It all unfolded yesterday evening, when our Ops Room received reports that a young elephant had become trapped inside a water breather along the Mzima Springs Pipeline. We mobilised our nearest SWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Team, who coordinated with the KWS Manyani Team at the scene.

It was a wrenching sight: The young elephant was lodged headfirst inside the hole — a claustrophobic, inescapable trap. His herd was nearby, stressed but helpless.

The team first shepherded the herd a short distance away, so they could safely get to work. It was a challenging situation, because the calf was wedged so tightly inside the breather. Dusk came and went, then darkness, and still they continued. After more than an hour of inch-by-inch progress, they finally pulled him free at 20:00 hrs.

The calf was numb from his time inside but otherwise unharmed. The team watched over him as he rested and got his bearings. Before long, he stood up, responded to calls from his nearby herd, and successfully reunited with his family.

This was a difficult operation with the best possible outcome — a wild life saved and a family kept together.