Sholumai

A quiet girl with notably long tusks, she is starting to find her voice

About Sholumai

  • Current age

    4 years old

  • Gender

    Female

  • Rescued date

    5 April 2023

  • Rescue location

    Laikipia, Doldol Group Ranch

  • Date of birth (estimate)

    9 April 2021

  • Reason orphaned

    Drought related

  • Age at rescue

    23 months old (approx)

  • Current location

    Voi Reintegration Unit

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Sholumai's rescue

“There’s a very slim chance — she’s still breathing lightly with a pulse.” Responding to reports of a collapsed elephant calf in Laikipia, the vet’s prognosis left little room for optimism. But over the years, we have learned that any sliver of hope is worth pursuing, so we organised a rescue.

On 5th April 2023, we were alerted about an unresponsive calf. She had fallen in a drought-stricken area that is frequented by people and livestock. Elephants must constantly be on the move in this challenging environment, and when she collapsed, her herd was forced to leave her behind.

Dr Poghon of the SWT/KWS Mount Kenya Mobile Vet Unit reported to the scene. At first glance, she looked dead. But closer investigation revealed the faintest pulse, the slightest puff of breath. Running out of daylight, we chartered a rescue flight from nearby. We knew she wouldn’t survive the night without intense medical intervention — but truth be told, we feared she wouldn’t even make the journey down to Nairobi. 

For about five hours after her arrival at the Nairobi Nursery, the calf remained completely comatose. When calves are unresponsive for this long, it’s a worrying sign that usually concludes with an unhappy ending. But still, we plied her with drips, hoping for a miracle. In the dead of night, after hours laying unresponsive in her stockade, we saw a flicker of the eyelid, followed by a twitch of the trunk. To our utter astonishment, the calf had returned to the land of the living. We named her Sholumai, an area with caves close to where she was found. 

Despite her miraculous resurrection, Sholumai’s challenges weren’t over yet. Although she got to her feet, she proceeded to collapse several times over the following days. But Sholumai is a fighter. She helped herself by feeding voraciously, tucking into her greens and taking water with rehydration. Despite being on the older side, close to two years old, Sholumai never threw her weight around. She seemed to recognise that we had saved her life. As is typical of older rescues, she remained shy, but she quietly accepted her Keepers from the very beginning.

After several weeks recovering in her stockade, Sholumai was finally ready to join the Nursery orphan herd. In their typical inclusive fashion, the other rescued elephants treated her to a warm welcome, clustering around the big girl with lots of trunk touching as they shepherded her into the forest. Before long, Sholumai was pestering the Keepers for extra milk bottles and sneaking off into the park with her new friends. She is very much becoming one of the gang! 

The fact that Sholumai is alive today is truly a miracle. We rescued a calf who was as good as dead; today, this beautiful, gentle female has her whole life ahead of her. Sholumai is a reminder that we must always pursue the smallest glimpse of promise, no matter how great the odds may be — because miracles do happen! 

On 5th April 2023, we were alerted about an unresponsive calf. She had fallen in a drought-stricken area that is frequented by people and livestock. Elephants must constantly be on the move in this challenging environment, and when she collapsed, her herd was forced to leave her behind.

Dr Poghon of the SWT/KWS Mount Kenya Mobile Vet Unit reported to the scene. At first glance, she looked dead. But closer investigation revealed the faintest pulse, the slightest puff of breath. Running out of daylight, we chartered a rescue flight from nearby. We knew she wouldn’t survive the night without intense medical intervention — but truth be told, we feared she wouldn’t even make the journey down to Nairobi. 

Latest updates featuring Sholumai

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Keepers Diaries

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

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Sileita, Mushuru, and Sholumai Graduate to Voi

On 25th May 2025, our Nursery big girls — Sileita, Mushuru, and Sholumai — graduated to our Voi Reintegration Unit, where they will continue their journey back to the wild.

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Sholumai's Latest Photos

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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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