They even sleep next to each other 😍
Every morning in central Kenya, Kimani the elephant and Siilai the buffalo begin their day with a walk. They wrestle, nap together, and follow a routine built entirely around spending time side by side.
But their beautiful bond was born out of hardship.
Back in February, Kimani fell into a well and became trapped. Rescuers managed to pull him out unharmed, but they were unable to locate his mother or herd. To ensure his survival, Kimani was brought to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, where he received care, food, and shelter.
Just two weeks later, Siilai entered the picture. Found alone in the Kirisia Forest at only a week old, locals feared the tiny buffalo calf wouldn’t survive without help. They contacted Reteti, and Siilai was soon brought to the sanctuary.
The moment he arrived, something extraordinary happened.
“At that time, we didn’t have any other baby elephants the same age as Kimani,” Katie Rowe, cofounder of Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, told The Dodo. “So, these two babies found each other at Reteti. Suddenly there was someone else to play with.”
From that day forward, Kimani and Siilai have been inseparable. Their daily schedule includes sunrise strolls, mud baths with their Samburu caretakers, and giant bottles of milk every three hours.
Kimani, the more playful of the two, often initiates games by nudging Siilai with his trunk. The pair roll around in the dirt, wrestle between naps, and fall asleep in peace, comforted by each other’s presence.
“They lovingly play together,” Rowe said. “Then they’ll go into a deep sleep knowing that they have each other.”
While the goal at Reteti is always to return animals to the wild, the deep bond between this elephant and buffalo shows the sanctuary’s magic. Though elephants and buffaloes rarely interact this way outside of rescue settings, Rowe says there’s a chance their friendship could last even beyond sanctuary life.
“They seek each other’s love and friendship,” Rowe said. “They’re real beacons of co-existence.”