My Elephant Chubbies

 

You adopted what???? This is usually the first thing someone will say when they hear I’ve adopted an elephant, or two or three.  Yes, they are not quite the same as a collie pup but on the other hand, I don’t have to housebreak them.  The second question I typically get is “isn’t that terribly expensive?”  The cost of adopting an elephant through The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is $50 per year, which is a bargain considering how many bottles of special milk they have to make per day to feed all these ellies.  They also have to send vets out to get them stabilized prior to transport or in some cases, take care of an injury.  With the number of orphans increasing due to parental poaching, I can only see their costs increasing.

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust does an excellent job of not only nurturing these ellies in preparation for their return to the wild but also keeping us adoptive parents informed about our chubby children. Their wonderful photos (many of which are included with mine) help me keep track of the progress all the orphans are making. It is my pleasure to be able to support this amazing organization.

Kithaka

 

My first ‘chubby child’ was a present to myself for my 60th birthday. Kithaka was orphaned during the morning of November 20, 2011, as a tiny newborn male calf apparently left by his mother when she and her herd were chased out of an area of human settlement near the Ruiri outpost in the lower Imenti Forest. The calf wandered into an adjacent village searching for company from whence Kenya Wildlife Service Rangers rescued him. Due to the terrain and dense forest conditions, reuniting him with his herd would prove impossible, and so the Sheldrick elephant orphanage was contacted by the Senior Warden at Mount Kenya with the news of a rescue. The calf was transported to the Lewa airfield so that the baby could be airlifted from there to the Nairobi Nursery, arriving in torrential rain, well after dark. Kithaka was tiny, no more than, and possibly even less, than a week old on arrival, the hind side of the ears soft and petal pink and the umbilicus newly detached. His name is the Meru word for forest.

When I was setting up my trip for May, 2012, I made sure that visiting the elephant orphanage in Nairobi was Number 1 Priority. I wanted to attend not only the public viewing time of 11am-12n (and if you go, be sure to get there early as it can get very crowded) but also the special time for adoptive ‘parents’ from 5pm-6pm (if you are going at this time, you need to make a booking as they only allow a certain number of parents each day). The two visitation times were very different. During the public time, you get to see the elephants coming in from the nearby forested area with their keepers, being fed their bottles and hear an informative talk about each one and how they came to be rescued. At the evening visitation time, you get to see the elephants returning for the night, being fed, but the biggest thrill was to talk to the keepers and see the elephants up close in their individual sleeping quarters. It was such a warm experience watching little Kithaka being fed and then put to bed, being covered by a blanket. The keepers even sleep in the quarters with them for comfort.

I continued to read the reports about Kithaka sent by the trust. His antics were quite the source of entertainment, although I’m sure the keepers had their hands full. They often referred to him as the ‘Naughty Boy’.

In March 2014, I returned to the orphanage to visit. Talk about a growth spurt. He was healthy and robust, still quite naughty according to head keeper Edwin. Of course a naughty 6 month old is very different than a naughty 2.5 year old. His loving ‘lean’ is enough to knock you off your feet.

In October 2014, I returned again, knowing that Kithaka’s and his best ‘friend’ Barsilinga’s days at the nursery were coming to an end. They soon would be moved to Ithumba for their next stage of transitioning to the wild. It was an emotional goodbye, but a warm feeling of joy to know that he had lived to see this chance to return to where he was meant to be due to the nurturing care of his keepers, angels to me.

There was a delay on Kithaka’s and Barsilinga’s expected departure from the nursery due to the heavy rains. However, on May 29, 2015, they were loaded into their road transportation truck and taken to Ithumba (along with another friend Lemoyian). This next step in the rehabilitation will take 8-10 years before they actually become independent elephants. I hope to be able to visit my boys here in the future.

The rescue of Kithaka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wcnjzYN1nA

The BEFORE and AFTER shots

Barsilinga

 

And then there were two. Prior to my visit in March 2014, I adopted Kithaka’s pal at the orphanage, Barsilinga.  It just made sense to me since they were not only good friends, but being such, they were typically physically close together which made photographing easier.

