Has fully embraced his wild life in Tsavo East National Park
Current age
31 years old
Gender
Male
Rescued date
19 January 1994
Rescue location
Meru Region, Imenti Forest
Date of birth (estimate)
19 January 1994
Reason orphaned
Poaching
Age at rescue
0 weeks old (approx)
Current location
Living Wild
He was still covered in the foetal membranes on arrival, born as his mother died in a hail of gunfire, so is the youngest wild born elephant ever to have been successfully hand reared. Deprived of his mother's first colostrum to stimulate a new baby's immune system, he was a very fragile infant. Normally such calves never survive more than a few weeks, but in this case an infusion of plasma drawn from the blood of one of the older orphans saved the day.
He was still covered in the foetal membranes on arrival, born as his mother died in a hail of gunfire, so is the youngest wild born elephant ever to have been successfully hand reared. Deprived of his mother's first colostrum to stimulate a new baby's immune system, he was a very fragile infant. Normally such calves never survive more than a few weeks, but in this case an infusion of plasma drawn from the blood of one of the older orphans saved the day.
View diary updates from across all our orphan units as written by the Keepers
We have been battling hard with little Merru who came to us after a very torrid time, which resulted in significant visible injuries but also some sinister, not so obvious, internal trauma. He was rescued from the fringes of Imenti forest off the slopes of Mount Kenya having fallen into a deep quarry.
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.
Celebrate your adoption with a personalised certificate, ready for you or your lucky gift recipient to print and display!
Each month, we send a detailed update about our Orphans’ Project direct to your email inbox, featuring photos, stories, and special highlights.
From the latest Keepers’ Diaries to a downloadable image gallery and more, adopters have exclusive access to our content library.