Sheldrick Wildlife Trust | Annual Newsletter 2021

Sheldrick

WILDLIFE TRUST

Newsletter - 2021

TABLE OF CONTENT OVERVIEW FOR 2021 ORPHANS’ PROJECT Nairobi Nursery Kaluku Neonate Nursery Keeping up with Kiko

4 -5 8 8 - 15 16 - 19 20

2021 Rescues

22 - 31

Voi Reintegration Unit

32 - 39

Ithumba Reintegration Unit

40 - 49

Umani Springs Reintegration Unit

50 - 59

Loved and Lost

60 - 61

MOBILE VETERINARY UNITS Perspective from the Field (Dr Titus Kaitho) ANTI-POACHING TEAMS

64 - 69 70 - 71 72 - 79

Galana Wildlife Conservancy & Galana and Kulalu Ranch

80 - 83

Canine Unit

84 - 87

Perspective from the Control Room (George Mutui)

88 - 89

AERIAL OPERATIONS Perspective from the Air (Hamish Rendell) SAVING HABITATS Galana Wildlife Conservancy

90 - 99 100 - 103 106 106 - 107

Kibwezi Forest and Chyulu Hills

107

Chyulu Hills REDD+ Project

109

KARI Ranch (Kiboko Ranch)

109

Project Amu

110

Shimba Hills and Mwaluganje Sanctuary

112

Mount Kenya National Park

115

Kimana Corridor and Sanctuary

115

Perspective from the Field (James Mbuthia) Reforestation Efforts WATER FOR WILDLIFE SUPPORT FOR THE KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE

118 - 119 120 124 - 129 130

Fire Response

130

Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation

132

Fencelines

132 - 133

Operational and Infrastructure Support

134

Invasive Species Management

134

RHINO CONSERVATION

136

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

141

Food Distribution Programme

142

School Support and Student Scholarships

142

Community Tree Donations

142

Beehive Fencelines

142

Perspective from the Community (Samuel Munyao)

144 - 145

ECO LODGES

146 - 149

SPECIAL THANKS

152 - 154

Overview for 2021

Life on the African plains has always been defined by the rains. There are the long rains, typically between March and May, and the short rains, from October to December.

The time between these brief periods of bounty is all about survival, and so it has been for millennia: Nature gives and nature takes.

This year, nature was unforgiving. The abundance that defined the previous two years was replaced by scarcity.

Poor rains spawned a long and difficult dry season, one that tested all manner of life. It was an incredibly challenging time on the conservation front, as we grappled with daily field emergencies, an uptick in illegal activities, and an unprecedented influx of orphans.

Yet, disguised beneath drought-stricken plains and parching sunlight, the bounty of nature was still all around us. We felt this particularly keenly in Ithumba, which was the scene of an extraordinary baby boom. This

year alone, we were introduced to eight calves born to orphans we rescued, raised, and reintegrated back into the wild. It is especially poignant to see this unfold in Ithumba — a place that, following decades of poaching in the 1980s and early 90s, had become largely devoid of elephants. They have steadily returned to the area since we established our presence there, but to see so many calves born to our Ithumba orphans is special indeed.

Our tally of known wild-born babies currently stands at 45— and that number is set to rise exponentially in the coming years. I know that Daphne is smiling down on these new generations. It was her greatest wish to witness the fruits of one’s labours, seeing how one rescued individual can blossom into so many lives.

When it comes to raising orphaned elephants, one needs several lifetimes to measure the success of one’s endeavours. After all, elephants are creatures whose lives -4-

mirror our own. It takes decades of commitment and continuity to see them through their vulnerable infancy and into adulthood. With the influx of orphans we rescued this year, so many little lives are just beginning their journey with us.

As we nurture today’s orphans, we are also looking forward. Working on the frontlines of conservation, we are keenly aware of the extensive challenges to overcome: Habitats are shrinking at alarming rates, while climate change, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching take their toll on species great and small. In 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) upgraded the savanna elephant’s conservation status to endangered, noting that their population across Africa has dropped by more than 60 percent over a 50-year period.

Vast and varied as the challenges may be, we are ready to face them head-on. This year, we launched several ambitious projects that lay the foundations for long-term conservation. To combat ever-present and emerging threats, we added five new Anti-Poaching Teams to the field. We also launched a Mobile Vet Unit in the Rift Valley, expanding our veterinary presence to an area that is grappling with bushmeat poaching, human-wildlife conflict, and competition over resources. Through public-private partnerships, we increased protected areas across the country, securing these valuable landscapes for the future of elephants and all wildlife. We were honoured to take over management of Galana Wildlife Conservancy and the Shimba Hills - Mwaluganje elephant corridor, building off the conservation management template that has already transformed the Kibwezi Forest and KARI Ranch.

Despite all its tribulations, I reflect on 2021 with a feeling of satisfaction. Through blazing heat and torrential rain, our teams battled on, undeterred by the challenges they faced in the field. Where most would see a barrier, they see only opportunities. I loved this observation by George, our Control Room Operator: “When we tell our teams about an unexpected operation, they never hesitate — all they say is, ‘Just tell us when, and we will be there.’” This unfaltering passion and commitment is what makes Sheldrick Wildlife Trust so effective. I am incredibly grateful for the Keepers, rangers, pilots, vets, and every other hero who makes conservation their life’s work.

Everywhere we look, we see reminders of how our work is making an impact: Ravaged ecosystems restored to their natural glory, all manner of creatures brought back from the brink, wild babies born to elephants raised by our hand.

Kenya’s National Wildlife Census recorded a national population of 36,280 elephants as of 2021. Behind this figure is a triumph for single-species conservation, one that unfolded over a relatively short period of time: At the peak of the poaching crisis, one elephant was killed every 15 minutes for its ivory. By 2014, Kenya’s numbers had dwindled precipitously, leaving many to ponder a world without elephants. The 2021 census revealed a 12 percent increase from those dark times. Such significant, sustained population growth is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of the Kenyan government and conservation players across the country.

It is also worth noting that 41 percent of Kenya’s elephant population lives in the Tsavo Conservation Area, where we focus the majority of our field efforts. 73 years ago, my father and the Trust’s namesake, David Sheldrick, was appointed the founding warden of Tsavo East National Park. Today, it is one of Africa’s last remaining great wildernesses. It is such a privilege to be part of its past, present, and future.

As we turn the page on our 44th year of operations, I would like to thank our supporters. Because of you, we are able to navigate these extraordinary times and rise to the challenge time and again. It is deeply moving to know that people from all walks of life are part of our mission, united by a shared love of elephants and the wild spaces they call home.

Most gratefully,

Angela Sheldrick -5-

The Orphans’ Project 282 orphaned elephants successfully raised 17 orphaned rhinos successfully raised 111 currently dependent orphaned elephants 45 babies born to wild-living orphaned elephants 15 orphans rescued in 2021

NAIROBI NURSERY - ESTABLISHED 1977 23 milk-dependent orphaned elephants 1 orphaned rhino When it comes to rescuing orphaned elephants, one knows how quickly the tide can turn. Every ebb is followed by a flow, be it at the hand of nature or mankind. After a busy decade rescuing orphans of the poaching epidemic and then the victims of a terrible drought, we received a brief respite: Kenya received unusually generous rains between 2019 and 2020, enveloping the country in green and creating a perfect environment for all life to thrive.

As a result, it was a quiet time on the rescue front.

towards her gentle, unflappable character, and they now spend most days browsing side by side.

2021 was a study in contrasts. For all the bounty of the previous two years, this was a year of want. Driven by poor and much delayed rains, a devastating dry season swept across the country. In challenging times, it is always the compromised and the young who fall first. As a result, we rescued an extraordinary number of orphans over the course of the year, especially at the height of the dry season.

While rain is always a blessing, it also made for some cold mornings. This necessitated an outfit change for our youngest charges. Infant elephants are very susceptible to the elements, so the Keepers swaddled them in colourful blankets to ward off the chill. While there is usually a mad dash to take the lead in the mornings, the orphans didn’t find the prospect of cold, wet vegetation terribly appealing. As the Keepers walked into the forest with their warm cups of tea in hand, they couldn’t help but laugh as they watched the orphans urging each other to take the lead, so they wouldn’t have to be the first to pass through the uninviting bushes!

However, the first newcomer of the year was not a victim of drought. On 1st February, a team of Keepers were sent to Laikipia to rescue an orphan on El Karama Ranch. The young bull had been born with severely bowed back legs, which compromised his mobility and left him vulnerable to predators. Rama, as we named him, was extremely shy upon his arrival at the Nursery. However, as his physical strength improved, so did his emotional state. While he will always be reserved by nature, he has developed several special friendships among the Nursery herd, particularly with Ziwadi. From the outset, he gravitated

For much of March, we eagerly waited for the rains to break. It was scorching hot, so the orphans made extra forays into the mud bath, seeking relief from the blazing sun. The rains finally arrived at the end of the month, bringing about a welcome drop in temperatures and leaving a network of pools in their wake.

