Now living wild, though she continues to visit us regularly
Current age
9 years old
Gender
Female
Rescued date
19 May 2016
Rescue location
Samburu, Namunyak Conservancy
Date of birth (estimate)
24 July 2015
Reason orphaned
Unknown
Age at rescue
9 months old (approx)
Current location
Ithumba Reintegration Unit
We were first made aware of her situation after a number of days had passed and her plight was posted on the Samburu East Development Forum’s website, which was when we began to be bombarded with calls from various people to help. We immediately responded by contacting the Kenya Wildlife Service who granted permission for SWT to fly up north in order to save the calf.
She put up little resistance when our Keepers swooped in to restrain her, after which she was laid on the usual canvas stretcher that our team had brought and with her legs strapped she was now ready for transportation to the waiting plane. This is when things became complicated because there was strong resistance to her being removed from site. It was a full two hours before a landcuiser vehicle big enough to transport the calf to the airstrip was made available for our team during which time numerous phone calls took place while negotiations to drive her to the airstrip were deliberated. Our team was all the while concerned by the time this was taking with the calf tied down and recumbent out in the bush where she had been rescued. Thankfully, it was eventually agreed that our team and the elephant be allowed to be driven in the back of the Namunyak Conservancy landcruiser to the airstrip. The Rescue Aircraft took off for Nairobi at 4.30pm.
We were first made aware of her situation after a number of days had passed and her plight was posted on the Samburu East Development Forum’s website, which was when we began to be bombarded with calls from various people to help. We immediately responded by contacting the Kenya Wildlife Service who granted permission for SWT to fly up north in order to save the calf.
View diary updates from across all our orphan units as written by the Keepers
On 19th May 2024, two very special orphans — boys who have been best friends from day one — made the journey to our Ithumba Reintegration Unit, where they will continue their journey back to the wild. For one of them, this graduation was also a return home.
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