The team who found him was a joint patrol between Kenya Wildlife Service and Wildlife Works, an umbrella organization involved in supporting the management of 14 ranches in the area through the sale of carbon credits from the land.

Rukinga was brought to the local patrol base and there, bewildered, he was tethered to a tree. A film crew studying the effects of poaching in the area joined him, and kept him company until the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Team from the Voi Rehabilitation Unit was called to collect him in their vehicle.

Meanwhile the Nairobi rescue team was deployed and flew to meet the Voi Keepers on the ground in order to collect the calf and bring him to the Nursery Unit, joining the other young orphans at the rehabilitation centre in Nairobi. He is very young, we think approximately three weeks, but is a huge calf, almost the size of Barsilinga and he totally dwarfs little Kinango. His arrival was initially met with a luke warm reception from the older Nursery orphans who tended to shun him for little Kinango. He did not seem overly distressed by this though having battened onto the Keepers by this stage. However over time Sonje and Murera have taken him under their wings and he is now basking in their love. Murera is the oldest orphan in the Nursery and now that she has healed it has been amazing to watch her change, from being reclusive during her wounded months, preferring the company of her Keepers and Orwa only, later Sonje too, and now she is a boisterous member of the Nursery herd, and even with the capacity to show maternal instinct towards the new little calf who has settled in well and seems totally content with his new elephant family.