On the morning of 12th November 2025, ex-orphan Naipoki arrived at the Voi stockades with her best friend, Rorogoi, and a tiny baby boy. She had given birth in the early hours and, as is tradition among our new mums, journeyed home to share the joy with the people who raised her.

We knew Naipoki’s due date was nigh: Although she is leading an entirely wild life, she pops by Voi regularly. After an absence of several months, she showed up mid-October, looking like she could give birth any minute.

The dependent herd couldn’t contain their excitement to find a newborn in their midst — and to add to their luck, Naipoki was a generous mum who was happy for everyone to meet her son. We named him Nsimba. Taking full advantage of the situation, the orphans jostled around their brand new friend, cosseting him in a tangle of trunks.

Mbegu and her semi-independent cohort were also present. Although they now live wild, they continue to link up with the dependent herd most mornings — and this was a morning they were not about to miss! Elephants big and small surrounded Nsimba with great fanfare, relishing every minute with the tiny baby.

Apparently, a seed was planted — because the next morning, a monumental kidnapping ensued. Overwrought with baby fever, Mbegu took leave of her senses. We believe she was a bit envious of Naipoki’s new boy and decided to claim every available baby to her side!

We awoke at dawn to find Naipoki, Nsimba, Rorogoi, Mbegu, Godoma, Tagwa, Tamiyoi, Ngilai, Murit, Ndotto, and Lasayen waiting outside the stockades. They enjoyed breakfast with the dependent herd, as usual, before everyone travelled as one into the bush. But then, without warning, Mbegu whisked away 12 of the ‘Voi Kids.’ One minute, Juni, Akina, Hildana, Kilulu, Seri, Itinyi, Dabida, Ushindi, Baraka, Epiya, Sholumai, and Mushuru were ensconced in the herd — the next, they were gone.

This was the biggest kidnapping in the history of our orphans and it was a very concerning situation. While Mbegu is a responsible leader, the Voi Kids are still milk-dependent, attached to their stockade routine, and vulnerable to lions — especially Sholumai and Mushuru, who only graduated from the Nursery in May. If they had made the decision to leave our care, that would be one thing, but because they had been beguiled by baby-crazy Mbegu, we knew we had to shepherd our youngsters back home.

While our pilot scouted from the skies, our Keepers fanned out on the ground, scouring the ex-orphans’ favourite haunts in the area. After many hours of searching, we finally had a breakthrough: Late in the afternoon, the Keepers found Mbegu, Tagwa, Lasayen, Ngilai, Murit, Rorogoi, Naipoki, and Nsimba hanging out beneath a copse of tamarind trees, sheepishly cocooning Sholumai and Mushuru! The other ex-orphans had clearly peeled off with the remaining 10 truants.

We were rather at a loss, because Sholumai and Mushuru flatly refused to leave baby Nsimba. But then, Naipoki heroically stepped up. With Mushuru, Sholumai, and her newborn by her side, she followed the Keepers back to the stockades, with Rorogoi, Murit, Lasayen, Tagwa, and Mbegu bringing up the rear. It must be said that Mbegu showed no contrition for all the havoc she had orchestrated, but she did join the convoy without hesitation — perhaps she realised she had bitten off more responsibility than she could bear!

As the group made the slow journey back to the stockades, we were treated to a very unexpected surprise. Down by the Voi River, we spotted Mweya and her ex-orphan herd, who hadn’t been seen since March.

We wanted to stop and say hello, but we were on a mission. The convoy continued on its way back to Voi, hoping that Mweya and co. would visit the stockades for a proper reunion. In a long line of large elephants and one teeny calf, we frogmarched our girls home.

But our worries were far from over, as the missing ten were still unaccounted for. And then, just before midnight, sensible Godoma delivered Juni, Akina, Hildana, Kilulu, Itinyi, Ushindi, Seri, Dabida, Baraka, and Epiya back to the stockades. With all truants now home and the herd complete, we could breathe a sigh of relief.

Now that the kidnapping drama is behind us, we can fully celebrate that our Voi creche is blessed by a beautiful new baby. We have known Naipoki since she was just two months old. To see our fragile orphan morph into a confident, competent new mother is a triumph indeed.

Naipoki was rescued in 2010. She had suffered a terrible ordeal: After being rescued from a well, an attempt to reunite her with her herd failed and she fell in the same well a second time. This time, she was attacked by predators. She emerged battered, bruised, weak, and traumatised. Yet despite everything she endured, Naipoki has always been an even-keeled, loving elephant. Nsimba is lucky to have her as a mother.

And so, this was our wonderful-yet-dramatic saga! A new Voi grandbaby came with a massive kidnapping, but all ended well and wonderfully.