On 2nd May 2026, the Kenya Wildlife Service Vet and Capture team received reports of an infant orphaned hippo at Oloiden Resort in Naivasha. They arrived to find a pint-sized calf nestled beside his mother's lifeless body. He clearly didn't understand the situation; he was calling out to his mother and nudging her with his blunt little nose, desperately hoping for a response.

Based on the level of decomposition, the mother had been dead for over a day, possibly even longer. The vets believe that she died of natural causes, likely in a territorial fight. It is very possible that she died protecting her calf, as infanticide is common in hippo society. After her death, her baby remained by her side, confused and with nowhere else to go.

The KWS team did a heroic job rescuing the little orphan in a logistically challenging situation. Our SWT/KWS Rift Valley Mobile Vet Unit drove him down to Nairobi, where he was handed over to our care. We named him Bumpy.

Bumpy spent his first night at the Nairobi Nursery, where he was fed a warm bottle of milk and swaddled in a cherry red blanket. Keeper Simon put his mattress on the ground and the tiny hippo nestled by his side. After his fraught ordeal, he finally felt at peace and slept soundly in the crook of Simon's arm. He was clearly desperate for comfort and connection and remained glued to his Keepers from that moment onwards.

At first light the next morning, Taru flew to collect him. Bumpy was secured in the backseat of the helicopter, tucked beneath a blanket. He seemed largely unfazed by the whole ordeal — in fact, he scrambled into Keeper Joseph's lap and spent the flight down to Kaluku chattering in little hippo grunts.

Kaluku is an excellent place to raise an orphaned hippo. The Athi River is home to several resident pods, and when he is old enough, we hope that Bumpy will join their ranks. But for now, he has a lovely pool to paddle in. True to hippo form, spends a lot of the day submerged — but never alone. A rather waterlogged Keeper is by his side throughout the day, in the water or on the ground.

Bumpy loves to nap in the shade on his mattress, as long as there is a Keepers’ lap to rest his head in! We also got him a bulbous bean bag, which he adores — it must feel like mum. He is a very snuggly creature and is happiest when nestled on or against someone.

Bumpy is already hooked on his Keepers. He follows them around like a shadow, grunting noisily with every step. He is a very chatty fellow and keeps up a steady stream of conversation. Being such a young baby, he rests plenty and sleeps most soundly when cuddled alongside a Keeper.

Bumpy is not the only hippo at Kaluku: he joins Musumbi, who is nearly a year old. The boys have their own individual areas, but are aware of each other's presence. Musumbi regarded him with a disinterested sniff, then plodded back into his pool. Bumpy only has eyes for his Keepers right now.

Baby hippos are such enchanting little creatures. Bumpy is particularly adorable, with his bright button eyes and constant chatter. It's still very early days, but we wanted to share his story as it unfolds.