Tali is a deceivingly young elephant who has acted much braver than his years. Now, he is in safe hands and can finally be cared for like the baby he still is.

His story with us began on 3rd February 2025, when Angela received reports of an orphan in Oldonyiro, northern Kenya. Samburu Trust rangers had observed the lonely calf for several days, but based on his gaunt appearance, he had likely been on his own for months. He stood forlornly in the undergrowth as passing elephants showed no interest in him. 

The calf was found in a much-used elephant corridor that links the Samburu and Laikipia ecosystems. While we cannot confirm how he came to be orphaned, he was observed in this area for many weeks by the local community. They felt sure he would join passing herds in the fullness of time, but this never happened. He was sharing water sources with cattle herds and his general body condition was extremely poor.   

After KWS called for a rescue, Samburu Trust rangers — who had been observing him over the weeks — and the SWT/KWS Mount Kenya Veterinary Unit, headed by Dr Poghon, were able to capture him and load him into their vehicle. The calf was driven to the nearest airstrip, where Dr Poghon and several Keepers accompanied him in the aircraft to Nairobi. 

We named the calf Tali, after Tale Hill, near where he was rescued. This will forever connect him to his origins.  

Tali arrived at the Nursery in a worrying state. He had a telltale bloated belly, gaunt cheeks, and stick legs, and was riddled with worms. His red blood cell and platelet count were extremely low. Even his skin was flaking. All this was indicative of a serious parasite load, a bacterial infection, and the toll that prolonged survival mode takes on the body. 

As was to be expected, Tali declined rapidly — but he was hardly our first uphill battle. We took every setback in stride. When he lacked the strength to stand on his own, four Keepers lifted him to his feet. When he initially balked at bottles, we offered him buckets instead. We set up a rotation of senior Keepers to sit outside his stockade, murmuring comforting words, keeping him company, and slowly building trust. 

The rest of the Nursery herd helped us in this mission. The orphans’ reaction to Tali reminded us how family-centred elephants are: The morning after he was rescued, Sileita emerged from her bedroom and immediately clocked a newbie in their midst. She trumpeted loudly to rally the troops, and everyone gathered around Tali’s stockade, rumbling and stretching their trunks towards him in greeting. Little Olomunyak was particularly friendly, loitering by his gate long after it was time to go into the forest.  

Tali was a bit overwhelmed by the reception, but we could see he thrived off the presence of other elephants. He has been on his own for so long and was clearly sick with loneliness, on top of everything else. So, just a week after his arrival, we decided to bring him out into the forest to join the rest of the Nursery herd.  

Leading the welcoming queue were Mzinga and Nyambeni, who immediately appointed themselves Tali’s nannies. From that morning forward, they would wait for him outside his stockade and then escort him into the forest, one girl on either side in a loving elephant sandwich. They refused to leave him for even a minute, eschewing the mud bath and other normal routines in favour of looking after their adopted brother.

We will never know what exactly Tali endured during his long, lonely months before his rescue. Whatever happened, it left him very shy and withdrawn. However, he is slowly coming out of his shell. Initially, he would only approach the Keepers at feeding times, but he is starting to embrace them as the friends they are. 

Tali adores Mzinga and Nyambeni. He feels totally at ease in their company and looks up to them. He is beginning to open his heart to the other orphans, too. Interestingly, Kamili — who has a reputation for being a loner herself — has gone out of her way to be kind to Tali. Perhaps she senses a kindred spirit and understands what he needs to feel comfortable.

Physically, Tali is also improving. He no longer needs assistance to stand up, his cheeks are filling out, and his skin is starting to soften. He has a voracious appetite for both milk and greens, and as a result, he is becoming stronger for each passing day. 

Everyone who meets Tali is struck by the unusually large size of his tusks. This gives the illusion that he is a much older elephant — but then you see him in the rest of the herd, where he is dwarfed by his peers, and you realise how young he actually is.

It has been a long, gruelling journey to bring this little bull back from the brink, but we are so pleased with his progress. Now, Tali has his whole life ahead of him — with his new family by his side.