Barsilinga was born in March 2012. His story, like all of the orphans at Sheldricks is a sad one. The evening of April 13, 2012, gunshots were heard by the community of the Lpus-La-Mpasion area near Wamba in the Samburu tribal area of Northern Kenya. The next morning a severely wounded female elephant, with a calf at foot, was spotted in the area. Bullet wounds to her chest area and front legs had rendered her barely able to even move, yet another victim of the ivory trade and a grizzly reminder of the suffering attached to each piece of ivory that is bought or sold. The mother’s end was a painful one, full of suffering, and her calf would have been a victim too had he not been one of the lucky few rescued. The matter was reported to a Kenyan Wildlife Service patrol within the area. They summoned the KWS Vet, Dr. Mutinda, who travelled to the scene to assess the injured mother. It turned out that the female elephant’s wounds were too severe for any hope of recovery. Having reported the matter to the Nairobi KWS Headquarters, it was decided that the mother be euthanized and her calf saved and sent to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery in Nairobi National Park. The calf had its last feed of mother’s milk at 9 a.m. before the mother was later laid to rest. By 1:30 p.m., the SWT Rescue Team landed at the nearby Kisima Airstrip and waited for the arrival of the KWS ground team with the young baby. KWS had a good distance to travel to bring the rescued calf to the closest airstrip and arrived about 30 minutes later with him loaded in the back of a landcruiser pickup, closely held by the rangers. After the SWT keepers checked on his condition he was loaded into the aircraft in order to be airlifted back to the Nursery, arriving in the afternoon.

Barsilinga, being only a couple of months younger than Kithaka, not only became his best pal, but also his partner in crime.  Now it seems there are two naughty boys!  I’m not surprised.

The rescue of Barsilinga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfWKqwaXiwo

The BEFORE and AFTER shots – amazing

Kithaka, Lemoyian and Barsilinga move to Ithumba

 

Here is a fantastic video of how the elephants are moved to their next stage of rehabilitation after the nursery:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vOx2lG1-ZI&feature=youtu.be

Dupotto

 

And now a third.  Yes, Africa has captured my heart.  After my March and October 2014 trips, and not knowing how much longer my ‘boys’ Kithaka and Barsilinga might be at the orphanage (and clearly their typical male juvenile behavior was suggesting it was time for them to move to the next stage of rehabilitation) , I decided to adopt a little girl, Dupotto.

In August 2014, the local community found the elephant calf near a boma without her mother and alerted the Mara Elephant Project. The MEP team brought her to the airstrip for transporting to the Nairobi nursery. The reason for her being orphaned remains a mystery as a carcass had not been located in this area for over two months, and she could not have possibly survived that time without a mother at just five to six months old as a very much milk dependent calf.

She was named Dupotto after the area where she was found. Once she arrived at the Nairobi Nursery she settled and began feeding well from the outset, and very fortunately did not struggle to assimilate the new milk formula. Her road has been relatively smooth physically, but Dupotto’s scars are emotional ones. She has behaved very strangely, clearly suffering psychologically from events that befell her by being excessively restless and agitated. While she was part of the junior herd she fast became a disruptive member in the group. Then she discovered Embu, rescued four days before, an older orphan of approximately 18 months old who was retrieved from the forested slopes of Mount Kenya on the Embu side of the mountain by the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Dupotto immediately became emotionally dependent on Embu, sharing their grief both have been able to impart comfort and understanding to each other. To this day they remain firm friends.

The rescue of Dupotto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LDXNdL6ZQ

 

On Mother’s Day (May 14, 2017), Dupotto, along with her friends Kelelari and Karisa graduated to the Ithumba Relocation Unit. This is always bittersweet…. I will miss seeing her at the nursery but it is yet the next step to returning to the wild, where she belongs.  The link below shows the careful process of moving her.

Dupotto moves to Ithumba

Not every elephant rescue has a happy ending. I first met Dupotto and adopted her in October, 2014. I saw her again in October, 2015 looking healthy and plump. In speaking with her keepers, I knew she would soon be relocated to Ithumba for her second stage toward total independence. So I said my goodbyes. I knew she was not doing well and returned to the nursery in Nairobi for additional attention. You fought hard Dupotto. Now may you rest with the angels. Thank you to all her wonderful Keepers that looked after her. My hearts are with them.

