Now living wild, where she is the mother of an ever-growing family
Current age
22 years old
Gender
Female
Rescued date
18 September 2002
Rescue location
Meru Region, Imenti Forest
Date of birth (estimate)
11 September 2002
Reason orphaned
Human-Wildlife Conflict
Age at rescue
1 week old (approx)
Current location
Living Wild
She was found in a swamp near the all but gone Imenti Forest, all alone, on the morning of 18th September 2002, the rest of the herd having fled, no doubt due to human disturbance. It is likely that her mother was disturbed during childbirth because she was miniscule on arrival with a moist umbilical cord still intact.
We named her "Wendi", which in the Meru tribal dialect means "Hope" and we have named her thus, hoping that CITES makes the decision to hold the ban on the sale of Ivory, which will bring "hope" for the survival of elephants "hope" that the Imenti elephants will one day have a safe corridor to the forests of Mount Kenya and meet up with lost friends from whom they are now isolated by human settlement, and "hope" that the K.W.S. Warden of Meru, who was responsible for such a very efficient rescue, has a career full of "hope" within the Kenya Wildlife Service and above all, "hope" that little "HOPE" will survive.
Rearing a newborn elephant always presents a challenge, and in Wendi’s case an even greater challenge than most because we feel she never had her mother’s colostrum. One ear was bent down the middle, like a folded piece of parchment, and it is possible the little elephant must have been lying like this in the womb. Little "Wendi" was given powdered Colostrum in her first bottles of milk, just in case she had not had the benefit of her mother's first milk containing all the vital antibodies she needed for survival in a harsh world.
Too young to understand the loss of her elephant mother, she faced the future without the psychological trauma that troubles calves orphaned older. A beautiful elephant that can be assured of love and tender loving care from her adopted human family.
She was found in a swamp near the all but gone Imenti Forest, all alone, on the morning of 18th September 2002, the rest of the herd having fled, no doubt due to human disturbance. It is likely that her mother was disturbed during childbirth because she was miniscule on arrival with a moist umbilical cord still intact.
We named her "Wendi", which in the Meru tribal dialect means "Hope" and we have named her thus, hoping that CITES makes the decision to hold the ban on the sale of Ivory, which will bring "hope" for the survival of elephants "hope" that the Imenti elephants will one day have a safe corridor to the forests of Mount Kenya and meet up with lost friends from whom they are now isolated by human settlement, and "hope" that the K.W.S. Warden of Meru, who was responsible for such a very efficient rescue, has a career full of "hope" within the Kenya Wildlife Service and above all, "hope" that little "HOPE" will survive.
View diary updates from across all our orphan units as written by the Keepers
2025 is already shaping up to be a year like no other. Our ex-orphans have been debuting their wild-born babies in rapid succession. Sunyei — an orphan we have known for more than two decades — brought the latest addition to our extended elephant family.
Born to ex-orphan Wendi, this little girl was named Wiva after the weaver birds, who were busy building their nests in the acacia trees at the Ithumba Reintegration Unit on the very same day of Wiva’s birth. Wendi was so trusting of her former Keepers, allowing Head Keeper Benjamin to meet Wiva when she was just days old. Read more
Wema is Wendi's second wild-born calf, born during the rainy season in Tsavo East National Park. A little girl, she has a protective older sister in the shape of Wiva, Wendi's first calf who was born in 2015, with whom she is pictured here. Read more
Wimbi, Wendi's third daughter, was born on 8th October 2022 at the height of a severe drought. Despite the harsh conditions in Tsavo, she came into the world plump, energetic, and healthy. She will grow up surrounded by a very experienced mum, two older sisters, and a herd's worth of devoted nannies. Read more
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