Melia

Now living wild, where she is a mother of one

About Melia

  • Current age

    16 years old

  • Gender

    Female

  • Rescued date

    27 June 2009

  • Rescue location

    Tsavo Ecosystem, Tsavo East NP

  • Date of birth (estimate)

    3 July 2008

  • Reason orphaned

    Poaching

  • Age at rescue

    11 months old (approx)

  • Current location

    Living Wild

Adopt Melia for yourself, or as a gift

Melia's rescue

During the late evening of Saturday 27th June 2009, a yearling female calf was found all alone by our De-Snaring Team near the Mombasa Pipeline opposite the Ndara plains in Tsavo East National Park. There were no wild elephant herds in sight, and since there were also a lot of lions in the area, our Voi Elephant Keepers were alerted that a rescue was imminently needed to save the life of this calf who probably would not survive another night out alone.

Baby elephants definitely cannot survive without milk if orphaned under 3 years of age, and few manage to survive even when orphaned between 3 and 5 years of age. Whilst wild living elephants will usually accept and protect an orphaned baby to the best of their ability, once the orphan weakens as a result of milk deprivation, and begins to jeopardise the survival of the herd, the matriarch has to make the decision to abandon it to its fate in the interests of all the others under her leadership. There are very few, if any, elephants that will have to lactating capacity to nurture an orphan as well as their own calf, especially during a tough dry spell, and calves at foot themselves are extremely possessive of their mother’s milk bar, and will go to great lengths to prevent another from usurping what they view as their prerogative.

With the help of KWS Rangers, our Voi Elephant Keepers were able to overpower the abandoned calf, and having covered its head with a blanket and bound its legs, transported it back to the Voi Stockades for the night where it took water, and a little milk from a bucket. The next morning it was airlifted to the Nairobi Nursery., initially named “Sombe” after the KWS Security Commander, but later renamed Melia after the African Mohogany Trees (Melia Volkensi) which are a feature of the area, and were planted by the late David Sheldrick around the Headquarters and at the 5 Entrance Gates to Tsavo East National Park.

Little “Melia” was quite feisty upon arrival in the Nursery (a good sign) and gave her Keepers quite a run around during her first night in the stockade abutting that of Tassia. However, she took water from a bucket and during the night managed some milk from a bottle, though not without a struggle. However, having been in the stockade for 24 hours, and observed the behaviour of the other Nursery orphans around their Keepers, she had calmed down sufficiently to suck the Keepers’ fingers and take milk.

Baby elephants definitely cannot survive without milk if orphaned under 3 years of age, and few manage to survive even when orphaned between 3 and 5 years of age. Whilst wild living elephants will usually accept and protect an orphaned baby to the best of their ability, once the orphan weakens as a result of milk deprivation, and begins to jeopardise the survival of the herd, the matriarch has to make the decision to abandon it to its fate in the interests of all the others under her leadership. There are very few, if any, elephants that will have to lactating capacity to nurture an orphan as well as their own calf, especially during a tough dry spell, and calves at foot themselves are extremely possessive of their mother’s milk bar, and will go to great lengths to prevent another from usurping what they view as their prerogative.

Latest updates featuring Melia

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Keepers Diaries

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

Read more

From Orphan to Mother-of-Two: Loijuk's Story

Loijuk’s story with us spans some 18 years and counting. She was rescued just a few days into 2006. Samburu tribesmen found a young calf wandering on her own near a swamp called Loijuk.

Read more

Melia's Latest Photos

Access the most recent photos featuring Melia

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Melia's Calves

Milo

In an Ithumba first, Milo was born just outside the stockades on the morning of 29th October 2022. Despite being a drought baby, he is very healthy and unusually large. Melia, who is a first-time mum, is taking this new chapter in stride. She is ably supported by her friends, including Loijuk, Sities, Kalama, and Olare. (Photos 1 - 3 copyright Andrew Stewart) 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

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