Gender
Male
Rescued date
5 September 2018
Rescue location
Unknown
Date of birth (estimate)
5 December 2017
Reason orphaned
Human-Wildlife Conflict
Age at rescue
9 months old (approx)
Date of passing
07 November 2018
Very fortunately there were sympathetic people in their midst who got word to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Rangers in time and very quickly they responded and rushed to the site to rescue the baby, and keep him safe overnight. Circumstances were challenging and between the community and the Rangers they tethered his feet to two big logs ensuring he could not escape. He remained like this overnight.
Reports were sent to The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) by KWS in the early morning and Angela was able to communicate with the KWS county Warden and learn more about the circumstances surrounding the calf’s plight. There were many logistical challenges given his location with the closest airstrip being some distance away, and access to a KWS vehicle was not possible at the time. It was therefore arranged, once GPS coordinates were provided, for the SWT helicopter to fly directly to the site on the outskirts of Meru town with one of the Trust’s more experienced elephant Keepers on board, together with all the equipment required to feed the baby, and medicate and restrain the calf for flight.
After what must have been an incredibly terrifying ordeal for him, he already sensed he was around caring sympathetic friends, but the scars both physical and mental remained, because for the next week he never would sleep, instead just walking around in tight circles throughout the night, turning only to the left. With the potential of swelling on the brain due to all that befell him, it was difficult to know the exact reason behind this behavior. We persevered in the hope that tender loving care, time and decent nourishment would set him in good stead. We had a specialist come in to check his eyes to see if all was well with them, and were assured his eyes were fine. Angela arranged for him to immediately join the other orphans out in the forest the next day, and he was able to walk straight with them for extended periods of time, comforted by their attentive presence enormously.
Very fortunately there were sympathetic people in their midst who got word to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Rangers in time and very quickly they responded and rushed to the site to rescue the baby, and keep him safe overnight. Circumstances were challenging and between the community and the Rangers they tethered his feet to two big logs ensuring he could not escape. He remained like this overnight.
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.