As usual, Maxwell — an orphaned blind rhino who has been with us for fifteen years — enjoyed the rainy weather the most. The Keepers could hear him frolicking throughout the night, and his muddy antics often continued into the wee hours. After all this nocturnal activity, he spent most of his mornings in repose, napping covetously atop his lucerne pellets to safeguard them from -8-

his greedy warthog friends. May was a momentous month at the Nursery. On the 4th, we rescued a bull named Esoit. His mother had broken her leg and, with little hope of recovery, KWS decided that the most humane course of action was to end her suffering. We were asked to take her infant, milk-dependent calf into our care. Despite his traumatic beginnings, Esoit embraced his new family with great fervour. His playful personality made him an instant favourite among the rest of the Nursery herd.

Roho was initially a bit irked to share the spotlight with another young bull, but they soon became fast friends and favoured wrestling partners.

Over the course of May, five elephants also took the next step in their reintegration journey. Graduations are always bittersweet affairs, but so important for an orphan’s development. While the Nursery is where they find their footing after being rescued, Reintegration Units are where they reclaim their place back in the wild. On the 24th, Kiombo, Maktao, and Kiasa travelled to our Umani Springs Reintegration Unit, where a rapturous welcome awaited them.

There is always a brief period of confusion after a graduation, but the orphans didn’t have long to ponder the new herd dynamics: The very next day, Shukuru arrived back from Umani Springs. Poor Shukuru had been struggling with chronic health issues for several years, and after a drop in her condition, we decided to bring her back to Nairobi, where she could escape the boisterous Umani bulls and have the benefit of more intensive veterinary care.

In the early hours of the 26th May, our next graduating class departed for our Ithumba Reintegration Unit.

Maisha and Nabulu had become wonderful mini matriarchs of the Nursery herd, but it was time for them to spread their wings. However, in a shocking, tragic turn of events, Maisha passed away shortly after her arrival at Ithumba. Her unimaginable death, which we believe was due to tetanus, left us reeling. She was a remarkable elephant who made an indelible impact on our Nursery herd, particularly Roho. In these moments, we must be grateful that our Nursery orphans were spared from the knowledge of such a heart-breaking loss. Larro stepped up as the mini matriarch of the Nursery herd, and everyone settled into the new dynamic. Mukkoka took on Maktao’s role as “kind uncle,” mentoring the younger orphans and supporting Larro in her leadership duties.

Mukkoka also continued to be a positive influence on

our hopeless rascal, Naboishu. Naboishu has always been rebellious. When he was being particularly bad mannered, the Keepers would shepherd him away from the herd for a timeout. Oftentimes, he simply dodged them and came dashing back to cause more mischief. However, Naboishu really took a shine to little Esoit, which revealed a less insolent side of him. Just like humans, elephants mature at their own pace — particularly bulls!

Our enchanting “Kaluku trio,” who graduated to Nairobi in 2019, remain best friends. Kindani is the unassuming leader; Kinyei is the quirky one, and Bondeni is the cheeky little charmer. In fact, everyone is enchanted by Bondeni — even the wild baboons of Nairobi National Park! One morning, he was determinedly trying to chase them away, but because of his diminutive stature, the baboons seemed more interested in playing with him.

On 31st August, we were called to rescue a tiny calf in West Pokot, a region that is the scene of long-simmering tribal conflict. One night, a gunfight sent a nearby herd of elephants stampeding in terror. The following morning, villagers found a calf who had been left behind in the melee, lying on her side in the grass. It was only upon her arrival at the Nursery that we realised the calf’s legs were functionally paralysed. Kerrio, as we named her, seemed unfazed by her physical setbacks, and approached each day with a cheerful outlook and steely determination.

Week by week, month by month, her mobility improved.

At just seven months old, Kerrio became the youngest member of our Nursery herd. All the other orphans rallied around her — but none more so than Naleku.

The Keepers had long suspected that she might be mini matriarch material, but this cemented the fact. Naleku has become a wonderful caretaker to all the babies, but she has a special place in her heart for Kerrio. September marked the beginning of a very busy period. Poor rains had a devastating effect across Kenya, leaving the Tsavo Conservation Area and Northern Kenya in the throes of a long, challenging drought. In times like these, elephants are constantly on the move in search of lifesustaining food and water — and, inevitably, humanwildlife conflict intensifies.

Continuing throughout October and November, we were called to rescue orphaned elephants on a near-daily basis. While we encountered our fair share of tragedies in the field, we were able to save many orphans who would have otherwise succumbed to the pressures of

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a brutal dry season. Suguroi was our first rescue of this period, though she did not lose her mother to drought, but toxaemia. During a flyover of El Karama Ranch on 23rd September, a plane spotted the carcass of a female elephant. Upon closer inspection, the pilot realised that a tiny calf was standing by her body. A small silver lining of this tragedy was the fact that Suguroi had not been without her mother for too long, so she came to us in healthy condition.

Taabu, rescued on 29th September, was our first drought victim. He was followed by Kamili and Choka on 3rd October, both of whom also hailed from Tsavo East National Park. On 10th October, we rescued Latika, who was found with a wire snare around her neck. This poaching attempt, coupled by the worsening conditions in the Tsavo ecosystem, would have spelled out certain death for a young calf.

Two orphans were rescued from Amboseli National Park during this period: Barnoti on 19th October and Oldepe on 4th November. Barnoti’s mother died of natural causes in late 2020, when he was just 19 months old.

Under normal circumstances, this would be far too young for an orphan to survive on his own. However, unusually bountiful rains provided Barnoti with ample forage in the absence of his mother’s milk, and he had two older sisters who looked after him. As 2021 wore on, however, Barnoti’s condition began to deteriorate, until his family was forced to leave him behind. We imagine that a similar situation unfolded with Oldepe, a fellow Amboseli rescue who was found abandoned in the swamps.

Mukutan, who we rescued on 4th November, was found hiding in a maize field in Laikipia. He was terrified, in poor condition, and far too young to be by himself. We can’t be sure how he came to be orphaned, but humanwildlife conflict was the likely culprit. We have seen similar scenarios time and again: In search of sustenance, elephant herds leave protected areas and raid bordering farms. The community chases them away, and in the ensuing mayhem, a young calf gets left behind.

conflict, and he wasn’t located until five days later, terrified and bearing a glancing spear wound. All told, we successfully rescued 15 orphaned elephants over the course of 2021.

Despite all the successes that unfolded, we grappled with one more tragedy as the year drew to a close. On 29th November, our dear Shukuru drew her final breath.

She had struggled with her health for most of her 12 years of life. While we mourned her loss, we were also grateful that her journey had finally come to a peaceful conclusion. An autopsy revealed that she had a severely deformed thyroid. A thyroid issue compromises countless bodily functions, from metabolism to heart to growth, which could account for her poor development over the years. While we may never know the details of her health issues, it seems that Shukuru’s body failed her — and as she grew, it became increasingly pronounced. We all miss her beautiful soul and gentle presence.

On a happier note, we are delighted to report that Ziwadi, who struggled with seizures and frail health for so long, made enormous improvements over the course of the year. Neither she nor her sidekick, Olorien, had ever been the most nurturing females, but the new rescues gravitated towards them from the outset. Once the lone rangers of the Nursery herd, they amassed a coterie of small elephants following their every move.

By year-end, our Nursery herd numbered 23 orphaned elephants. It was an incredibly busy time for our Keepers, as they juggled the day-to-day demands of raising infant elephants and the intensive care that new rescues require.

In the fullness of time — many years and countless milk bottles later — their little charges will be the wise old matriarchs and majestic bulls who preside over the plains of Tsavo. But for now, these orphaned elephants are just embarking on their journey in the loving sanctuary that is our Nairobi Nursery.

Another possibility is that Mukutan’s mother died and he wandered into community lands. Sagateisa, who we rescued from Tsavo East on 24th November, was a victim of the dry season — although not, as it transpired, our final rescue of the year. That distinction went to Tingai, who we rescued from Samburu on 5th December. His mother was killed in an incident of human-wildlife - 14 -

The Orphans’ Project KALUKU NEONATE NURSERY - ESTABLISHED 2018 8 milk-dependent orphaned elephants 1 milk-dependent orphaned rhino 1 milk-dependent orphaned giraffe Located in the heart of the Tsavo Conservation Area, Kaluku is the hub of our field operations. Over the years, it has expanded into a Neonate Nursery where we raise our most vulnerable orphans. This evolution was born out of necessity in 2018, when we rescued an influx of orphaned elephants, all of whom were less than a month old. At the time, Nairobi was engulfed in torrential rainstorms and flooding, which were hardly the most desirable conditions for fragile, pneumonia-prone infant calves. To give them the best possible chance of survival, we made the decision to bring them to Tsavo, which was warm and dry.

Over the years, our Kaluku herd has grown considerably.

