Dika

Has fully embraced his wild life in Tsavo East National Park

About Dika

  • Current age

    36 years old

  • Gender

    Male

  • Rescued date

    15 October 1988

  • Rescue location

    Tsavo Ecosystem, Taita Ranches

  • Date of birth (estimate)

    1 August 1988

  • Reason orphaned

    Poaching

  • Age at rescue

    2 months old (approx)

  • Current location

    Living Wild

Adopt Dika for yourself, or as a gift

Dika's rescue

This elephant was orphaned whilst his family were migrating from Tsavo West National Park to Tsavo East in 1988, a journey that involved moving through the Taita Hills Sanctuary, and exposure to human presence on private ranchlands.

During this process, the herd ran into a hail of gunfire from armed Somali poachers, who at that period of time, were involved in perpetrating the wholesale slaughter of elephants for their Ivory, an elephant holocaust that reduced the Tsavo ecosystem’s elephant population from 45,000 (utilizing a home range double the size of the Park, i.e. 16,000 square miles) to just 5 – 6,000 terrified and traumatised survivors.

This terrible tragedy that overtook the elephants during 3 decades of rampant and uncontrolled poaching, was mirrored in the demeanor of the calf we named Dika. He became an orphan when just 3 months old, and arrived in the Nairobi Nursery more like a porcupine than an elephant, his skin pierced by countless protruding long Acacia thorns. This was indicative of the fact that the herd had been stampeded through an Acacia thicket, and he had obviously tried to follow his mother through this thorny barrier. She lay dead within this thicket, one of several elephants from that herd that died in a hail of bullets on that fateful day that left Dika an orphan.

During this process, the herd ran into a hail of gunfire from armed Somali poachers, who at that period of time, were involved in perpetrating the wholesale slaughter of elephants for their Ivory, an elephant holocaust that reduced the Tsavo ecosystem’s elephant population from 45,000 (utilizing a home range double the size of the Park, i.e. 16,000 square miles) to just 5 – 6,000 terrified and traumatised survivors.

Latest updates featuring Dika

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Keepers Diaries

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

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The Rescue of Sagala

Sagala was found alone on the vast plains of Southern Tsavo during the height of the drought by our Works Manager on a routine inspection of our boreholes in September 2017. Severely malnourished and with a pride of lions nearby, our field teams immediately coordinated their activities to bring this calf to safety before it was too late and she succumbed to starvation or was made a meal of.

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Dika's Latest Photos

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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

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