Saying goodbye to Dupotto

We are deeply saddened to share that our fight to heal Dupotto has come to an end and she died on the evening of Monday 19th August, 2019. Dupotto has suffered from poor health for nearly two years – blood slides confirmed that she was suffering from blood parasites – and we recently brought her from Ithumba to the Nursery to receive additional intensive care. Very sadly, despite the treatments administered, she steadily went downhill and regrettably we were eventually defeated.

Though we have lost her, one thing we can be sure of is that it was not through lack of trying. She passed away in the presence of her ever-watchful loving Keepers, hopefully comforted in the knowledge that she was loved until the very end. Rest in Peace, Precious Girl.

It is hard to lose an elephant at any stage, but when one has spent years together, it is especially difficult. Our thanks to all her foster parents that followed her story and enabled and donors who helped us provide the very best care possible.

Malkia

 

It’s a Girl!!  My little Dupotto is growing up.  She is assuming the role of a nurturing female to the smaller ones.  I know sometime in the future, she will advance to stage two and leave the nursery.  So my gift to myself for my birthday in 2017 is Malkia.

Here is her story:

Walking the plains of Tsavo for many years has been a regal old lady, always easily recognized by her distinctive ivory. This year however, the dry season has been long and harsh and with poor April/May rains, it proved too much for this aging female elephant, who was found collapsed with a young calf by her side.  Elephants have six sets of teeth to last them a lifetime, and as the years progress new sets come through, however once they are on their very last set of teeth these get worn over time, and there is nothing like a brutal dry season to amplify this problem. We believe this is what happened to this beautiful matriarch.

A driver from Tsavo Trust first reported the situation to the SWT funded Mobile Veterinary Unit’s Dr. Poghon, when they found the mother recumbent on the windswept Dika plains, withered and gaunt and in extremely poor body condition, but with no evidence of any wounds or injuries. Her family stood vigil as the SWT’s Rescue Team together with KWS rangers lifted her to her feet multiple times. Sadly, she was unable to stand and just crumpled to the ground each time. It was clear her life force was ebbing away and it would be necessary to rescue her young milk dependent calf, approximately six months old, who already was undernourished, presumably as a result of her mother’s compromised condition and lack of milk.  This old queen of the plains was humanely euthanized to save her the indignation and suffering of being torn apart by predators, whilst her baby was rescued as night approached and was then driven to the Voi stockades where she was placed in one of our taming stockades. She had greens carefully cut for her which she fed on throughout the night, and Keeper Julius slept in the stockade bunk-bed close to her, to keep her company. The presence of an interested army of dependent Voi elephants surrounding her stockade helped settle her as they rumbled in low tones, comforting and reassuring her. She even slept for a while having endured quite the ordeal; how long her mother had been in a collapsed state before being discovered is unknown.

We have called this gorgeous little girl Malkia, which means ‘queen’ in Swahili, in deference to her lost mother, who for sure walked the Tsavo plains even in David Sheldrick’s time, when he was warden of Tsavo some 40 years ago. Considering her impressive ivory, she was lucky to have lived out a long and full life. Now it is our responsibility to look after her precious baby until she too can walk the same plains in the fullness of time as a wild elephant once more.

In the meantime, both lifesaving milk and tender care and attention is necessary to save a calf, so a rescue aircraft was immediately dispatched the next morning on the 17th of September with our Nursery Keepers on board, to collect the baby and bring her to the Nursery for the care that we are able to administer here. When the Cessna Caravan aircraft landed on the Voi airstrip our Voi Keepers were already there prepared and ready with the baby, eager to load her quickly so as not to delay. Her screams however attracted a wild herd passing by the airfield at the time and a wild matriarch was insistent on rescuing the distressed baby. So much so that her agitated herd were fast approaching the stationary aircraft on the airstrip. The SWT driver had to position the Landcruiser vehicle between the wild herd and the loading party so as to prevent a disaster from unfolding. This herd is not her family herd, as she was orphaned many miles away from the Voi airfield.  The baby was prepared for the flight, laid on a mattress, placed on a canvas stretcher so she could be ably lifted into the back of the plane, which had already had the seats removed allowing for ample space for her to lie recumbent throughout the 1 hour flight with a Keeper by her side. She was hydrated with a drip for the duration of the flight and arrived safely at the Nursery by 1.30pm in the afternoon. She immediately fed on milk for the first time since being rescued, which was a relief, but she did look exceptionally tired and was ready to lie down on the soft hay of her stable to sleep.

