Rescued as a neonate, she was found amongst a herd of zebras and has now been adopted by our resident flock of birds. She is but one of the many tiny elephants saved by ‘Mishak’s magic,’ the care of one of our most gifted Keepers.

Her story began on the Wangalla Plains — a vast and wild sector of Tsavo East, a place of open skies and big predators. On the morning of 4th November 2025, we received reports of an orphaned elephant from the Kenya Wildlife Service Senior Warden of Tsavo East. Tourists had spotted her, alone and with no other elephants in the area.

Several hours had elapsed since the sighting, but fortunately the tour driver had pinned the location of the tiny elephant. Trevor, our Tsavo Works Manager, led a team search party. After more than an hour scouring the dense landscape, they found her deep in the bush, tucked amongst a herd of zebras. Frightened and desperate, she had latched onto the closet creatures who could provide company and protection.

It was a heartbreaking scene: The little calf was visibly distressed, crying and pacing in search of her mother. The team extensively looked for her family, but there were no other herds in the area. 

We will never know how she came to be orphaned, but we have a suspicion: The night prior, lions had killed a buffalo nearby. It is very possible that, hearing and smelling the lions, the orphan’s herd panicked and ran off. She got separated in the confusion and they never returned for her. It’s a miracle she survived the night on her own; a calf so small would be easy prey for the lions, jackals, and hyenas who prowl under cover of darkness.

Given the complete absence of elephants in the area and the calf’s vulnerability, the Kenya Wildlife Service called for a rescue. Because of her small size, the whole operation was fairly straightforward. After putting a blanket over her head to reduce stressful stimuli, the team drove her to the nearby Voi stockades. They waited, keeping her calm, until the SWT helicopter arrived. 

We named the orphan Wangalla, to connect her to her origins. Barely a week old, we knew that we had a challenge on our hands — a challenge for one of our most experienced Keepers.

Mishak joined the Trust in 1998, when he was just 22 years old. Over the past two decades, he has proven himself to be an exceptionally gifted Keeper. He has a way with elephants and is the unanimous favourite of any orphan he meets. His universal adoration can actually be a problem; it’s not uncommon for orphans to bicker over who gets Mishak’s undivided attention!

Wangalla fell fully and completely in love with Mishak — and the feeling was mutual. He has been extraordinarily committed to this little elephant, spending nearly every minute of every day by her side. Despite our many pleas that he take a well-earned break, he refused to take leave for a full five months after her rescue. When asked if he might need a break or a change of scene, his answer was emphatic and immediate: “There is nowhere else I would rather be.”

This level of dedication is humbling indeed — and it is because of Mishak that Wangalla is alive today. Every day is precarious for a neonate orphan. Nature has made them unfathomably fragile, especially during the teething phase. Some lucky orphans sail through, but most experience a steep loss in condition that can have fatal ripple effects. 

Wangalla was not spared the challenges of teething. But we forged ahead, galvanised by her steadfast desire to live. Even when her strength waned, her spirit remained strong. As we find time and again, this can mean the difference between life and death for an orphan. Greens also make all the difference, as they help bolster a calf’s biome and provide vital nutrients. But not every orphan is willing to start greens early, no matter how they’re presented. 

When Wangalla resisted greens, Mishak turned it into a ritual. Framed by the setting sun, he would pull his chair outside her stable, armed with a bushel of fresh greens. One by one, he would pluck every leaf off the branches, selecting only the best. Then, he would hand-feed each individual leaf to Wangalla. At first, we celebrated when she relented to eat two or three. As the days and weeks passed, she developed a voracious appetite for greens — provided they were hand-presented by Mishak!

This was the start of a beautiful tradition. As dusk fell, and the other orphans settled down to sleep, Wangalla enjoyed her ‘evening out’ with Mishak. While he focused on his branches, she paddled around the yard, always with one bright eye fixed on Mishak. If he got up to get a cup of tea, she would zip after him like a little blanketed shadow! 

It was during this time that Wangalla fell in love with Kaluku’s resident vulturine guineafowl. She isn’t the first to fall under their spell; Lemeki and Toto were also besotted with the birds, especially when chasing them into an explosion of blue feathers flying skyward. Wangalla’s relationship with them is much more companionable. She happily stands amongst the birds, plucking blades of grass with her trunk as they peck and poke about with their beaks. They have completely embraced her as a member of their flock — a rather unconventional chick, but a chick nonetheless. 

For a long time, Wangalla led a cocooned existence with Mishak. But as she grew stronger, her world started to expand. Her favourite dusting spot was right by Musumbi the hippo’s pool. When he saw her approaching, the rotund hippo would heave himself out of the pool and plant himself companionably onshore. 

Eventually, Wangalla started joining Korbessa and the other elephants out in the bush — first, for brief excursions, then for the full daily jaunt with the herd. She was initially quite shy, hiding behind Mishak’s legs as she peeked at the much larger elephants. But Korbessa was instantly besotted. With time and patience, she coaxed the little elephant out of her shell and very much brought her into her orbit.

In the fullness of time, Wangalla’s journey will take her back to the wilds of Tsavo East, where her story began. But now, this remarkable little elephant has a family with us, in the bosom of the birds, the elephants, and the extraordinary Keepers that make Kaluku home.