Dr Lawi darted Zurura at the mud bath and the team eased him to the ground. Fortunately, the wound was shallow, with no arrowhead lodged inside. After cleaning the site and treating it with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, Zurura was revived. He slowly got to his feet and rejoined Tomboi, his friend and fellow ex-orphan who had accompanied him to Ithumba that morning. Dr Lawi is confident he will make a full recovery.

We know that these situations can be unsettling. Given the nature of the injury, we suspect it was the result of human-wildlife conflict rather than poaching. There is a heartening aspect to the story: Zurura has been living wild for well over a decade now, but he still knows exactly where to find help when he needs it. He was in otherwise excellent condition and is growing into a very impressive elephant.