Yatta
Now living wild, where she is a matriarch, mother of an ever-growing family, and grandmother
About Yatta
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Current age
25 years old
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Gender
Female
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Rescued date
26 October 1999
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Rescue location
Tsavo Ecosystem, Tsavo East NP
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Date of birth (estimate)
26 September 1999
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Reason orphaned
Poaching
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Age at rescue
0 months old (approx)
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Current location
Living Wild
Adopt Yatta for yourself, or as a gift
Yatta's rescue
A female calf estimated to have been born towards the end of September 1999 and just one-month-old when rescued. This little calf was a poaching victim, her mother found dead (less her tusks) in the Tsavo/Athi triangle of Tsavo East National Park, below the Yatta Plateau.The calf's bellowing was heard by a labour gang working nearby, who went to investigate and came upon her not far the her dead mother.
They walked across the Mtito tributary, loaded her onto the back of an old Landrover and drove her across the crocodile infested Athi river to the nearest Airfield at Tsavo Safari Camp, from whence she was flown to Nairobi.
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Whilst in the Nursery she also suffered from a sluggish metabolism, as, indeed did Emily when young, so she was moved to Tsavo along with Kinna and Mukwaju in February 2001 following unseasonal rains in January.
They walked across the Mtito tributary, loaded her onto the back of an old Landrover and drove her across the crocodile infested Athi river to the nearest Airfield at Tsavo Safari Camp, from whence she was flown to Nairobi.
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Latest updates featuring Yatta
See all updates
Keepers Diaries
View diary updates from across all our orphan units as written by the Keepers
The Treatment and Rescue of Chapeyu
Chapeyu’s story is a unique one. Given his age, he is not a typical new rescue — but he desperately needed our help, and so we moved mountains to save him.
Yatta's Calves
Yetu
Yetu — Ithumba's first grandbaby — was born just outside the stockades on 19th January 2012. Read more.
In 2022, Yetu became a mother herself, delivering a little girl named Yebo. Photographed above are Yetu (left), Yebo, Yogi, and Yatta (right). Read more.
Yoyo
Yoyo was born on 7th October 2017, a special month in which we welcomed three new wild-born babies into the fold! As Yatta's second calf and first son, Yoyo has a doting older sister and a herd's worth of nannies on hand to watch over him and spoil him as he grows. Read more.
Yogi
A very special delivery arrived in Ithumba on the morning of 10th November 2021, after Yatta introduced us to her third calf, a healthy boy we have named Yogi! Yogi is the fourth baby born in as many weeks to our ex-orphans, following in the footsteps of Kaia, Njema, and Noah. Read more
Yara
Yatta is now a mother four times over and a grandmother. Hours after giving birth on 29th March 2025, she made a special visit to Ithumba to show off her latest addition. We named her daughter Yara, which means 'small butterfly' in Arabic. Read more.
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
