Orphan Elephant Toto | Sheldrick Trust

His story began in the northern sector of Tsavo East. Traumatised by decades of poaching, elephants historically gave this part of the national park a wide berth. Once we established our Ithumba Reintegration Unit in 2004, word got out that the area was safe once more and slowly, slowly elephants began to return, before coming back in their droves. Over the years, our Ithumba stockades have born witness to some incredible stories. Wounded wild elephants have sought us out for help, ex-orphans have introduced us to their young, and in 2019, an orphaned elephant named Vaarti was even delivered into our care. It is a place of miracles — but even still, nothing could have prepared us for our first meeting with Toto.

On the afternoon of 1st April 2022, ex-orphans Naisula, Kitirua, Olare, Loijuk, and her baby, Lili, arrived at the Ithumba stockades. Much to the Keepers’ astonishment, they also had a tiny baby in tow. The calf, who was a few days old at most, was clearly an orphan: He was in terrible condition and was famished. He tried desperately to nurse from all the females present, but to no avail. Aside from Loijuk, who had baby Lili by her side, none of the females were pregnant or lactating, and certainly none of them were the calf’s mother.

Read his full story and support his journey back to the wild at: https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.or...

---

Established in 1977, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) operates the world’s most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program, rescuing and hand-rearing orphaned elephants and other animals that have lost their mothers, all too often as a result of human activity. But we do much more than this. Through our Aerial, Anti-Poaching and Mobile Veterinary Units, we safeguard the natural environment and provide immediate assistance to wild animals in need. We also secure irreplaceable wilderness areas so that animals will always have space to roam and work with local partners and communities to ensure people and wildlife can live alongside one another.

More Information about the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust can be found on the website ▶ https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

Adopt an Orphan in need ▶ https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.or...

Facebook ▶   / sheldricktrust  

Twitter ▶   / sheldricktrust  

Instagram ▶   / sheldricktrust