At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the Kenya Wildlife Service reported elephants stuck in mudflats off tributaries from Kilifi Creek, a tidal creek that flows into the nearby Indian Ocean. Ground teams rushed to the location, but due to the difficult terrain they had to abandon their vehicles 1.5 kilometres from the site and make the rest of the journey on foot.

The SWT helicopter an more of our team flew down to the coast to assess the situation. They confirmed from the air that it was 280 metres from where the bulls were stuck to viable hard ground. Time and poor accessibility was going to be an issue — there was only one small access track running down a ridgeline — and in operations like these, every minute counts.

With darkness approaching, it was too late to begin the extraction operation, but that night we set the wheels in motion: A bulldozer was dispatched on a low loader truck and we procured a long length of rope to pull out the elephants. The real mission would begin the next morning.

At first light, the helicopter flew the SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit to the site and ground teams rigged up the equipment. First came the task of excavating the mud around each bull by hand. This allowed rope to be fitted underneath their bodies, which would then be attached to the bulldozer.

As soon as the bulldozer arrived, it was all systems go. One bull was clearly ebbing away, so we turned our attention to him first. He was stuck on his side, which allowed the bulldozer to pull him out fairly easily. Tragically, however, he proved to be too far gone and died shortly after reaching solid ground. It was a heartbreaking turn of events.

However, we could still save one life. The second bull was much more stuck, which, perversely, worked in his favour. He was trapped at such an angle that he couldn't even attempt to free himself, as the first bull had clearly been trying to do for hours sapping all his strength. Thanks to his immobility, he wasn't able to over-exert himself, preserving precious energy reserves.

His position may have been his saving grace, but it also made it very difficult to pull him. Dragging a five-ton animal is always a challenge, but especially with 250 metres of rope that has to wend its way through mangrove trunks and thick bush. Time and again, the rope snapped as the elephant's pressure took hold.

It was getting late, but we gathered several webbing straps from our Kaluku stores, which we would link together to cover the distance required. We flew them down to the scene so we could continue our battle to save the bull at first light.

We kept trying until it was completely dark. The teams disbanded to get some rest before the next morning's attempt, while the bull was given full ranger protection overnight.

Please note that the above film shows the mission from Wednesday onwards.

The day began on a sombre note. The first bull's death was extremely upsetting for all present, and while the other bull had survived the night, we were feeling the tick of time.

The webbing tethered together did the trick — with a mighty pull, the bulldozer hauled the bull out of the mud and onto solid ground. He was exhausted, disoriented, and clearly distressed by the loss of his companion.

After giving him time to see his fallen friend, the helicopter and ground teams attempted to shepherd him away from the mudflats. He was very reluctant to move, and while they managed to push him out of immediate danger, he flatly refused to leave the area. Given what he had already been through, we were cautious of further taxing him. We left him with plenty of water so he could rest, rehydrate, and move on when he felt physically able.

Late that night, however, we learned of a troubling development: The bull had gotten himself stuck again, this time in a tidal creek a bit further from the original location. We would be returning to Kilifi Creek the following morning.

By now it was day four of the operation, and everyone gathered with a strong sense of deja vu. Although the bull was stuck in a new location, he was in an equally inaccessible spot.

The original bulldozer had been released after the successful extraction the day before and was now halfway to Lamu. Without time to position our own equipment, a second bulldozer closer to the action was sourced overnight. On the back of a low-loader truck, it slowly made its way to the area, winding along sandy tracks to get as close as it could to the site. Still, 170 metres stood between the bull and solid ground.

Dr Limo of the SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit administered several rounds of drips, which helped replenish the bull's sapped energy. The tide was out, which favoured the mission, but it was a race against time because we knew his strength was fast ebbing away. The team hand-dug around him and looped straps around his body, then snaked them through the mangroves and to the waiting bulldozer. It hummed into action and hauled him 170 metres to safety.

Freedom came not a moment too soon: Just 30 minutes later, the tides came in and the creek filled with water. Had the bull still been stuck, he would have drowned.

The bull got to his feet, collected himself… and immediately set about chasing everyone in his immediate vicinity. This was a promising sign; it showed that thanks to the drips there was still some fight in him yet. In a moving display of loyalty, he again tried to return to the location where he lost his friend, but we were ready. Working in tandem, the helicopter and ground teams pushed him to his escape route.

Three SWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Teams and KWS personnel shadowed the bull while he gathered himself in the mangroves. At 10 o’clock that night, when most humans were sleeping, he made his streak through community lands overnight. The ground teams followed him over 35 kilometres, making sure he and the communities remained safe. He made several food and water stops along the way, replenishing his spent reserves. After witnessing the brutal ordeal this animal went through, everyone involved was left marveling at the resilience and strength of elephants.

Finally, after a harrowing four days, he was safe.

Leave no elephant behind. As this mission so heart-wrenchingly demonstrated, it's an ethos that elephants live by. It's also a mission that guides our conservation work.

This operation tested even the most seasoned members of our team. But in elephant conservation, every sliver of hope must be pursued — no matter how great the challenge. While the loss of the first bull was a devastating setback, it only further galvanised us to save his friend. Our survivor looked to be in his mid-twenties, which means that he still has the prime of his life ahead of him.

Elephants are trying to keep up in a changing world, as fragmentation and habitat loss disrupt the routes they've mapped through generations. But there is hope: Elephants are also incredibly resilient creatures. If we just give them the support they need, they can withstand almost anything. As we work with the KWS, communities, and conservation partners to secure vulnerable wildernesses, we will also be there to help any elephant who loses their way.

Our thanks to Iain Olivier / Imara Studios for providing the footage of this operation and to our friends on the coast, Hussein and Captain Andy, who helped us and KWS make this rescue a success.