Malkia has thrived in the Nursery, aided by her forceful nature. She is a very determined and mischievous little girl, whose presence here has certainly been felt. Despite being so young when rescued, and under such sad circumstances, she has settled fast; loving and affectionate to her Keepers from the outset.  Malkia and her little friend Esampu have become extremely greedy and vociferous at meal times, with every feeding time accompanied by noise and barging! Despite being so small they can be extremely disruptive giving the Keepers quite the run around. We are happy to report that Malkia has assimilated into Nursery life seamlessly and appears extremely happy and content among the other orphans and her now much loved human family.

Here is Malkia’s rescue video: Malkia’s Rescue

I’m so glad I got to see her during my visit in March, 2018.  She’s all grown up but still has the recognizable crinkled ears.  On December 4, 2018, she, along with Ndiwa, Sana Sana, were moved to their next phase at Ithumba.

This is the video of Malkia’s move to Ithumba: Malkia moves to Ithumba

Maktao

 

My boys Kithaka and Barsilinga have now completed the process of returning to the wild at Ithumba.  Dupotto also was moved there in May, 2017 and will soon complete her process to return to the wild.  With only Malkia being at the nursery in Nairobi and knowing she was getting big, it was time to think about another adoption.  Just prior to my travel in March, 2018, I looked at the Trust’s site to see who were the smallest of the ellies (thus, who might be in Nairobi the longest).  It appeared that Maktao and Kiasa were the ‘newbies’.  I kept an open mind, but while at the public visit on March 8, 2018, well, I HAD to adopt Maktao.  During the visit, he stayed close to the rope barrier by me.  Then, in typical baby style, he was curious, very curious.  He took his foot and played with the dirt outside the rope, he leaned into me while taking photos, he even kept putting his trunk up by my face.  Maybe it was the fruit muffin I ate at breakfast.  He was adorable.  At the end of the public visit, I stopped by the adoption table, and added him to my ‘herd’.

During the 5pm adoptive ‘parent’ visit, I stopped and chatted with Malkia’s keeper.  Malkia was getting very large and I suspected, getting ready to make the relocation to the next area soon and was told probably before my next visit to Nairobi.  I wished her a long, happy and healthy life.  I think she was more interested in her fresh greens than me but that is a good thing.

Most of the remainder of my time at the nursery was spent with Maktao.  He was getting ready to sleep after his bottle, but still had enough energy to take his small trunk and lift it up to the door to say goodnight.  Sleep well my little man.

Maktao’s rescue can be viewed here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTfsGpzzc0s

