The decision was made to capture the calf, since the mother was obviously beyond recovery. Kerry Glen and Jamie, along with the ranch workers captured the calf, fearing that it would not survive the death of its mother, since predators were prevalent on the ranch, and her mother was later euthanased by KWS. She was taken to their home, where Jamie remained near the calf in an adjoining room all night. It was a sleepless and very disturbed ordeal, because the distraught baby, cried all night for her mother, and even tried desperately to climb through a window.

The calf was flown to the Nairobi Nursery on the 21st July 2009 arriving at noon. She was still strong and aggressive (a good sign denoting the will to live and the reserves to make an effort), but she soon calmed down once the other Nursery elephants were brought in to impart hope and encouragement. The other orphans gave her a warm welcome, and immediately she responded, turning into a very affectionate member of the herd, calm and friendly to both her elephant orphan peers and their human family.

We named the new arrival “Tumaren” to denote her origin. She is about 10 months old and becomes the 22nd member of our Nursery herd of mini orphans ever partaking of the mudbath along with the others. An enchanting addition to the group, popular with the other elephants as well as her human admirers.