It had been nearly five years since Umani Springs received a graduating class. Umani is intentionally the smallest of our Reintegration Units, a place where physically compromised orphans and their friends could thrive in a supportive, more intimate environment. Its last graduates — Kiasa, Kiombo, and Maktao — arrived in 2021, providing a much-needed balm in the wake of Luggard’s heartbreaking death.

A lot has changed since then. While most of the original herd now lives wild, our Umani family is as tight-knit as ever. The ‘Nightclubbers’ — the semi-wild orphans, led by Sonje and Lima Lima — spend their nights out in the forest, but reliably link up with the Murera and the dependent herd most mornings. Murera, Lima Lima, Sonje, and Zongoloni now have babies of their own. Little Mwana, Lenny, Sulwe, and Zigi light up our lives every day.

Meanwhile, back in Nairobi, we were planning the next step for three special girls: Kerrio, rescued in August 2021, was left behind when her herd fled gunfire in northern Kenya. Only after she arrived at the Nursery did we realise that her hind legs were semi-paralysed, dragging behind her as she attempted to take a few feeble steps. It took many months, but she slowly regained use of her limbs and now walks normally. Over the years, she has become an excellent mini matriarch, big-hearted and friends with everyone.

Latika, rescued in October 2021, was abandoned in the drought. She cut a tragic figure, trying to join herds who showed little interest in her. Only when she was rescued did we discover the additional cruel twist of fate she had been dealt: around her neck was a poacher’s wire snare, cinched tight. Latika blossomed into a quirky, ornery girl — caring but also quick to play favourites.

Kamili, also rescued in October 2021, was another victim of the drought. She was discovered by our field works manager at the eleventh hour, dehydrated and emaciated. Kamili was plagued with health issues, and it wasn’t until nearly two full years after her rescue that her condition finally started to improve. She is an eccentric young elephant who resolutely marches to the beat of her own drum. While she recently became interested in nannying, she is equally happy to do her own thing.

While our girls are thriving today, they all have challenging histories. As the time came to plan for their futures, we thought they would be perfect candidates for the gentle environment of Umani Springs. Kerrio, in particular, was showing telltale signs that she had outgrown the Nursery. She would often drift away from the baby herd, keeping her own company and encouraging the junior mini matriarchs to take on more leadership duties.

Ironically, while Kerrio showed the greatest signs of readiness for a move, she was also our least cooperative trainee. In all our practice sessions, she flatly refused to step aboard the moving truck, resolutely drinking her milk bottle on firm ground with one beady eye fixed on her empty moving compartment. We suspected part of this reluctance was because she knew it was just a dress rehearsal.

Early in the morning on 15th December, our Nursery family gathered to usher the girls onto their next chapter. As we hoped and predicted, Kerrio put up very little resistance. In fact, it was Kamili who kicked up the greatest fuss! But with a little coaxing and a small dose of Stressnil, all three girls were safely loaded into their compartments and on their way to the Kibwezi Forest. Two of their favourite Nursery Keepers, Peter and Peterson, joined them for the journey. The trip was slow and steady, punctuated by regular stops for milk bottles and snacks. Kerrio, Latika, and Kamili were calm passengers and seemed entirely unperturbed by the unusual morning.

We always marvel at how the orphans seem to intuit when new graduates are arriving. This time was no different. As usual, Murera and her team emerged from the stockades and enjoyed pellets outside. Lima Lima and the other nightclubbers arrived a little later than usual, which delayed the herd’s normal departure into the forest. Instead, everyone loitered a stone’s throw from the stockades. It was as if they knew that they shouldn’t travel far!

When they heard the truck making its way through the forest, Murera and Lima Lima rallied the troops and made their way back to the stockades. It had been almost half a decade since the last graduation, but they understood exactly what was happening. The truck parked at the loading bay and the elephants converged in a chorus of rumbles and trumpets. Little Lenny, Mwana, Sulwe, and Zigi, who had not yet witnessed a graduation, ran towards the truck with their tiny trunks aloft. Murera led the procession, as was appropriate for the Umani leader. Mwashoti was so excited that he walked right up to the truck doors, trying to figure out how to let the girls out himself!

Wading through a sea of elephants, the Keepers ushered everyone aside so the girls could have some space. Kerrio, Latika, and Kamili were let out of their compartments and given welcoming bottles of milk. As soon as they finished, the nannies gathered around them again to continue introductions. Mwana seemed equal parts intrigued and jealous to have newcomers in the mix — she kept giving them tiny headbutts, only to then embrace them with her trunk!

The rest of the day passed wonderfully. In fact, any onlooker would never have guessed that three members of the herd had only arrived that morning. The girls took to Umani like ducks to water. They eagerly tucked into the delicious greens, acquainted themselves with elephants big and small, and followed the lead of their new friends. After having their mid-afternoon milk bottles, they dove into the biggest swimming pool they had ever experienced. Kamili and Kerrio showed particularly strong swimming skills, impressing even Enkesha and Amali.

Our girls have now spent the better part of a month at Umani. They are thriving in their new home and it feels like they have been there forever. All three are absolutely besotted with babies Lenny, Sulwe, and Zigi — although they are realising that there is a firm nanny hierarchy in place!

Kiasa is particularly steely when it comes to Zigi, blocking ‘her’ precious baby from spending too much time with the new girls. She might have met her match in Kamili, who shares a similarly determined personality. One morning, she observed Kamili engaging with Zigi. She immediately dropped the branch she was snacking on and body-blocked the baby. She would rather abandon her tasty snack than allow Kamili to take Zigi. As a precautionary measure, Kiasa then shepherded Zigi even further from his mother, to keep him out of Kamili’s reach.

Fortunately, Lenny and Sulwe are far more accessible. On mornings when Lima Lima and her team are delayed in arriving, Kerrio, Latika, and Kamili search high and low for the babies. Amali is also grappling with a bit of jealousy, as she was used to being the uncontested junior nanny, but Murera is helping her learn how to open her heart to the new graduates.

Latika and Kamili still look to Kerrio as their team leader, trusting and respecting her as they did in the Nursery. Since arriving at Umani, Kerrio has continued to guide them as a little team. When she rumbles, the girls listen. We think that Kerrio will learn a lot from the elder matriarchs here at Umani.

Meanwhile, all is well at the Nursery. The morning the girls graduated was very interesting: The moment she was let out, Muridjo — the now-eldest girl — did a very intentional round of the compound, stopping at each stable and stockade. It was as if she was reassuring everyone and announcing that she was the Nursery’s new leader. There was truly no adjustment period among the orphans. No one was off-colour or upset; they seemed to understand that there had been a changing of the guard, but all was well.

In the four years they spent at the Nursery, Kerrio, Latika, and Kamili healed physically and emotionally. All three girls were hard-won success cases, from paralysis to plaguing health problems. But they are also reminders that every sliver of hope must be pursued. The big, healthy elephants standing before us today are living, breathing proof of that fact.

Our Umani herd is a unique one. Even once they reclaim their place in the wild — a process that will unfold at a pace of their choosing — the girls will likely choose to remain part of Murera’s tight-knit family, just like Lima Lima, Sonje, Zongoloni, Quanza, and Kiasa. Wherever their journeys take them, we will be there to support them, every step of the way.