Icholta
Now living wild, though she continues to visit us regularly
About Icholta
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Current age
25 years old
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Gender
Female
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Rescued date
1 September 1999
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Rescue location
Northern Kenya, Marsabit National Reserve
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Date of birth (estimate)
1 August 1999
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Reason orphaned
Stuck in mud
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Age at rescue
1 month old (approx)
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Current location
Living Wild
Adopt Icholta for yourself, or as a gift
Icholta's rescue
Estimated to have been between 2 - 6 weeks old when orphaned, and therefore born in August 1999, this little female elephant comes from far-off legendary Marsabit Mountain, where a once beautiful mist forest harbouring many endemic plants and birds today struggles to survive the depredation of a burgeoning human population.
Icholta was rescued from the mud of a drying waterhole of that name, where she was bogged and abandoned by her herd who were unable to risk venturing in to pull her free. She was minute for her age, with soft fuzz on her head and body, but also with good coordination, so we guessed her to be older than she looked.
Like all the infants her beginning was fraught, and she became very emaciated cutting her first molars in the Nairobi Nursery, and we were fearful that she might not be able to pull through, but thankfully she did. Amazingly Icholta right from the get go had a passion for water and savored her mud baths, which is unusual given the reason for her being orphaned in the first place.
Icholta was rescued from the mud of a drying waterhole of that name, where she was bogged and abandoned by her herd who were unable to risk venturing in to pull her free. She was minute for her age, with soft fuzz on her head and body, but also with good coordination, so we guessed her to be older than she looked.
Latest updates featuring Icholta
See all updates
Keepers Diaries
View diary updates from across all our orphan units as written by the Keepers
Edie Becomes a Mother of Four
Voi is in full celebration mode, for Edie is now a mother of four! She debuted her newest arrival late at night on 26th January 2022.
Icholta's Calves
Inca
On 22nd January 2016, Voi Head Keeper, Joseph Sauni, was delivering the midday milk feed for the dependent orphans when he spotted a group of elephants resting under the shade of a tree. Among them was ex orphan Icholta, who had given birth to a perfect little boy whom we have named Inca. Inca is Icholta’s first calf and he’s fortunate to have found a very attentive nanny in ex orphan Mweya. Read more.
Izzy
Our 45th year here at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust began on a very special note. On the morning of 2nd January 2022, Edie and Mweya’s ex orphan herd arrived at Voi. They had been away for nearly a year, so the Keepers had been eagerly anticipating what seems to be their annual pilgrimage “home.” They were delighted to find Icholta in their midst, who hadn’t been seen since February 2019. By her side was her firstborn, Inca, who is now nearly six years old — along with a tiny, days-old addition! Icholta had just given birth and, as has become a time-honoured tradition among our ex orphan mothers, promptly returned home to introduce her newborn to the people who raised her. We have named the baby, who is a lovely little girl, Izzy. Read more.
What's included in your adoption?
By adopting, you play a vital role in the life of an orphaned elephant, rhino, or giraffe — helping us provide the round-the-clock, loving attention each one needs and deserves over many years, so they can ultimately reclaim their place in the wild.
Your adoption supports the 100+ orphans in our care at any given time, covering the cost of milk and food supplies, Keepers' salaries, veterinary treatment, and other essentials.
Personalised adoption certificate
Celebrate your adoption with a personalised certificate, ready for you or your lucky gift recipient to print and display!
Monthly updates
Each month, we send a detailed update about our Orphans’ Project direct to your email inbox, featuring photos, stories, and special highlights.
Exclusive content
From the latest Keepers’ Diaries to a downloadable image gallery and more, adopters have exclusive access to our content library.
Do you have any questions?
Please refer to our FAQs for more information on the Adoption Program. However, if there is any specific question that is not on the FAQs page, feel free to contact us and we will do our best to assist you.
FAQs
