Nothing is more important to Loijuk the elephant than her family, especially now that she is starting her own.
The orphaned elephant was discovered alone at barely 5 months old in 2006 and rescued by Kenya’s Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT). SWT nurtured her until she was old enough to be released back into the wild.
Despite the passage of time, Loijuk maintains a close relationship with her human family. Every month, she pays a visit to the sanctuary’s grounds. Loijuk, on the other hand, surprised her previous caregivers with a baby elephant calf in September.
It was clear the proud elephant mom couldn’t wait to show off her baby. The calf, who has since been named Lili, was only hours old — likely born only the night before.
Loijuk has never forgotten the kindness of those who helped her. She even invited Benjamin Kyalo, the head keeper, to have a special moment with her newborn calf.
“Benjamin was able to go close to Lili (who was cuddled between his knees), massage her fragile newborn skin, and breathe into her trunk, therefore letting her know who he was by his aroma,” SWT executive director Rob Brandford told The Dodo. “Elephants have a phenomenal recall and sense of smell, so our keepers would frequently breathe into the orphans’ trunks to help them know who they are.”
Here’s a link to a video of Loijuk and Lili’s heartwarming visit:
During the meeting, Lili was shaky on her feet, but throughout the course of the week, Kyalo observed as she became stronger.
“Loijuk has kept close to the unit’s perimeter, allowing our keepers to keep an eye on her and see how she’s doing,” Brandford explained. “Given that September is the height of Tsavo’s dry season, which isn’t ideal for a new baby, we’re overjoyed that Loijuk has returned close to home so that we can assist supplement her food when she comes.”
Calves are nurtured in the wild with the aid of female relatives from the herd. Before giving birth to Lili, Loijuk was a nanny to other kids, and now her calf has her own nannies in the form of two other wild orphans named Naserian and Ithumbah.
Lili will spend the rest of her life in the wild with her mother’s herd, and she now has a safe haven to return to if she ever needs it.
Lili is the 31st calf born to SWT-raised female orphaned elephants that are currently surviving in the wild, and she is a symbol of hope for elephant populations across the world.
“These are historic moments,” Brandford added. “By preserving the life of one orphaned elephant, we are not only seeing that orphan flourish, but we are also watching that orphan form a family.”
“We look forward to witnessing this young girl grow up in the wild,” Brandford said. “Lili has a better future ahead of her than many elephants.”
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