Edie
Now living wild, where she is a matriarch and mother of an ever-growing family
About Edie
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Current age
26 years old
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Gender
Female
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Rescued date
15 August 1999
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Rescue location
Samburu, Namunyak Conservancy
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Date of birth (estimate)
1 April 1999
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Reason orphaned
Trapped in a well
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Age at rescue
4 months old (approx)
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Current location
Living Wild
Adopt Edie for yourself, or as a gift
Edie's rescue
Estimated to have been born in April 1999, this female calf was about 4 months when rescued from a well on the Namunyak Group Ranch North of Lewa Downs. Her family had struggled all night unsuccessfully to try and retrieve her, but had to leave when tribesmen and their cattle turned up.
She endured a rough ride in a lorry before being flown first to Lewa Downs Airstrip and from there by Charter plane to Nairobi. She is named "Edie" by special request of the Craig family who own Lewa Downs Ranch, to honour the memory of one of their donors named "Evie". The closest Samburu word we could find to "Evie" was "Edie" which means "over there" and with the approval of the late Evie's family, we thought this more appropriate.
For many weeks Edie suffered from deep depression grieving for her lost elephant family, and was very sore and bruised from her fall, able only to lie on one side of her body for more than a month. In all other respects, she was not in bad condition and tender loving care from both the Keepers and the other elephants soon made her happy again.
Ilingwezi is her best friend in those days, but now she travels as part of Emily's herd with her two wild born calves, Ella and Eden, and we are very happy to see them whenever they pass through the Voi stockades.
She endured a rough ride in a lorry before being flown first to Lewa Downs Airstrip and from there by Charter plane to Nairobi. She is named "Edie" by special request of the Craig family who own Lewa Downs Ranch, to honour the memory of one of their donors named "Evie". The closest Samburu word we could find to "Evie" was "Edie" which means "over there" and with the approval of the late Evie's family, we thought this more appropriate.
Latest updates featuring Edie
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Keepers Diaries
View diary updates from across all our orphan units as written by the Keepers
The Great Elephant Migration: A Journey for Coexistence
The Great Elephant Migration is on a journey to promote coexistence.
Edie's Calves
Ella
Ella was born during the long rains, when Tsavo was full of lush browse. Her mum is Edie, an orphan living back in the wild. Read more
Eden
Eden is very shy and takes life at her own pace. Unlike the others, she doesn`t seem to enjoy pushing games and is seen as a bit of a coward. A Mummy`s girl, she loves spending time with Edie and her nanny Ndara. Read more
Eco
We first met Eco on 15th November 2019, after Edie - alongside Mweya with her first born calf Mwitu - made the journey back to our Voi Reintegration Unit to introduce her baby to her human family, after the rains had fallen, as before then it would have been impossible due to a lack of food and water en-route. Eco is Edie's first male calf, and her third wild-born calf, after Ella (2009) and Eden (2015). Read more
Enzo
Our ex orphans typically choose a morning debut for their new babies, but Edie clearly couldn’t wait until daybreak to introduce us to her latest addition. Very late at night of 26th January 2022, she arrived at the Voi Reintegration Unit with a newborn calf in tow. He is a healthy, round-cheeked little boy, who we have named Enzo. Read 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
