Bada

Now living wild, though he continues to visit from time to time

About Bada

  • Current age

    12 years old

  • Gender

    Male

  • Rescued date

    26 August 2014

  • Rescue location

    Tsavo Ecosystem, Tsavo East NP

  • Date of birth (estimate)

    20 August 2012

  • Reason orphaned

    Unknown

  • Age at rescue

    2 years old (approx)

  • Current location

    Living Wild

Adopt Bada for yourself, or as a gift

Bada's rescue

The male orphan elephant calf was first seen alone on 25th August 2014 while coming to drink at the Galana River on Galana ranch. The calf stayed close to the river bank where several herds of wild elephant came and went, but all constantly investigating the little baby. The calf tried several times to join these wild herds but they rejected the little elephant every time making him feel even more abandoned and desperate.

Several hours passed with no sign of the calf’s mother. The Galana Conservancy scouts saw the calf disappear into a nearby bushy area and hoped for the best. He was however sighted the following day desperately looking for water; staying in the area for over two hours while taking refuge from the merciless hot sun by resting under an acacia tree. He looked thin and drawn and cut a tragic figure and it was clear he would not survive without intervention.

The Galana scouts who had been observing the elephant calf established that he was definitely alone and the mother was quite clearly not coming back. The fate of the mother was never confirmed but poaching has been bad in this area so he is suspected to be a poaching victim. The ranch management contacted KWS and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust who got a rescue underway. The Voi Keepers were the closest so it was decided to send a team from there to assess the situation. On arrival the SWT rescue team went into the conservancy and found the scouts already there, keeping a close eye on the calf. What was the challenging part was that the elephant was on a river bank, so trying to catch snd restrain him and move him was extremely difficult. Once the elephant was finally caught the rescue team headed back to Voi, however evening was approaching quickly so most of the drive to Voi was in the dark. The elephant was named Bada after the Orma word for a place of bush, as the elephant was located in a very bushy area.

Bada had no external injuries except a single bruise. He was very dehydrated as he had obviously been without his family for quite some time. He responded well to milk on the second day and enjoyed his grewia branches. The decision was made to raise him in Voi given that he was clearly already over two years old.

Several hours passed with no sign of the calf’s mother. The Galana Conservancy scouts saw the calf disappear into a nearby bushy area and hoped for the best. He was however sighted the following day desperately looking for water; staying in the area for over two hours while taking refuge from the merciless hot sun by resting under an acacia tree. He looked thin and drawn and cut a tragic figure and it was clear he would not survive without intervention.

Latest updates featuring Bada

See all updates

Keepers Diaries

View diary updates from across all our orphan units as written by the Keepers

Read more

Seeing Double: Dual Elephant Treatments

Every day in the field is full of surprises. When we went to treat an injured bull, we prepared for any eventuality — but we didn’t bargain for a back-to-back, twin set of treatments.

Read more

Bada's Latest Photos

Access the most recent photos featuring Bada

View more

What's included in your adoption?

By adopting, you play a vital role in the life of an orphaned elephant, rhino, or giraffe — helping us provide the round-the-clock, loving attention each one needs and deserves over many years, so they can ultimately reclaim their place in the wild.

Your adoption supports the 100+ orphans in our care at any given time, covering the cost of milk and food supplies, Keepers' salaries, veterinary treatment, and other essentials.

Personalised adoption certificate

Celebrate your adoption with a personalised certificate, ready for you or your lucky gift recipient to print and display!

Monthly updates

Each month, we send a detailed update about our Orphans’ Project direct to your email inbox, featuring photos, stories, and special highlights.

Exclusive content

From the latest Keepers’ Diaries to a downloadable image gallery and more, adopters have exclusive access to our content library.

Do you have any questions?

Please refer to our FAQs for more information on the Adoption Program. However, if there is any specific question that is not on the FAQs page, feel free to contact us and we will do our best to assist you.
FAQs

You can also adopt

Chapeyu

Gender

Male

Age

7 years

Unit

Voi

Reason orphaned

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Adopt Chapeyu

Tali

Gender

Male

Age

2 years

Unit

Nairobi Nursery

Reason orphaned

Found alone

Adopt Tali

Itinyi

Gender

Male

Age

6 years

Unit

Voi

Reason orphaned

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Adopt Itinyi

You can also adopt

Chapeyu

Gender

Male

Age

7 years

Unit

Voi

Reason orphaned

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Adopt Chapeyu

Tali

Gender

Male

Age

2 years

Unit

Nairobi Nursery

Reason orphaned

Found alone

Adopt Tali

Itinyi

Gender

Male

Age

6 years

Unit

Voi

Reason orphaned

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Adopt Itinyi