Lemeki, who was Kaluku’s first resident elephant, has grown into an enormous personality. She became the matriarch of our little orphan herd — and, it must be said, the undisputed queen of Kaluku. Her sidekick, Thamana, is the yin to her yang. He is as easy-going as Lemeki is dramatic, and together they make a great leadership team. Both arrived into our care as neonates — Lemeki was barely a week old, Thamana three weeks at most — but they have matured and grown considerably over the past three years.

Mayan and Vaarti round out the quartet. Mayan was rescued in 2018, after he fell into the septic tank of Manyani Prison. The time he spent submerged in the sewage gravely affected his health, and for nearly a full year, Mayan hovered between life and death. Now, he is a plump little chap and a picture of health. His best friend, Vaarti, has an equally remarkable rescue story.

In 2019, a juvenile wild female arrived at our Ithumba stockades with a tiny calf in tow. The baby was precariously thin and in dire need of milk. The female was clearly not the baby’s mother, but rather, it seemed as if she was delivering the orphan into the hands of help.

We almost certainly know the fate of Vaarti’s mother, as the carcass of a poached lactating female was found on the Tiva River shortly thereafter.

Up until this year, our little elephant herd remained unchanged at Kaluku. All that changed on the evening of 26th July, during a routine patrol along the Tiva River.

Flying over a popular watering point, our pilots spotted a baby elephant who was far too young to be on her own.

An epic rescue saga ensued, as our team of two battled rapidly falling darkness, dense bush, and a very feisty calf!

And so, Rokka became the second female to join our Kaluku herd. Like Lemeki, she marches around with the bearing of an elephant twice her size. This determination undoubtedly helped her survive for as long as she did.

Shortly after Rokka’s rescue, the decayed carcasses of three poached elephants were discovered nearby. It is very possible that one of them was her mother.

As the year progressed and the dry season gripped Tsavo, our orphan herd continued to grow. While most new rescues were taken to our Nairobi Nursery, the youngest and most vulnerable were brought to Kaluku. Some were too far gone to survive, but we had several success stories.

All these babies were rescued when they were days old, too young to remember their lost elephant families. As a result, they latched onto their Keepers with gusto.

Within a span of two days, we rescued two neonate babies.

On the 21st November, we received reports of a twoweek-old calf who had fallen down a trench in Mount Kenya. Our helicopter was in Nairobi for a maintenance check, so our pilot changed course and flew to the side of Mount Kenya to retrieve the calf. From there, our Caravan flew him down to Kaluku. The calf was covered in thick black hair, as is typical of mountain elephants.

We named him Ragati.

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Two days later, our SWT/KWS Mount Kenya Vet Unit received reports of a tiny calf who had been rescued by a community in Dol Dol in the Rift Valley. The baby was impossibly tiny and had clearly been born premature.

Eyewitnesses reported that her mother had been in the area, but then had abandoned her calf. The mother was very young herself, so perhaps she didn’t know what to do with a premature baby. Because daylight was falling fast, a good samaritan kept the calf — who we named Doldol — in his house overnight, and she was flown to Kaluku the following morning. Neonates are always an enormous challenge to raise, so we assigned two of our veteran Keepers to both Doldol and Ragati. With decades of experience raising orphaned elephants, they helped us give these babies the best possible chance of survival.

Our final elephant addition of the year arrived on 15th December. It was the tail end of the dry season, when many creatures were losing the will to survive. That afternoon, rangers spotted a lone calf in Tsavo West.

Given his solitary state and poor condition, he was clearly an orphan. The hour was getting late, but we mobilised a rescue. Knowing there was not a minute to spare, our pilot landed the helicopter and singlehandedly restrained the calf with a decisive, running leap. In fact, the entire operation was a convergence of ‘barelys.’ The calf barely fit into the aircraft, and with darkness falling, the pilot barely got to Kaluku before nightfall. Our original plan was to overnight the calf at Kaluku, before transporting him to our Nairobi Nursery in the morning. However, the calf — who we named Manda — was riddled with worms, severely emaciated, and extremely stressed. Rather than further tax his system with another move, we decided to keep him in situ.

Of course, we aren’t only raising elephants at our Kaluku Neonate Nursery. It is home to an ever-expanding and increasingly eclectic herd of orphans. We often find it is the smallest creatures who make the biggest splash.

During a routine patrol, our Canine Unit found an emaciated warthog piglet cowering in the bush. Now, Scooter runs the show at Kaluku.

She is a big chatterbox and trots around the compound from sunup to sundown. Scooter’s long-suffering roommates, Lali the kudu and Kwale the hartebeest, take all her antics in stride. Munyu the kudu is the enigma of the group: She has always preferred to do her own thing, and sometimes just appears for a bottle of milk before slipping back into the bush for the day.

It can take an orphaned elephant upwards of a decade to complete their journey back to the wild, but antelopes reintegrate at a much faster pace. However, many remain just as attached to their human family as their elephant counterparts. Such is the case with Sala, a lesser kudu who we rescued in 2017. Although she is a fully accepted member of the local kudu population — and a mother of two wild-born calves — she has chosen to make her home in the environs of Kaluku.

Oka the orphaned oryx is proving to be another mainstay.

As antelope do, Oka grew up quickly: She was barely knee-high when we rescued her in 2019, and by the end of the year, she was sporting the long, spear-like horns that are so emblematic of her kind. After a long time away in the wilds of Tsavo, she reappeared earlier this year with a tell-tale round belly! Oka has chosen to spend the remainder of her pregnancy around Kaluku, and we hope she will introduce us to her baby in the new year.

Our orphan herd continued to grow in December. At the beginning of the month, we welcomed an orphaned giraffe into the fold. Twiggy, as we named her, was observed for a few days walking alone among a herd of zebras. She spent a week recuperating at our Voi Reintegration Unit, before making the move to Kaluku. We put her in a large stockade next to Rokka, who was delighted to have such a novel new neighbour.

In fact, the only creature who was less than impressed by all the new arrivals was Apollo. This is just another sign that our boy is growing up. Rhinos are territorial by nature, and as Apollo gets older, all the quirks of his kind are emerging. We were reminded of this in May, when he suddenly decided that he was ready for a new bedroom.

He made his demands known by banging on his stable door late into the night, making it clear that he was ready for an upgrade — and that no one else would get a wink of sleep until we fulfilled his wishes! We quickly moved Apollo into an open stockade that sits within the protected compound, which he deemed far more appropriate.

Like all the orphans in our care, Apollo spends his daylight hours exploring the Tsavo wilderness under the supervision of his Keepers. He went through a very spirited phase, marked by a disruptive penchant for pulling disappearing acts. On the few occasions that he managed to go missing, everyone at Kaluku scrambled to locate the wayward rhino, only to have him nonchalantly reappear when he was ready.

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As Apollo approaches his third birthday, it is time to think about the next step in his journey back to the wild. While orphaned elephants are more difficult to raise, rhinos are far more difficult to reintegrate. However, this is a process we have successfully executed many times before, and we have built a wonderful setup to help Apollo reclaim his place among the wild rhinos of Tsavo. When the time is right, he will move to his new home. It is in the heart of Tsavo’s rhino country, with a 50-acre area secured by a lion-proof perimeter fence for the initial months while he adjusts to his new territory. In the meantime, however, Apollo remains a much-loved fixture at Kaluku.

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KEEPING UP WITH KIKO

When we rescued Kiko in 2015, he was small enough for one Keeper to carry him singlehandedly. He fitted easily into the plane that ferried him from Meru to Nairobi, swaddled in a ball of blankets with just his neck and head poking out.

Six years on, and Kiko has grown immensely — both in size and in maturity. In March 2020, he took a momentous step towards a life back into the wild and graduated from our Nairobi Nursery. Sirikoi, his new home up north, borders Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

This vast, protected area is home to a thriving population of reticulated giraffes. Our hope was that Kiko would become accustomed to his own kind and eventually join their ranks.

As this year proved, that day may arrive sooner than we anticipated. Growing up alongside orphaned baby elephants, Kiko has always felt at home among an eclectic assortment of creatures. Ironically, it was only other giraffes that seemed to bring out his shyness.

At Sirikoi, his entry into giraffe society has unfolded slowly but surely. He is lucky to have the reassuring presence of Nditu, a fellow orphaned giraffe who has grown up on the property. Because she is several years older than Kiko, she chooses to do her own thing during the day. They always reunite at bedtime, retiring to their

adjoining stockades. Simon, who has been Kiko’s Keeper since his Nursery days, remains a mainstay in his life.

Outside his circle, Kiko seemed interested in befriending visiting wild giraffes, albeit in manageable doses. At the beginning of the year, he started hanging out with an outgoing male. He really enjoyed one-on-one time with him, but if the friend brought other giraffes with him, Kiko immediately walked away. He clearly found an entire tower of giraffes too overwhelming to handle!

Over the months, however, Kiko became increasingly extroverted. He developed firm friendships with several giraffes, and when they ventured further afield during the dry season, he clearly missed their presence. When the rains finally arrived in November, all the area’s wildlife returned. Kiko was overjoyed to have wild giraffe friends back in the area.