In the early morning on the 21st of July reports from a community member were received by the SWT Ziwani Anti-Poaching team based in Tsavo West National Park alerting them about an elephant calf that had been sighted the previous day alone. That morning he was found again, still alone in hostile territory. Because some of the neighboring communities have suffered at the hands of crop raiding elephants and given the location we suspect human wildlife conflict the reason for this young baby being orphaned.  Peter Wambua, the Ziwani team leader, immediately mobilized his men who were accompanied by KWS rangers and rushed to the scene, mindful that any delay could prove costly for this baby abandoned within not a particularly ‘elephant friendly’ community. They communicated with Dr. Poghon, KWS veterinary officer seconded to SWT’s Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit, and also communicated to the Tsavo West Senior Warden. The decision was made to save the calf in the absence of any elephant herds within the area. Once the team had captured the calf and brought him back to the safety of KWS’s Makatao base within the National Park, the need for a rescue was reported to Angela Sheldrick who coordinated the SWT helicopter to head directly to Makatao from Kaluku, the Trust’s field headquarters. Makatao is on the eastern boundary of Tsavo West National Park and approximately an hour flight from Kaluku where the Trust’s air wing is based. While the helicopter was made ready, with the back seats removed to make space for the baby, SWT Helicopter pilot Andy Payne loaded the emergency rescue bag filled with all the paraphernalia required to restrain and carry elephant orphans. SWT bush pilot Neville Sheldrick arranged to accompany Andy so that he could supervise the calf throughout the flight to Nairobi.  On arrival they found a very thirsty yet perky little elephant, following people, and appearing to be in good condition. His dry crinkled skin indicated he was extremely dehydrated and given his desire to drink copious quantities of water, it was clear he was extremely hungry for milk too. Without the correct milk formula on hand Andy made sure he drank a healthy fill of water before preparing him for the one hour flight to Nairobi. The baby trailed Andy trustingly down the airstrip before he was wrapped in a blanket and bundled onto his side so that his feet could be securely strapped. With the help from the team he was loaded into the back of the SWT helicopter and made comfortable with a blanket covering his eyes. Neville arranged to sit beside him for the duration of the flight, ensuring he remained calm and still.  Being able to collect the orphan without delay and deliver him right to the door of the Nursery stable in the Trust’s helicopter ensured many hours were saved, and with a calf this young and so dehydrated this proved invaluable and certainly contributed hugely to his quick rebound back to perfect health. Because he was so dehydrated, and while fresh milk was prepared for him, a drip was administered soon after arrival to help replace his lost fluids as we know he had to have been a long time without both milk and water before finally being found and saved.  We named this little baby bull MAKTAO, the name of the area close to where he was found, only with a slight tweak in the spelling so as not to confuse things with the place name. Right from the outset it was evident that this little baby boy had attitude! He was perky and rambunctious once his strength returned, but to begin with remained restless, obviously searching for his Mum, and this was the case for a number of days before he finally settled. We estimated him to be about three months old on arrival.  

Another graduate:   Maktao moves to Umani Springs

Malkia moves to Ithumba

 

When I last saw Malkia in March, 2018, I knew my crinkled ear girl was growing up and looking very healthy.  I was glad to see her and wish her well because I knew it would not be long before she was moved to another location.  This is always a good thing as it shows the keepers at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust have done an outstanding job of getting her ready for her next life stage.  December 4, 2018 was her big day.  She along with other females Ndiwa and Sana Sana were moved to Ithumba.  It is nice to know that she is there along with my other adoptees Kithaka, Barsilinga and Dupotto.

Here is how her move went:  Malkia moves to Ithumba

Roho – The New Kid on the Block

 

During my travels in January, 2020, visiting the The David Wildlife Trust in Nairobi is a must.  My only chubbie still remaining at the orphanage is Maktao.  So it was time to add a new family member.  Here’s is Roho’s story:

In the early hours of 16th October, at the request of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) our SWT/KWS Canine Unit headed to Tsavo West National Park to help track down two suspected poachers, who had been spotted the evening before. The team convened with KWS and Tsavo Trust rangers to coordinate a search, and it was then they received a disturbing report; not far from where they were gathered, a patrolling aircraft had just sighted a tiny elephant calf standing beside the body of his deceased mother.

Knowing that time is of the essence in cases like these, the team immediately changed tack and headed in the direction of the calf and the mother’s carcass. At first, they thought that the pilot’s GPS coordinates had to be wrong. They were leading the men up an impossibly steep lava hill, with huge chunks of lava rock and thick vegetation impeding every step. It seemed like a very improbable place for an elephant mother to bring her calf. Despite this, they trekked on.

When they reached the top of the hill, the team was met with a heart-breaking sight, that of a beautiful female elephant lying dead with her nine-month-old calf standing by her side. He cut a tragic figure, huddled next to his mother’s body in this harsh terrain. Given the dense bush and jagged lava, the helicopter couldn’t even attempt landing in the area, and it quickly became clear that the only option was to descend the hill on foot with the calf. Although he was small, the orphan had lots of adrenaline pumping through his veins and vigorously resisted all efforts to shepherd him down the hill.

