The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has cared for countless elephants facing difficult circumstances since it began rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned and injured animals in East Africa in 1977. But one tiny elephant discovered in Kenya in May 2025 presented an especially urgent challenge.
On May 26, rangers at the Mara North Conservancy found a newborn elephant calf standing close to her mother, who had died from natural causes. The calf was only a few days old and had no way to survive without milk.
Rangers searched the surrounding herd in hopes of finding a lactating female that might care for her, but none were available. At one point, the frightened calf even attempted to nurse from a bull, making it clear how desperately she needed help.
With night approaching and predators roaming the Mara, rescuers knew they had little time.
After evaluating the situation, the Kenya Wildlife Service authorized an emergency rescue. Working alongside the Mara Elephant Project, conservancy rangers carefully placed the calf inside a Land Cruiser and brought her to a nearby veterinarian, where she received immediate attention.
The following morning, pilots from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust arrived at the Mara North Conservancy headquarters. The calf was flown to the organization’s Kaluku Neonate Unit in Kenya, where she would begin her recovery.
Her rescuers named her Kaikai.
Adjusting to her new surroundings was not easy. Like many newborn orphans, Kaikai was deeply distressed after losing her mother. During her first nights at Kaluku, she paced inside her stable and cried as she struggled to understand what had hap