One particular friend remained by his side at all times, for days on end. After a day of browsing together, he would escort Kiko back to his stockade at night. In the morning, he would be waiting for Kiko to emerge. As these friendships showed us, Kiko is already an accepted member of the local giraffe population. For now, he remains attached to the home base he knows and loves, but we feel certain that it is only a matter of time before he reclaims his place in the wild.

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2021 Rescues

“ Their

lives duplicate our own so these orphaned babies that came into the fold this year will likely be dependent on us for the better part of eight to ten years”

RAMA • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 1 February 2021 Location: Laikipia Approximate Age at Rescue: 3 years old Reason Orphaned: Natural causes; born with severe bowlegs, which hindered his mobility Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

ESOIT • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 4 May 2021 Location: Chyulu Hills Approximate Age at Rescue: 14 months old Reason Orphaned: Natural causes; mother sustained mortal injuries from a fall Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

ROKKA • • • • • •

Female Date Rescued: 26 July 2021 Location: Tsavo East National Park Approximate Age at Rescue: 7 months old Reason Orphaned: Unknown; found alone on the Tiva River Current Location: Kaluku Neonate Nursery

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KERRIO • • • • • •

Female Date Rescued: 31 August 2021 Location: West Pokot Approximate Age at Rescue: 7 months old Reason Orphaned: Panic separation; her herd likely stampeded after hearing gunfire Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

SUGUROI • • • • • •

Female Date Rescued: 23 September 2021 Location: Laikipia Approximate Age at Rescue: 23 months old Reason Orphaned: Natural causes; mum died of toxaemia Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

TAABU • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 29 September 2021 Location: Taita Hills Approximate Age at Rescue: 12 months old Reason Orphaned: Drought-related; abandoned in front of Salt Lick Lodge Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

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KAMILI • • • • • •

Female Date Rescued: 3 October 2021 Location: Tsavo East National Park Approximate Age at Rescue: 19 months old Reason Orphaned: Drought-related; found by chance, on the brink of death Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

LATIKA • • • • • •

Female Date Rescued: 10 October 2021 Location: Taita Hills Approximate Age at Rescue: 18 months old Reason Orphaned: Poaching; found with a wire snare around her neck Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

BARNOTI • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 19 October 2021 Location: Amboseli National Park Approximate Age at Rescue: 2 years old Reason Orphaned: Natural causes; mother died in 2020 and he deteriorated in the dry season Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

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MUKUTAN • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 4 November 2021 Location: Laikipia Approximate Age at Rescue: 18 months old Reason Orphaned: Human-wildlife conflict; found hiding in a maize field Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

CHOKA • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 8 November 2021 Location: Tsavo East National Park Approximate Age at Rescue: 12 months old Reason Orphaned: Drought-related; mother died due to the dry season Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

OLDEPE • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 10 November 2021 Location: Amboseli National Park Approximate Age at Rescue: 2 years old Reason Orphaned: Drought-related; found alone in the swamps of Amboseli Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

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RAGATI • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 21 November 2021 Location: Mount Kenya Approximate Age at Rescue: 2 weeks old Reason Orphaned: Man-made causes; fell down a trench in Mount Kenya Current Location: Kaluku Neonate Nursery

DOLDOL • • • • • •

Female Date Rescued: 23 November 2021 Location: Laikipia Approximate Age at Rescue: 4 days old Reason Orphaned: Unknown; born premature and abandoned Current Location: Kaluku Neonate Nursery

SAGATEISA • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 24 November 2021 Location: Tsavo Ecosystem Approximate Age at Rescue: 2 years old Reason Orphaned: Drought-related; nearly collapsed by Salt Lick Lodge Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

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TINGAI • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 5 December 2021 Location: Samburu Approximate Age at Rescue: 16 months old Reason Orphaned: Human-wildlife conflict; found with spear wounds Current Location: Nairobi Nursery

MANDA • • • • • •

Male Date Rescued: 15 December 2021 Location: Tsavo West Approximate Age at Rescue: 1 year old Reason Orphaned: Drought-related; found alone and in very poor condition Current Location: Kaluku Neonate Nursery

TWIGGY-GIRAFFE • • • • • •

Female Date Rescued: 29 November 2021 Location: Tsavo East Approximate Age at Rescue: 1 week old Reason Orphaned: Unknown; found among a herd of zebra Current Location: Kaluku Neonate Nursery

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Voi Reintegration Unit 16 milk-dependent orphaned elephants 9 partially dependent orphaned elephants 67 ex-orphans living wild

January seems to be the designated homecoming time for many of our ex-orphans. For Edie and Mweya’s herd, this has become something of an annual tradition. After spending the rest of the year afield, they converge upon Voi around Christmas time, as if celebrating a holiday of their own. Edie, Mweya, Ndara and their wild-born babies remained in the area well into February.

Homecomings are an exciting time for our dependent orphans, as well. They relish any opportunity to socialise with and learn from their older friends — and, perhaps even more so, to play with their babies. They don’t take these interactions for granted; wild elephants can be quite protective of their calves and limit the orphans’ access to them, but our ex-orphans are far more generous. Tamiyoi was particularly delighted to play with Edie, Mweya, and Ndara’s babies, Eco, Mwitu, and Neptune.

Reintegration is a very personal journey that is shaped by an orphan’s personality, history, and life experiences.

For instance, Kenia’s older group spent much of last year exploring their independence, but the loss of Nelion in August 2020 left them shaken. Kenia, Arruba, Suswa, Mashariki, Mudanda, Tundani, Ishaq-B, Ndoria, Rorogoi, Embu, Ndii, and Araba took up residence at Voi once more, where they could rebuild their confidence with the support of their Keepers. We were happy that they chose to return home, as the reintegration process is not one to be rushed. While they still returned to the stockades each night, they began the year on a positive note, embarking on independent foraging missions during the day.

While we welcomed many familiar faces back into the fold, one orphan chose to leave the Voi herd in February. On the morning of the 15th, Tahri was enveloped by a group of wild elephants. With the assistance of the Keepers, the older orphans tried to retrieve her, but she was determined

to remain with two females who had taken up position on either side of her. It is ultimately an orphan’s choice to leave our care, and despite everyone’s efforts to persuade her otherwise, Tahri made it abundantly clear that she was ready to take that step. Given her decisiveness, we wonder if this was a rare reunion between an orphan and her natal herd: Tahri was rescued from the Voi River in 2017, so it is entirely possible that she found her family.

Panda is further proof that reintegration is a personal journey. She joined Edie and Mweya’s ex-orphan herd more than a year ago — and by all appearances, thrived in her wild life. However, when Edie and Mweya moved deeper into the park after their holiday visit, Panda chose to re-join Kenia’s dependent herd instead. She has known Kenia and Ndii for her entire time at Voi, as they arrived before she was rescued in 2012. These are formative relationships, and perhaps Panda’s time away made her yearn for her old friends.

At the beginning of March, temperatures soared and vegetation became bone dry. Little did we know that this was just a precursor to the long dry season that would dominate the second half of the year. Our water bowser was constantly on the move, ensuring the Voi waterhole remained topped up. During the dry season, it is one of the only sources of water in the area, making it a popular destination for wild herds and our orphans alike. It was not unusual to see dozens of elephants clustered under the shade of the giant baobab tree, enjoying a refreshing drink and a respite from the blazing sun.

The presence of predators is a fact of life during the dry season, as all manner of creatures converge around known water sources. Tragedy struck when a lioness mortally wounded little Nzuki, one of the two orphaned zebras at Voi. Even in these moments of heartbreak, we

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are reminded of the remarkable empathy of elephants.

When Tundani saw the Keepers moving in to fend off the lions, the bull came barrelling down the hill to join their efforts. His best friend, Nelion, was lost to lions, and the memory obviously still haunts him. We were struck

by Tundani’s selflessness in such a harrowing situation, as he ran to support the Keepers without a moment’s hesitation.

Cheza and Ivia make up the rest of the non-elephant contingent of our Voi herd. After spending their infancy at our Kaluku Field Headquarters, the pair of orphaned buffalos moved to Voi early last year. This part of Tsavo is home to a thriving wild buffalo population — but for now, both orphans remain fully ensconced in the Voi herd. As the year progressed, Cheza began to show more interest in wild male buffalos, which shows progress in her reintegration journey.

The unusual interspecies friendship between Ivia and Ngilai continued to flourish throughout the year. During the midday mud bath, the buffalo and elephant would convene for their usual sparring sessions, almost as if it was an engagement they arranged ahead of time. Ngilai, who has always been one of the most playful elephants in our care, relished having such a unique sparring partner.

The only one who didn’t approve of this friendship was Emoli, who is Ngilai’s usual sidekick. Upon witnessing Ngilai and Ivia at play, the young bull would often stomp off to vent his frustration on an unsuspecting tree.