After several stop-and-go attempts, a brave few were able to descend with the calf — half carrying, half walking his resisting little body — and guide him to the road. By this time, the temperature was soaring, so the team waited in the shade of an acacia tree and poured cool water behind the baby’s ears and over his back. The SWT helicopter soon arrived with Justus, a very experienced Keeper, to bring the baby to the Nursery. They landed, strapped in their passenger, and headed in the direction of Nairobi. With a successful rescue under their belts, the SWT/KWS Canine Unit resumed their original mission of searching for signs of the poachers who had been reported the previous day.

At the Nursery, meanwhile, the Keepers were ready to meet their new arrival. As soon as the helicopter’s rotors stopped spinning, they ferried the precious bundle to his stockade. They had to make a hasty retreat after helping him to his feet because, despite being little, he still had a lot of fight in him. Over the intervening weeks, he has settled in beautifully and is enjoying all the attention lavished on him by the Keepers and the rest of the Nursery herd. We named him Roho, which means “spirit” in Swahili — an apt name for this brave little boy.

We can’t fathom why Roho’s mother climbed to that inhospitable place. An autopsy was inconclusive, so this particular mystery may remain unsolved. Given the reason that our teams had assembled there in the first place, however, it’s very possible that she brought her baby there in a desperate bid to retreat from poachers. Although she lost her own life, her efforts to protect her baby were not in vain. We’re immensely proud of our team’s heroic efforts to rescue little Roho, and we’re pleased that we can offer him a new family, and a future.

Here is Roho’s rescue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmKKPiUiRwU

Roho was just too cute to resist.

Roho graduated and was moved to Ithumba November, 2022. 

https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news/updates/roho-neshashi-oldepe-graduate

Bondeni

 

Bondeni, a male, was born January 31, 2019.  After my private visit to the orphanage in January, 2021, and an up close and personal visit with Bondeni, who was the most curious and friendly ellie I’ve ever met, I adopted him.

On the morning of the 4th of February 2019, a newborn elephant wandered into a village bordering the Chyulu Hills. Why a calf so young had been abandoned, remains a mystery. However, we must surmise that his herd was disturbed as they ventured onto community lands, and in the chaos, he was left behind. Given his sorry state, he must have traveled far. His tiny feet were covered in lacerations from the lava fields that jut out of the land surrounding the Chyulus. This precarious terrain presents a hazard for any creature, let alone one with such tender foot pads as a newborn elephant. No elephant herds had been sighted in the vicinity, dashing any hopes of reuniting him with his mother.

As soon as our Kibwezi Forest-based teams and KWS received reports of the calf from the nearby community, we mobilized a rescue. In the meantime, the community he had wandered into was vigilantly protecting him. However, the arrival of a newborn elephant is enough to pique anyone’s interest, and crowds were gathering to catch a glimpse of the unusual sight. When our Umani Springs Keepers, Kenze De-Snaring Team, and KWS rangers arrived on the scene, they were met by a calf who was visibly overwhelmed and afraid. We named him Bondeni, after the area where he was found. 

Our Kaluku Field HQ, which was just 20 minutes away by air and a location tailored for neonates, would be a perfect place for Bondeni to spend his infancy. While we organized a helicopter, the rescue team convened at our nearby Umani Springs Reintegration Unit so he could receive urgently needed care in a quiet environment. The Keepers there, who are used to caring for the increasingly burly Umani orphans, were totally smitten by this little cherub. While it was tempting to raise him there, there was one crucial stumbling block: The older orphans like Sonje, Murera, Lima, Quanza and Zongoloni would be so besotted that they would scoop him right up, making it difficult for the Keepers to provide the specialized care and regular milk feeds that are so vital for a fragile baby of Bondeni’s age. We experienced this many times in Voi, years ago, which is why we don’t raise very tiny babies alongside our older orphans.

And so, we kept the Umani orphans a good distance away so as not to over complicate matters. Soon, one of our most experienced Keepers, Misheck, arrived with our pilot Andy in the SWT helicopter. Bondeni was carefully tucked into the back of the aircraft, with Misheck by his side for the duration of the short flight. He arrived at Kaluku with the full day ahead of him.

