Wendi's Story

She is an Imenti Forest Elephant, and arrived only days old, with a moist umbilical cord, soft black hair on her skin and a tiny short trunk. Being so young, she really had no comprehension yet, other than the fact she needed food and someone bigger to follow and be with.

She was found in a swamp near the all but gone Imenti Forest, all alone, on the morning of 18th September 2002, the rest of the herd having fled, no doubt due to human disturbance. It is likely that her mother was disturbed during childbirth because she was miniscule on arrival with a moist umbilical cord still intact.

Wendi's Story

She is an Imenti Forest Elephant, and arrived only days old, with a moist umbilical cord, soft black hair on her skin and a tiny short trunk. Being so young, she really had no comprehension yet, other than the fact she needed food and someone bigger to follow and be with.

She was found in a swamp near the all but gone Imenti Forest, all alone, on the morning of 18th September 2002, the rest of the herd having fled, no doubt due to human disturbance. It is likely that her mother was disturbed during childbirth because she was miniscule on arrival with a moist umbilical cord still intact. We named her "Wendi", which in the Meru tribal dialect means "Hope" and we have named her thus, hoping that CITES makes the decision to hold the ban on the sale of Ivory, which will bring "hope" for the survival of elephants "hope" that the Imenti elephants will one day have a safe corridor to the forests of Mount Kenya and meet up with lost friends from whom they are now isolated by human settlement, and "hope" that the K.W.S. Warden of Meru, who was responsible for such a very efficient rescue, has a career full of "hope" within the Kenya Wildlife Service and above all, "hope" that little "HOPE" will survive.

Rearing a newborn elephant always presents a challenge, and in Wendi’s case an even greater challenge than most because we feel she never had her mother’s colostrum. One ear was bent down the middle, like a folded piece of parchment, and it is possible the little elephant must have been lying like this in the womb. Little "Wendi" was given powdered Colostrum in her first bottles of milk, just in case she had not had the benefit of her mother's first milk containing all the vital antibodies she needed for survival in a harsh world.

Too young to understand the loss of her elephant mother, she faced the future without the psychological trauma that troubles calves orphaned older. A beautiful elephant that can be assured of love and tender loving care from her adopted human family.

Wendi was moved to Ithumba with Taita, Olmalo, Selengai, Tomboi, Napasha, Kinna, Yatta, Nasalot and Mulika in 2004, and remains in a herd with her wild born baby Wiva with some of the females to this day, led by Yatta.

Adopt Wendi for yourself or as a gift.

Important Note: Thank you for considering an adoption. Each orphan needs more than one foster parent: your adoption donation will be processed by the SWT UK and Kenya to help all the orphans in our care.

Adopt Wendi for yourself or as a gift.

Important Note: Thank you for considering an adoption. Each orphan needs more than one foster parent: your adoption donation will be processed by the SWT UK and Kenya to help all the orphans in our care.

Current Age

21 years old

Gender

Female

Rescued date

18 September 2002

Rescue Location

Meru Region, Imenti Forest

Date of Birth (approximate)

11 September 2002

Reason Orphaned

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Age at Rescue

1 week old (approx)

Current Location

Living Wild

Wendi's featured photos

Our digital adoption programme includes the following:

Personalised adoption certificate.

Monthly email update on your orphan and the project.

Monthly watercolour by Angela Sheldrick.

Access to special content; latest Keepers' Diaries, videos and photos

Give Wendi the gift of life by adopting today.

Wendi's Calves

Meet Wendi's wild born offspring.

Wiva

Female

Born to ex-orphan Wendi, this little girl was named Wiva after the weaver birds, who were busy building their nests in the acacia trees at the Ithumba Reintegration Unit on the very same day of Wiva’s birth. Wendi was so trusting of her former Keepers, allowing Head Keeper Benjamin to meet Wiva when she was just days old. Read more

Wema

Female

Wema is Wendi's second wild-born calf, born during the rainy season in Tsavo East National Park. A little girl, she has a protective older sister in the shape of Wiva, Wendi's first calf who was born in 2015, with whom she is pictured here. Read more

Wimbi

Female

Wimbi, Wendi's third daughter, was born on 8th October 2022 at the height of a severe drought. Despite the harsh conditions in Tsavo, she came into the world plump, energetic, and healthy. She will grow up surrounded by a very experienced mum, two older sisters, and a herd's worth of devoted nannies. Read more

Latest updates featuring Wendi

Our Second Ithumba Great-Grandbaby, Mala

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The Story of Motomo

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Melia's Extraordinary Ithumba Birth

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Wendi's latest photos

Wendi

Little Wimbi and Wendi

Wendi with her babies

Wendi's group leaving the stockade

Wendi and her kids

Wendi's group at Kone Dam

Yatta, Wendi and their group

Wendi and her kids