Elephant calf finds safety after wandering from mother
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In southwestern Kenya, a local farmer noticed a four-week-old elephant calf among his cattle on June 17, 2025, and alerted authorities.
Rangers from the Pangolin Project and Mara Elephant Project found the calf exhausted and weak, having been separated from its mother. They determined the calf, later named Kipekee, had been without milk for several days and was struggling to survive. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust intervened, discovering Kipekee’s mother had been injured by arrows during a conflict with people.
Although veterinarians treated the mother, she died the following day, leaving Kipekee orphaned. The Trust transported Kipekee to its Nairobi Nursery, where staff provided intensive care, including an IV drip and treatment for parasites. Kipekee slowly recovered with around-the-clock attention from her keepers, and she quickly bonded with them.
The nursery staff also introduced Kipekee to Zuri, a nine-month-old calf rescued in May, and the two calves have formed a close bond, with Kipekee showing improved behavior around the younger elephant. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has been rescuing and rehabilitating elephants and other animals in East Africa for nearly 50 years, with the goal of returning them to the wild.