It was clear this little boy was bursting with personality. Bondeni was so young that he did not fully comprehend all that had unfolded in his short life, and embraced his new family at Kaluku without hesitation. He joined two slightly older females who were very enamored to have such a tiny bull round out their trio. During the first day, Bondeni was initially struggling to walk due to his very sore feet, so we paid special attention to his wounds cleaning them and administering topical antibiotics. For the rest of the day, he happily followed his new human-elephant family around the lawns of Kaluku and along the white beaches of the Athi River.

Under the expert care of Keepers Misheck and Kingoo, Bondeni grew up in a cosseted environment that is perfect for infant elephants. He also had the benefit of Angela and Robert’s undivided attention and the company of some other baby orphans. He has spent the past year and a half exploring the pocket of paradise that is Kaluku, playing on the river’s beaches and napping under the shade of acacia trees. Given the hot temperatures, it was not unusual for him to have two or three mud baths in a single day. He blossomed into a very playful boy who is constantly on the move, and he loves to charge any moving target! Like all baby elephants, he still needs plenty of sleep. At night, he and his girl friends would retire to their custom stables, which were built to mirror those at our Nairobi Nursery. Just like at the Nursery, each bunked up with a dedicated Keeper, who provided tailored care throughout the night.

Kaluku has been a perfect home for little Bondeni to spend his early years, but it has become clear that he would benefit enormously from the mentorship of older elephants. While his girl friends provide coddling in spades, he needs the company of slightly older bulls, who will teach him how to spar and all other things that little elephants love to do. On top of that, Tsavo is extremely dry at the moment, so finding ample greens to satisfy his growing appetite was becoming a challenge.  

For these reasons, we decided to move Bondeni and his two special female friends to our Nairobi Nursery.  Here, they could benefit from the company of the other orphans, forming special friendships that will carry them throughout their life, as they slowly make their way back to the wild over the coming years. As an added bonus, Nairobi has been blessed with ample rain this year. Food is plentiful, as evidenced by the Nursery babies, all of whom are fat as butter! 

This time, our graduation procedure was reversed. As the clock struck midnight on 3rd September, we loaded the trio of babies onto the moving lorry. The drive to Nairobi took place overnight, so they would be in transit when temperatures are coolest. Bondeni and his friends munched on fresh greens and enjoyed milk bottles from the comfort of their individual compartments, soothed by their Keepers throughout the journey. The convoy made very good time, pulling into the Nursery at 4:00am. 

We prepared three neighboring stables for the new arrivals, which they placidly entered with their trusted Keepers, who have been by their sides from the very beginning. Nothing gets by our Nursery matriarch, Maisha, and she quietly watched proceedings unfold from her own stockade. We have no doubt that the elephant communication channels were abuzz with activity, as word got out that three new arrivals had appeared under cover of darkness. 

Of the three, Bondeni was the most agitated when he realized he was no longer in Kaluku. He expressed his displeasure by doing headstands in his stable, but true to form, these angry acrobatics soon morphed into rolling games in the hay. That morning, Bondeni and his friends were slowly introduced to the rest of the Nursery herd. Unsurprisingly, it was love at first sight. The older females rushed around him, caressing him with their trunks and shadowing his every move. While they provide him with the affection that any young elephant needs, we know he will also thrive off the stimulating friendship of other young bulls like Roho, Naboishu, and Mukkoka.  Misheck and his other Keepers from Kaluku have also relocated to the Nursery, and their comforting presence has gone a long way in helping Bondeni and the girls settle in.   

From the jagged lava slopes of the community lands below the Chyulus, to the sandy riverbanks of Kaluku, to the red earth of Nairobi, Bondeni has already journeyed far for an elephant so young. Here at the Nursery, he will continue to find his footing and, when he is ready, he will continue his journey back to the wild at one of our Reintegration Units in Tsavo. Until that time, our spoiled little Bondeni will continue to flourish among the fellow orphans and Keepers who he already considers family.

The rescue of Bondeni:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2KPT8NZ3bY

Bondeni made the move to Ithumba faster than I thought.  He was moved in May, 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng13ApmDTsk