April was heavy with the promise of rain, but scant on delivery. As water sources remained scarce, our dependent herd was treated to many wild visitors. Several of these herds had tiny babies in tow, much to the delight of our orphan girls. While Ishaq-B, Mashariki, Rorogoi, Sagala, and Godoma always demurely waited for an invitation to interact with them, Tamiyoi strode up to any wild elephant and boldly introduced herself. We wonder how she became so forward!

Pika Pika is the youngest orphan at Voi and enjoys all the privileges that come with that. She is fiercely protected by the older females, particularly Ndii and Kenia. One day, Ndii saw Ndotto standing close to Pika Pika and assumed that he was bothering her. She came charging over and poked Ndotto with her single tusk, which sent him scampering to his Keepers.

Despite this rather undignified incident, Ndotto is really coming into his own. Born premature, he has always been on the small side, but now he is becoming quite an impressive bull — with energy to match! It takes a herd’s worth of elephants to tire out such a fun-loving character.

Most days, Ndotto continued taking on playmates right up until it was time to go home for the evening. Around June, Ivia earmarked Ndotto as his preferred playmate.

With Ngilai no longer preoccupied with the buffalo, Emoli swept in to reclaim his best friend.

Unlike Ngilai and Ndotto, who seem to grow more playful with each passing day, Lasayen and Murit are becoming significantly calmer with age. They eschew the usual bull games in favour of more civilised pursuits, such as browsing. Perhaps they are trying to model the dignified manner of 22-year-old Lakipia, an ex-orphan who they clearly revere!

Mbegu continues to reign over Ndotto, Godoma, Lasayen, Ngilai, and Murit, who have been an inseparable unit since their Nursery days. Tagwa, Tamiyoi, and Sagala sometimes join them, but they are their own little trio.

They lead all the orphans into the bush most mornings, which is a ritual that really helped Tagwa find her place in the Voi herd. While she doesn’t seem to have the matriarch aspirations of Mbegu, she is a natural-born leader, and overseeing this task clearly suits her. July was very dry and cold, as it is the height of Kenya’s winter. The orphans were duly business-like, focused on staying warm and finding ample browse. While some of the orphans liked to play in the compound after the morning milk feed, Sagala kept everyone on task. With a loud trumpet, she would signal to the rest of the herd that it was time to get a move on, and all the orphans dutifully followed her lead. Sagala was just being prudent; during the dry season, elephants need to maximise their browsing time.

While there are many leadership figures among the Voi herd, Kenia remains the undisputed matriarch. She has the seniority, nurturing spirit, and attention to detail that make a great leader. After one afternoon milk feed, Kenia escorted her darling Pika Pika over to the water trough to ensure she had a drink. It is very important that the orphans constantly quench their thirst during the dry season, and Kenia seemed to realise that Pika Pika might forget amidst the cold weather.

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Diria, the remaining orphaned zebra at Voi, continued to thrive. In the wake of Nzuki’s death, he became even more attached to his Keepers. Time heals all wounds, however, and Diria slowly regained his confidence and his independence. One August afternoon, he spotted a group of wild zebras at the water hole and approached them without hesitation. This made Cheza and Ivia uneasy, so they decided to shadow him. After allowing Diria to interact with his new friends for about ten minutes, the buffalos escorted him back to the Voi herd.

A remarkable story unfolded in August. On the 24th, after an absence of more than seven months, exorphan Naipoki showed up at the Voi stockades. It soon became clear that she had come seeking help: She had a puncture wound on her rump, and while it wasn’t a grave injury, it was clearly causing her discomfort. The SWT/ KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit treated her while the other orphans calmly observed proceedings.

In the weeks that followed, Naipoki chose to remain at Voi, relishing time with her best friend, Panda, and seamlessly slotting into the old routines. Naipoki is part of Mweya and Edie’s ex-orphan herd, who had taken up residence near Tsavo West at this time, so she likely travelled upwards of 80 kilometres to reach home. We have seen ex-orphans return for help time and again, as they know they can always come back to us in their hour of need.

Wild elephants continued to visit Voi throughout the dry season, which provided the orphans with wonderful opportunities to mingle with local herds and learn their ways. Pika Pika, ever the social butterfly, relished these interactions. During one mud bath, she became very excited when she saw a small group of wild elephants.

She began charging around the water, inviting them to play. Another evening, a herd with several calves stopped for a drink just outside the stockade compound.

Pika Pika rumbled at them in greeting, which sent Kenia and Ndii into a spiral. Although all the orphans were secured in their bedrooms, they thought their precious girl was going to join the visitors, so made a great fuss until the herd left. The final months of the year were challenging for our Voi team, as we continued to feel the effects of the dry season. Creatures who had been barely hanging on for weeks reached a breaking point, leading to an overwhelming amount of orphans. Our Keepers assisted in a number of rescues in this sector of Tsavo.

Many of these babies were helped in the nick of time and are now recovering at the Nursery. For all the hardship we witnessed around Voi, there were also some happy reunions. One afternoon in November, a KWS warden reported a wild elephant calf stuck in the water trough at the Dida Harea windmill. The Keepers raced to the scene, extricated the little elephant, and reunited him with his mother and family, who were waiting nearby.

We also had some happy reunions of our own. On 16th November, Bada appeared from the pipeline area and walked straight over to the orphans. He had not visited in nearly two years, so everyone warmly welcomed him back into the herd. The dry season had taken a toll on his condition, and he had clearly come home seeking assistance. Bada prudently chose to spend the rest of the dry season in the environs of Voi, knowing that it was a reliable source of food and water.

Despite everything, 2021 ended on a hopeful note.

The highly anticipated rains finally arrived on 10th December, swathing the landscape in green. The orphans couldn’t contain their excitement. They ran about to and fro, splashing in the raindrops and playing hide-andseek. After several months of dry and hard food, having a bounty of browse at their feet must have been such a delicious relief.

We are proud of how our orphan herd handled this long dry season. They showed perseverance and prudence during a challenging time, but they always maintained their sense of fun. This spirit bodes well for them as they continue along their reintegration journeys. As the holidays approached, we kept our eyes on the horizon, waiting for our ex-orphans to make their annual pilgrimage home.

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Ithumba Reintegration Unit 37 milk-dependent orphaned elephants 66 ex-orphans living wild With the new year came new beginnings at Ithumba.

Yatta’s ex-orphan herd appeared around Christmas and remained well into the New Year. Their presence served as the catalyst for many of our older, dependent orphans to explore their independence. It was particularly heartwarming to see Ukame’s transition. Formerly known for her hot-tempered personality, she always led a quiet life at Ithumba and never forged close ties with anyone.

However, she finally found her calling among Yatta’s exorphan herd. She immediately took on the role of nanny to Cheka, Lapa, and the other little babies, nurturing them with such a sensitive, natural talent.

“Dololomania’’ dominated much of the year. Towards the end of January, Mutara’s ex-orphan herd arrived on the scene — and they never really left! Suguta, Sities, and Turkwel developed an obsession with Dololo and were constantly hatching plans to steal him away. They even took to sleeping outside his stockade, so they could abscond with their baby first thing in the morning for a day of doting. Dololo, for his part, seemed rather nonplussed by all the attention. When the Keepers saw Suguta and co. appear, they knew they would have to be even more vigilant than usual.

Suguta was not the only elephant who signalled a long day ahead for the Keepers. Rapa started to test his independence early in the year, venturing deep into the bush and returning to the stockades on his own schedule. He often roped Siangiki, Olsekki, Oltaiyoni, Tusuja, Enkikwe, Wanjala, Galla, and Kauro into his disappearing acts.

For nearly two years, Barsilinga was plagued by a mysterious foot injury. We believe that a thorn penetrated deep into his foot and, even after two medical interventions, remaining slivers inhibited his recovery.

At last, his healing journey came to an end when an abscess formed and expelled the offending object once and for all. It was as if Barsilinga had been waiting for this

moment to explore his independence; he immediately began venturing further afield and spending more time with the ex-orphans.

Enkikwe also made great strides in his healing journey following a lion attack three years ago. Ex-orphans Makena, Tumaren, and Rapsu saved his life that night, bravely chasing off the lions and escorting Enkikwe back to the Ithumba stockades. He has recovered step by step, rather than by leaps and bounds, but he finally seems to be back to his old self. Perhaps in an effort to broadcast this fact to his friends, Enkikwe was very rowdy this year.

One day, Karisa and Wanjala were shocked to find him mischievously blocking their exit from the mud bath!

While many older orphans experimented with their independence, others had a newfound appreciation for the creature comforts at home. As the dependent herd was coming back one evening, ex-orphan Lemoyian snuck into the oldest group’s stockade and proceeded to spend the night with them. This was clearly an elaborate plot to pilfer the dairy cube stash, for he spent the entire night feasting to his heart’s content! Lemoyian came sauntering out of the stockade the next morning, looking most pleased with himself.

We spent much of April with our eyes hopefully turned to the skies, watching for signs of the long rains that fall this time of year. Towards the end of the month, the heavens opened and bestowed us with one big shower. We received precious little rain after that. While we didn’t know it at the time, this marked the beginning of a long, difficult dry season that would stretch until nearly the end of the year.

