 December 2011 6 months Was seen very distressed on his own, our Voi Keepers were called and came to rescue the orphan Unknown Friday, 24 June 2016
Barnoti Male Thursday, 4 April 2019 2 years Mother died cause unknown Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Bhaawa Male Wednesday, 15 October 2008 4 months Stuck in mud Sunday, 13 December 2009
Dida Female Monday, 3 September 2007 4 weeks This little calf was rescued having fallen down a man hole on the Mzima Springs waterpipeline Man-made cause for separation Friday, 9 March 2012
Doldol Female Friday, 19 November 2021 0 weeks Unknown Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Dupotto Female Thursday, 6 February 2014 6 months Found abandoned in the Dupoto area Unknown Monday, 19 August 2019
Enasoit Male Thursday, 15 February 2007 2 years Drought related Saturday, 6 February 2010
Galdessa Male Thursday, 15 September 2005 14 months Natural causes Friday, 23 February 2007
Isiolo Male Sunday, 15 February 2009 1 month Found in erosion gulley Saturday, 5 September 2009
Jipe Male Wednesday, 15 September 2004 2 weeks Stuck in mud Monday, 20 December 2004
Kilgoris Male Thursday, 15 December 2005 1 month Separated when crossing river Wednesday, 21 March 2007
Kili Male Wednesday, 13 August 2014 1 week Found on his own Unknown Friday, 12 December 2014
Kimana Male Tuesday, 6 May 2008 3 weeks He wandered into a Maasai Manyatta seeking the company of the cattle. When the Maasai owner’s brother saw the cattle obviously disturbed by something he went to investigate, and to his surprise was confronted with this tiny elephant calf. Man-made cause for separation Sunday, 17 October 2010
Kinango Male Sunday, 5 August 2012 3 weeks He was stranded, hungry and visibly stressed when found walking along the Kwale-Kinango road near the Mwadabawa junction seeking comfort under an abandoned truck Poaching Monday, 15 October 2012
Kudup Female Sunday, 12 April 2009 4 weeks Found trapped in a well in the Milgis Lugga and rescued just before flood waters came down Man-made cause for separation Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Kwale Male Friday, 4 November 2011 10 months Trapped in a man made well Trapped in a well Monday, 28 October 2013
Loisaba Female Thursday, 1 January 1998 2 years Mother was poached for her ivory on Loisaba rance Poaching Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Lorian Male Wednesday, 6 June 2012 3 weeks After being orphaned he strayed into a nearby village who alerted the KWS Man-made cause for separation Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Lorigon Male Wednesday, 1 July 2020 19 months Drought related Monday, 27 June 2022
Luggard Male Sunday, 1 November 2015 4 months Luggard was spotted near the Galana River still in the company of his herd. He had a swollen leg so the Vet Unit was called in for treatment. It transpired the leg was broken, shattered by bullets, and he had to be rescued for intensive medical care Human-Wildlife Conflict Tuesday, 11 May 2021
Maalim Male Wednesday, 17 December 2008 2 weeks Found abandoned Man-made cause for separation Monday, 18 October 2010
Maarifa Female Wednesday, 31 October 2018 0 weeks Stuck in mud Monday, 25 March 2019
Maisha Female Sunday, 6 November 2016 9 months Found alone and in a state of collapse near a water hole Drought related Saturday, 26 June 2021
Makosa Male Sunday, 1 August 1999 3 weeks His mother was translocated from Nairobi National Park, and due to drugs had no milk when her calf was born. Orphaned during relocation Friday, 21 October 2005
Maralal Female Thursday, 2 February 2012 1 month She was found by the community members having fallen down a man-made well Trapped in a well Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Mawenzi Female Wednesday, 15 October 2008 3 months Trapped in a well Sunday, 8 August 2010
Merru Male Tuesday, 5 December 2017 9 months Found in a deep quarry with no other elephants around and in distress Human-Wildlife Conflict Wednesday, 7 November 2018
Milgis Female Monday, 9 February 2009 0 weeks Found in erosion gulley Monday, 23 February 2009
Mumbushi Male Thursday, 12 May 2011 2 months He was found alone and injured by a cattle herder in the Mt. Kenya forest near the Hombe river. Poaching Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Mweiga Female Thursday, 1 October 1998 6 months Herd driven out of a settlement in Mweiga where she was left behind Problem animal control Saturday, 22 December 2007
Narripi Male Friday, 15 July 2005 1 month Trapped in a well Tuesday, 4 October 2005
Nchan Female Sunday, 15 February 2009 2 months Trapped in a well Thursday, 15 April 2010
Ndololo Male Saturday, 1 October 2005 2 weeks Unknown Tuesday, 24 January 2006
Ndomot Male Wednesday, 1 October 2003 1 month Fell into a well dug by tribesmen in a sand lugga at Oldonyo Nyiro Man-made cause for separation Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Nelion Male Tuesday, 26 July 2011 2 years Found on his own with no other elephants in sight Unknown Monday, 24 August 2020
Nyika Male Thursday, 29 September 2011 9 months Found wandering alone Poaching Thursday, 20 September 2012
Oldepe Male Tuesday, 15 January 2019 2 years Drought related Wednesday, 7 December 2022
Olkeju Male Sunday, 15 March 2009 1 month Natural causes Saturday, 18 July 2009
Pesi Male Saturday, 15 August 2009 0 weeks Unknown Friday, 13 November 2009
Rama Male Wednesday, 8 November 2017 3 years Unknown Tuesday, 21 June 2022
Rukinga Male Tuesday, 4 September 2012 3 weeks He was seen on his own by an anti-poaching team while on patrol on Mgeno Ranch Unknown Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Sabachi Male Tuesday, 2 September 2008 5 months He was discovered by Aden the gardener when he walked into the grounds of Serara Lodge, Man-made cause for separation Wednesday, 10 September 2014
Salaita Male Monday, 15 September 2008 2 years He was discovered abandoned with no trace of elephants in the area Unknown Thursday, 11 November 2010
Sasab Male Tuesday, 25 October 2011 2 weeks Got washed down the Ewaso Niro River Natural causes Thursday, 8 December 2011
Selengai Female Saturday, 15 March 2003 1 week Found wondering alone on one of the ranch tracks, fate of mother is unknown Natural causes Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Shaba Male Thursday, 1 January 2009 8 months Human-Wildlife Conflict Monday, 21 December 2009
Shida Male Friday, 1 August 2003 2 months KWS euthanazed his dying mother & rescued him just as hyenas were circling him Natural causes Friday, 18 March 2011