Rescue of Orphaned Elephant Kapei | Sheldrick Trust

Kapei’s story began in Rombo, near the south western boundary of Tsavo West National Park. KWS and Big Life raised the alarm of a possible orphaned elephant. He was in poor condition and it was reported he had been alone for a number of days . We will never know how he came to be on his own, but as the drought reaches its peak, we are experiencing more and more drought related fatalities, mostly the young and the old. It is also possible, however, that he lost his mother due to human-wildlife conflict.

Rangers monitored the calf for several days, in the hopes that his herd was still in the area and would return to scoop him up, but he remained pitifully alone. Once all chances of a happy reunion had been dashed, KWS greenlit a rescue on the afternoon of 14th September 2022.