On 26th May, Ithumba welcomed its newest Nursery graduates, Maisha and Nabulu. Everyone was delighted to have two newcomers in their midst, especially the girls’ old Nursery friends, Ambo, Musiara, Sattao, and Dololo.

Their greeting was beautiful to behold, filled with joyous rumbles and entwined trunks.

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But then, tragedy struck. Towards the end of June, a sudden and mysterious ailment took hold of Maisha.

In half a century of working with elephants, both wild and orphaned, we have never seen something like what unfolded with her. It began with a stiffness in her front legs, which quickly spread to all her limbs. The Keepers gave her plenty of rest and a course of medications, but two days later, Maisha’s jaw locked up and her entire body went rigid as her muscles spasmed, from trunk to tail. It left her unable to walk, lie down, drink, or chew.

A whole team was working around the clock for Maisha, near and far: KWS vet Dr Poghon and his assistant flew to Ithumba, where they remained in situ for the week. We also consulted veterinarians from Nairobi and South Africa. Combining our collective knowledge and experience, we tried to make sense of this situation. Her symptoms were very similar to tetanus, but recorded cases are extraordinarily rare in elephants and, perplexingly, there was no entry wound. We battled on for nearly a week, leaving no avenue unexplored. Maisha showed incremental progress, but sadly, that was not to be. On the morning of 26th June, she collapsed. The Keepers and vets placed her on fluids, but despite their very best efforts, she closed her eyes and stopped breathing. Maisha passed quietly, surrounded by the human family she loved so much. She lived her life gently, but bravely. Her last week on earth was no exception: Despite the pain she must have been experiencing, she never appeared panicked. She put up a courageous fight, but ultimately, this mysterious affliction proved too great a hurdle to overcome.

In the wake of this heartbreak, we turned our attention to Nabulu, who had just lost her lifelong friend. Once again, we were astounded by the intuitive healing power of elephants. On the afternoon of Maisha’s passing, Nabulu walked down to smell her final resting spot. She found a suitable place nearby, where she lay down for several minutes to grieve her departed friend. After observing this mourning period, Nabulu got back to her feet and resolutely went over to her milk bottle, as if she knew that Maisha would have wanted her to carry on with her head held high.

Indeed, we were very proud of how all the orphans looked after little Nabulu. Malkia, Sana Sana, and Malima took it upon themselves to care for the younger girl. Nabulu’s roommates in ‘Class One,’ Musiara, Sattao, and Dololo, rarely left her side. But most of all, Nabulu looked after herself. She took on the role of herd leader, shepherding

the orphans from activity to activity. This is a great privilege for any elephant, let alone the youngest member of the herd.

While most females are innately maternal, a select few don’t seem to have that gene. Kamok falls under that category. She does not like small babies and even goes out of her way to antagonise them. Ambo remains the notable exception to this rule. For some reason, she is absolutely enchanted by the young bull. While the Keepers were happy to see glimmers of Kamok’s nurturing side, they were not so pleased when she tried to whisk Ambo away just before bedtime.

The complex communication skills of elephants never cease to amaze us. In mid-July, ex-orphan Rapsu escorted a wild friend to the stockades. Upon closer inspection, we saw that the bull had an injury on his belly, likely inflicted by a spear or an arrow. He vanished into the bush as soon as he saw the Keepers walking towards him, but the SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit was able to track him down and successfully treat the wound. Rapsu knew that his friend needed help, and he knew exactly where to seek it. His actions very likely saved the elephant’s life.

For all the miracles it presents, the natural world can be a very harsh place. We were reminded of this again in August. On the 2nd, Galana introduced the Keepers to her new-born baby. Everyone’s jubilation soon changed to concern, as the calf was clearly premature and very feeble. Galana and her nannies seemed to know there was a problem from the outset. They calmly shadowed the sleeping baby throughout the night, waiting for the inevitable. The Keepers stepped in and put the calf on a drip, but she was too frail to survive and slipped away.

Afterwards, Galana quietly walked into the bush, with the stoic grace so distinctive of elephants.

Unfortunately, September also brought its share of heartbreak. On the 10th, Makena arrived with a newborn calf in tow. Mumo, as we named her, appeared to be the picture of health. Then, for reasons we will never fully understand, mother and daughter disappeared into the bush. They reappeared after an absence of several days, but the excursion had clearly taken its toll on Mumo, who was extremely weak and dehydrated. Despite a monumental effort to save her, the tiny calf died on the morning of the 20th.

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As Mumo’s death tragically reminded us, life is precarious during the dry season, and one decision can have dire implications. We will never know what induced Makena to venture off into the drought-stricken wilds of Tsavo, when she had everything she needed at Ithumba. She clearly realised the error of her ways, but that realisation came too late. This wisdom, however hard-won, will serve Makena well when her chance at motherhood comes again. She mourned for several days, but then she turned the corner, as elephants are so adept at doing.

For all these moments of sadness, there was also plenty of levity. Sapalan has become Ithumba’s resident milk thief. One afternoon, as the Keepers were enjoying their lunch, he ‘tiptoed’ over to the milk truck, walking very carefully so as to avoid detection. Maramoja foiled his plot by running over to claim her share of milk. When the Keepers stood up to see why she was approaching, they found Sapalan sheepishly reaching into the back of the truck! Esampu, meanwhile, appointed herself head of security. This was a useful outlet for her mischievous nature, as she loves any opportunity to chase something.

No interloper escaped her patrols: One day, she was

chasing hovering birds; the next, chattering baboons or buffalos who were just trying to have a drink. She was often backed by a pack of accomplices, including Wanjala, Rapa, Galla, and Ndiwa.

The dry season continued to grip Tsavo through October, bringing with it a surge of wild visitors. This included plenty of familiar faces, as many of our ex-orphans circled back ‘home’ to say hello and avail themselves of the fresh water and lucerne supplements to be found at Ithumba.

It became commonplace to find over 100 wild elephants around the stockades. Given that this sector of Tsavo was once largely devoid of elephants, particularly during the dry season, we felt a real sense of triumph witnessing these sights.

Despite the challenges of the dry season, new life abounded. Through the end of the year, Ithumba was the scene of an extraordinary baby boom. It began in the evening of the 18th October, when Kinna introduced us to her new-born calf. Kaia, as we named her, is Kinna’s second daughter. Kinna’s firstborn, four-year-old Kama, is an excellent nanny to her little sister.

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Ten days later, after an absence of six months, Naserian arrived at the stockades with a healthy little girl tucked by her side. We named her Njema, which means ‘good’ in Swahili. Fittingly, Wendi’s oldest daughter, Wiva, nominated herself head nanny. Wendi was a rather wayward mother the first time around, and as her best friend, Naserian was instrumental in raising Wiva. Now that Wiva is six years old, it is her turn to play a supportive role in Njema’s upbringing.

On 4th November, Nasalot strode up to the mud bath with a tiny baby in tow, who we named Noah. Nasalot’s introduction to motherhood wasn’t easy: Her firstborn, Nusu, bounded into the world with all the bravado of a full-grown bull. Looking upon his antics, you could almost see the incredulity in Nasalot’s face that she produced such a character! Only time will tell if Noah is another rascal, but no doubt Nasalot’s hard-earned motherhood expertise will come in handy. Nusu, for his part, has proven to be a model big brother. Muscling his way between over-eager nannies, he protectively trails little Noah’s every step.

Less than a week later, Yatta gave birth to a baby boy, who we named Yogi. She arrived at the Ithumba stockades at dawn, eager to introduce her third baby to her human family. Yatta’s firstborn, nine-year-old Yetu, is pregnant herself. Next year, she will make her mother a proud grandmother.

The celebrations continued on 16th November, when Sunyei debuted her latest addition at the afternoon mud bath. There was already a jovial mood in the air, between all the tiny babies cavorting about and the orphans splashing in the water. That ramped up exponentially when Sunyei appeared with her brand-new daughter by her side, who we named Saba. Sunyei’s firstborn, Siku is an excellent big sister, following Saba’s every move with hawk-eyed vigilance.

By the end of November, nearly all our ex-orphan mums had circled back to Ithumba. In fact, on the morning of 20th, 17 of the 19 wild babies born to Ithumba exorphans were present, along with their mums and an assortment of other elephants. Only Sidai and Chyulu, and their babies, Sita and Cheka, were missing. This was not cause for concern, as they have always been very independent and don’t visit Ithumba on a regular basis.

It had been nearly a year since we last saw them. But they turned up two days later, under the most extraordinary circumstances. On the morning of 22nd November, the

Keepers found Yatta, Chyulu, and Sidai waiting patiently outside the stockades. Their calves, Yetu, Yoyo, Yogi, Cheka, and Sita, were also in attendance — along with a tiny addition, a calf born to Sidai. However, the Keepers’ delight quickly turned to dismay, as they saw that Sidai had a fresh arrow wound on her rump. Her entire family looked quite gaunt, as if they had travelled a great distance in a short amount of time.

