During a morning patrol, our pilot spotted two elephants with arrow wounds. Mid-flight to the scene, we received an urgent call from the Kenya Wildlife Service: An infant elephant was trapped in a well. His frantic mother was standing guard outside, too panicked to let anyone near enough to rescue him.

There wasn't a moment to lose. We diverted mid-mission.

Pilot Hamish dropped the team at a nearby waterhole, then used the helicopter to shepherd the mother away from the scene, keeping her at a safe distance. On the ground, Roan leapt into the well and, with a few determined pushes, managed to heave the calf to freedom — no small feat for a baby weighing an estimated 120 kilograms.

The baby bolted toward his mother. From above, the helicopter guided them together until they happily reunited. Mission accomplished — but the day wasn't over yet! The team turned back to their original task: helping the two arrowed elephants. Both were successfully darted and treated by the SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit, rounding out the afternoon with three successful, life-saving operations.

A note about the wells: These wells are located on private community land in the remote southern Tsavo ecosystem, where each is individually owned. We continue to work with landowners on protective solutions, and in the meantime, our teams patrol the area regularly to ensure no elephant goes unnoticed.