Mutara

Now living wild, where she is a mother of one

About Mutara

  • Current age

    15 years old

  • Gender

    Female

  • Rescued date

    27 July 2009

  • Rescue location

    Laikipia, Mutara Ranch

  • Date of birth (estimate)

    20 July 2009

  • Reason orphaned

    Poaching

  • Age at rescue

    1 week old (approx)

  • Current location

    Living Wild

Adopt Mutara for yourself, or as a gift

Mutara's rescue

The 26th July 2009 brought not only the rescue of two and a half month old Tano from Loisaba Ranch, but also a newborn, who was seen all alone at 2pm on the road between Rumuruti town in Laikipia and the ADC ranch known as Mutara.

Mutara called the Kenyan Wildlife Service, and since it was by then too late to initiate a rescue (added to the fact that all our phone land lines were out of action) the ADC Ranch personally alerted the Ol Pejeta Conservancy requesting them to care for the calf for the night.

And so it was, that on the 27th July 2009, the newborn baby female calf who has been named Mutara, after the ADC station that saved her from certain death, came to us flown in this time by East African Air Charters, in a small Cessna 206 aircraft.

The umbilicus was still attached so this calf may not have had the mother’s first Colostrum milk to trigger her immune system. She was therefore given Elephant plasma (frozen in our deep freezer) through a saline drip directly into an ear vein.

Although the reason for her being orphaned is not definitely known, she is likely to also be a poaching victim. Her arrival brought the number of Nursery inmates to 24.

Mutara called the Kenyan Wildlife Service, and since it was by then too late to initiate a rescue (added to the fact that all our phone land lines were out of action) the ADC Ranch personally alerted the Ol Pejeta Conservancy requesting them to care for the calf for the night.

Latest updates featuring Mutara

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Keepers Diaries

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

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Makireti's First Baby, Pint-Sized Makimaki

Another motherhood milestone for our extended elephant family! This time, it’s 15-year-old Makireti becoming a mum. As is tradition among many of our ex-orphans, she chose to come close to ‘home’ to give birth and then introduced us to her brand new baby.

Read more

Mutara's Latest Photos

Access the most recent photos featuring Mutara

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Mutara's Calves

Mambo

On the night of 8th March 2022, just as our Ithumba team was getting ready for bed, Mutara and her herd appeared outside the stockades with a baby in their midst! He was a newborn: Mutara had clearly given birth earlier that evening. Mutara subsequently decided to spend her first night as a mother around the Ithumba Reintegration Unit, sharing this special moment with Benjamin and the other Keepers who raised her. 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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You can also adopt

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Age

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Korbessa

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Reason orphaned

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