We will never know exactly what unfolded, but we can surmise. An elephant with young calves must be anchored to water. The Tiva is the next closest watering point, although ‘close’ is a relative term; the Tiva is many, many miles from Ithumba. After she was struck with the arrow, Sidai was faced with an impossible decision: She could remain on the Tiva, where water was abundant, but she ran the risk of succumbing to her poisoned wound, or she could embark on the long, drought-stricken trek to Ithumba, where she knew help would be waiting. Sidai clearly realised this was a life-or-death situation for her entire family, as Sita and Silas are both entirely reliant on her for their survival. And so, with her new-born and two-year-old by her side, she made the extraordinary journey back home.

Along the way, Sidai and Chyulu must have run into Yatta and the other ex-orphans. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Yatta left her herd in the care of her capable deputies, so she could escort Sidai and Chyulu the rest of the way to Ithumba. Because of their decisive action, we were able to mobilise a rapid treatment just outside the stockades. There were no histrionics as Dr Poghon anaesthetised Sidai. The ex-orphans understood that their friend was receiving help and quietly observed proceedings, looking after little Silas and Sita all the while. Fortunately, the wound was very fresh and the poison had not spread far, so Sidai was as good as new post-treatment.

Ithumba finally received some long-awaited rainfall at the end of November. As if on cue, the ex-orphans and wild elephants vanished. They knew Tsavo had transformed into a delicious, green buffet, so they immediately ventured further afield. This brought about a nice change of pace for our dependent orphans, too.

The Ithumba herd enjoyed quiet mornings, browsing on lucerne without any competition or bother from other elephants. It was the first time it rained since little Nabulu came to Tsavo, and the transformed landscape left her wide-eyed with wonder.

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The end of the year is always a good time to revisit our rooming arrangements, as some orphans have progressed further in their reintegration journey than others. Barsilinga, Tusuja, and Galla spent much of 2021 experimenting with a wild life. Because they had given up their stockades, we promoted Kamok, Kauro and Enkikwe to Class Five, while Mteto, Karisa and Mundusi moved up to Class Four. Jotto, who had been causing an uncharacteristically ugly scene in the evenings by bullying Sattao and Dololo, earned himself a ticket to move up to the next class.

We continued to receive rain throughout December, which was an unusual treat; for many years now, our Christmases have been green but dry. Just before the New Year, ex-orphans Yatta and her kids, Yetu, Yoyo, and baby Yogi; Kinna and her daughters, Kaia and Kama; Nasalot and her boys, Nusu and baby Noah; Naserian and little Njema; along with Galla, Teleki, Naisula, and two junior bulls briefly visited the stockade compound. In a wonderful, full circle moment, our ex-orphans’ wild-born babies outnumbered all the other visitors!

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Umani Springs Reintegration Unit 10 milk-dependent orphaned elephants 5 partially dependent orphaned elephants

The year began with all sorts of shenanigans. Impish Lima Lima was up to her usual tricks, stealing hay bales and snatching umbrellas from the Keepers. Even Shukuru had a spring in her step, causing mischief by stealing a broom and running around the compound with it. Pilfering the feed store became an epidemic among the orphans. When the Keepers caught Enkesha in the act one morning, she sheepishly scurried away and hid until Quanza retrieved her. Even Sonje was guilty of a lucerne heist.

Ngasha and Alamaya, who are part of the semi-independent orphans, decided to take a break from the wild and spend more time with the Umani herd. With them came all sorts of newly acquired bad habits, which they undoubtedly learned from their wild bull friends. Ngasha became a bit of a menace, constantly trying to mount the older girls. He once made this mistake of targeting little Enkesha, which earned him a stern rebuke. To his credit, Ngasha always showed contrition when he was disciplined. He would slink into the bushes to regain his composure, before making a subdued return to the group.

One surprising exception to the shenanigans was Mwashoti. Despite the bad influence of the naughty boys, he remained relatively well-behaved. One day, Ngasha convinced Mwashoti to join him out in the forest for the day. The younger bull had a marvellous time meeting wild friends, but in the evening, he happily returned to his stockade. He finished his milk bottles in seconds and fell asleep almost immediately. Collectively, these little outings go a long way in building an orphan’s independence. The matriarchs remained fiercely protective of their beloved Luggard. Whenever things got too boisterous, Murera, Sonje, Quanza, and Lima Lima would surround the young bull in a protective circle. All you could see was Luggard’s little head peering between the legs of all the girls.

Nine-year-old Zongoloni is the perfect matriarch to lead the semi-independent group of orphans, who the Keepers have dubbed the ‘night-clubbers.’ Ziwa, Alamaya, Ngasha, Faraja, and Jasiri know that Zongoloni won’t tolerate their nonsense and has the strength to stand up to them. When they do overstep the line, she doesn’t hesitate to mete out discipline. One afternoon, the Keepers had to come between her and Ngasha, because she was chastising him so harshly. She lost part of her left tusk in the skirmish, which only adds to her formidable appearance.

Friendships run deep among elephants. They always reunite with great fanfare, even when they have only been apart for a short while. This is always the case with little Enkesha and her Zongoloni. Whenever these two girls reunite, even after only a night apart, Enkesha runs to her ‘big sister,’ ears flapping and tail held aloft in delight. Sometimes, Enkesha seemed tempted to join Zongoloni on her forays into the forest, but she knew that would mean giving up her warm stockade and regular milk feeds. A smattering of rain in February confirmed her decision, as she and Luggard flatly refused to leave their cosy bedrooms on wet mornings!

Last year, we rescued a bushbuck called Joy. Our Kibwezi Anti-Poaching Team found her when she was just weeks old, and she has been raised by our Umani staff ever since. Joy spent her earliest days in the Tree Nursery, where she was protected from any marauding baboons.

Now one year old, she is beginning to embrace a more independent life. One afternoon, Enkesha mistook her for a marauding bushbuck and chased her, trumpeting loudly. The Keepers had to step in and remind Enkesha that baby Joy was part of the family.

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In March, we were treated to a number of wild visitors, many of whom had young babies in tow. The Keepers always welcomed these sights. Not so long ago, before Umani Springs was established, it was rare to see elephants in the Kibwezi Forest. Quanza and Mwashoti treated the visitors with polite curiosity, while Lima Lima always barged into their midst with great enthusiasm.

Sonje remained a bit aloof towards wild visitors, unless there were some intriguing bulls in the mix. The Keepers wondered if she was looking out for Osama, a handsome bull who courted her last year.

Our hope was that, as Luggard grew, his body would continue to heal. Far from improving, however, it seemed to deteriorate. In the months leading up to his death, we consulted a series of vets to try to get to the bottom of his decline. His Keepers pulled out all the stops: To compensate for his limited browsing capabilities, they bolstered his diet with nutritious supplements and handpicked greens. They were diligent about the orphans’ daily walks, keeping him close to home and avoiding any difficult terrain that would add further stress to his situation.

At one memorable mud bath, a huge bull emerged from the forest and made a slow, deliberate beeline for Luggard. He was so big that he dwarfed even the largest members of our herd. Luggard is usually shielded from wild visitors, and the Keepers attempted to call him over, but he remained rooted to the spot. The wild bull gently inspected Luggard with his trunk, which our lionhearted boy allowed as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world. Ngasha stood by the entire time, watching the scene unfold providing a comforting presence. After a lovely interaction, the wild bull waded into the mud bath, while Luggard enjoyed his own splashing session at the water’s edge. The Keepers felt so proud of Luggard for pushing his own boundaries and embracing new friendships.

Perhaps most importantly, the Keepers recognised that what Luggard needed most was to be included. He was an elephant who thrived off the company of others, human and elephant alike. It gives us great comfort to know that he was unfalteringly happy at Umani Springs. His blissful little rumbles, brought on by something as simple as a trunk hug or an ear rub, communicated that loud and clear. At the end, Luggard seemed utterly at peace. He slipped away beneath the starry sky, surrounded by those who loved him most.

Little Mwashoti also showed great personal growth. He took on the role of ‘protector’ of the dependent orphans, standing up to the rowdy night-clubbers. During one of their visits, he stomped up to Faraja with his ears flared, as if to block him from the rest of the Umani herd.

Luckily for him, Faraja is very good-natured and took the younger boy’s bravado in stride, simply side-stepping Mwashoti in order to join the other orphans.

On 11th May, tragedy struck our special herd, when our beloved Luggard passed away. His decline was sudden, but not wholly surprising. He had always been our miracle rescue; few elephants could have survived the gunshot wounds inflicted upon him, let alone a calf of just four months old. When Luggard was rescued, his rear leg shattered by bullets, many considered euthanasia to be the only possible outcome. However, we recognised a fierce will to live shining bright in his eyes and knew we had to do everything we could to save him. That lionhearted spirit carried Luggard bravely through the past five years, but ultimately, his body had taken him as far as it could go.

In the days following Luggard’s death, the orphans struggled immensely with their grief. Murera, who had a very special bond with the young bull, was absolutely bereft. Even the night-clubbers stepped up to console the dependent herd. When they arrived the morning after Luggard’s death, they innately knew that he was no longer with us. Putting their usual rambunctious antics aside, they quietly gathered around Lima Lima and Murera, offering their condolences in the form of quiet rumbles. It was comforting for the Keepers to see the Umani family come together in this difficult time.

Luggard often frequented a special acacia tree just outside the stockades. In the days following his passing, the orphans used it as a memorial for their friend, standing underneath its canopy and touching its bark with their trunks. As Umani Springs continued to mourn, Angela Sheldrick felt they needed to bring light back into the lives of everyone there. At the time, we were planning several Nursery graduations. Generally, Umani Springs is reserved as a destination for the most vulnerable orphans.

However, it dawned on Angela that new babies would be a healing balm during this raw time.

And so, on the morning of 24th May, Kiasa, Kiombo, and Maktao arrived from the Nursery. The Keepers tried to keep the Umani orphans at bay for as long as possible,

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so as to not overwhelm the newcomers, but there was no holding them back. Shukuru broke ranks first and the rest soon followed, showering Kiasa, Kiombo, and Maktao with a truly heartfelt greeting. The nightclubbers soon joined the welcoming party, filling the air with a spectacular chorus of rumbling and trumpeting.

As we had hoped, their arrival had an instant effect on our heartbroken herd.

In conjunction with this move, the Keepers and Angela made an important decision about Shukuru. While she had been battling chronic health issues for most of her life, she had been growing increasingly solitary and losing condition in recent months. We felt it was time for her to make the reverse journey to the Nursery, where she could receive more hands-on care and veterinary attention.

Skuhuru boarded the lorry without hesitation, as if she knew it was the right thing to do. For a herd as small as Umani Springs, every member’s presence is felt keenly.

The addition of Kiasa, Kiombo, and Maktao had just the healing effect we had hoped for. Suddenly, the bereft older girls had purpose again. For several weeks, there was lots of jockeying as everyone sought to claim ‘their’ baby.

Only Mwashoti seemed displeased by the arrival of Kiasa, Kiombo, and Maktao. He had grown accustomed to being the baby of the herd, so he felt quite jealous to be usurped

by the youngsters. At seven years old, however, it was high time that he began exploring his own reintegration journey. The newcomers provided just the incentive he needed. He began spending more time with the nightclubbers and fraternising with the wild elephants of the Kibwezi Forest. He seemed particularly popular with female elephants, and often turned up with a coterie of wild girlfriends in tow. This made Sonje and Quanza very upset, as they didn’t appreciate having so much female competition!

The loss of Luggard also seemed to unlock a part of Murera. She never had time for the outside world, preferring to focus on her little charge. After Luggard’s passing, however, she began to express more interest in fraternising with wild elephants. By August, Murera had started spending nights away from the stockades, linking up with wild herds of females and calves. One afternoon, a handsome bull asked Murera to join him on a walk in the forest. She accepted his invitation and did not return until much later in the evening.

Time will tell when our older girls are ready to mate, but they certainly entertained their fair share of suitors throughout the year. Sonje, who is an exceptionally beautiful elephant, caught the eye of a very gallant bull.

It was sweet to witness their courtship: During browsing

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sessions, the bull reached up to pluck the tallest, greenest branches, which he would then give to Sonje.

Just as parents would, the Keepers often wondered about Lima Lima’s number of boyfriends! She seemed to be socialising with as many bulls as possible, no doubt in an effort to find the right mate. She is right to be picky: While every elephant is remarkable in their own way, Lima Lima is exceptional. Her intelligence, loyalty, and intuition are second to none. The Keepers call her their ‘scout,’ for she is fiercely protective of them and always raises the alarm should there be danger afoot in the forest.

While Sonje was entertaining wild admirers, her heart really belonged to little Kiombo. She claimed him as her roommate from the moment he arrived. Not only do they share a stockade at night, but they rarely leave each other’s sides. They developed a sweet morning ritual, which really showcased how much they care for one another. Instead of rushing off to the lucerne after their bottles, one waits for the other to finish their milk. Then, Kiombo gets a trunk hug from Sonje, and the pair head over to have their lucerne together.

As we often see, rooming arrangements forge lifelong friendships. Enkesha and Maktao began as stockade neighbours, but over the following weeks, a sibling-like

bond developed. Enkesha took on her mentorship role with gusto, ensuring no one bullied the young bull eagerly showing him the ropes. Maktao has always been a sensitive soul, and he really seemed to appreciate all this special attention. We always suspected Enkesha would become a matriarch one day, and given how well she looks after Maktao, our suspicions seem to be well-founded.

Out of the new graduates, only Kiasa had a bit of a shuffle with caregivers. However, she is such an independent little girl that she barely seemed to notice. While she seems to think she is wiser than her years, she is only four years old and still needs lots of guidance. Murera provided this during Kiasa’s initial months at Umani, but ever since she began spending more time with wild friends, the little girl lacked a mentor. The Keepers had been planning to move her out of the stockade she shared with Murera, but in typical Kiasa fashion, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Without any preamble, she invited herself into Quanza’s room and settled down to sleep. Quanza was over the moon to have a little roommate to nurture, and from that decision, a wonderful friendship blossomed.

Before Murera and Lima Lima started their transition into the wild, they used to share the responsibility of looking after the younger babies. This left Quanza with a limited nannying role. Once both older girls joined the

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night-clubbers, however, she revealed a natural talent for nurturing. Aside from being an excellent roommate to little Kiasa, she also took Enkesha under her wing, teaching both younger girls skills that will perhaps help them become matriarchs one day.

While Zongoloni is the leader of the night-clubbers, she loves babies and is always looking to recruit friends to her growing herd. Kiasa became a great favourite of hers.

Whenever her ‘big sister’ visited the dependent orphans, Kiasa seemed to forget that she was far too young to be a wild elephant yet. The Keepers often found her slinking off with Zongoloni, like a little shadow. It must be said that Zongoloni encouraged this behaviour!

were exacerbated by a spate of bushfires that intensified during November. While they never ignited in dangerous proximity to Umani Springs, several came a bit close for comfort. During one such blaze, the Keepers gathered all the orphans and brought them back to the stockades.

Once everyone was safely inside the compound, the Keepers split into two groups. One stayed behind with the elephants, while the rest went to help put out the fire. It was a gruelling time for our hard-working team.

Towards the end of the year, drama dominated our Umani herd. Ngasha seemed to be the root cause of the discord.

He started a feud with fellow nine-year-old bulls — and former friends — Faraja and Jasiri. The older girls were eager to restore peace, especially as Ngasha can be a rather disruptive presence on his own. The Keepers witnessed them attempting to broker several diplomatic negotiations between the bulls. However, Ngasha is stubborn and didn’t seem interested in burying the hatchet.

At the end of November, the heavens finally opened and blessed the Kibwezi Forest and Chyulu Hills with an abundance of rain. After such a dry spell, all creatures were grateful that better times had arrived. Mwashoti experienced enormous personal growth over the course of 2021. He began the year as a fully dependent orphan.

By year-end, he was spending every night out in the forest with Alamaya and the rest of his older friends.

While most of the night-clubbers touch base with the dependent herd in the morning, only to disappear for the rest of the day, Mwashoti remains quite attached to his human-elephant family. He waits patiently by the gates until everyone is done with their morning routine, and then they all venture out into the forest together.

When Ngasha started pushing out Faraja and Jasiri, he clearly hoped to retain Zongoloni, as she is an impressive matriarch. However, Zongoloni chose to distance herself from Ngasha, aware of his troublemaking ways. Instead, she joined Jasiri and Faraja’s splinter herd, and the three friends seem very happy together. The Keepers have never known Ngasha to carry a grudge for so long. They wondered if he was trying to chase all the strong bulls out of the picture, so as to exert his dominance over the Umani herd.

The year ended on a wonderful note, when a wild family with young calves joined the Umani herd out in the forest. The mothers allowed the orphans to interact with the babies, a display of trust which filled the Keepers with pride. Later in the day, they met up with a wild group of bulls. They exchanged warm greetings with Murera and Quanza, who then introduced them to the rest of their friends. Seeing these impressive elephants amidst the Umani herd reminded us just how well the orphans have already assimilated with the local population.

Of the night-clubbers, Ziwa has always been a lone ranger.

He is very fond of his Keepers and fellow orphans, but happiest when doing his own thing. He is growing into a very impressive bull — something which sometimes took the Keepers by surprise. Upon returning after a very long absence, they mistook him for a wild elephant, because he looked so rugged and imposing. After witnessing his warm greeting with Lima Lima and Zongoloni, however, they suspected it was Ziwa. They were overjoyed when they called him by his name and he responded.

While the Kibwezi Forest was spared the worst of the dry season that swept the Tsavo Conservation Area, it was not immune to its effects. The challenging conditions - 57 -

Loved And Lost Daphne Sheldrick once said that raising orphaned elephants is a “cocktail of joy, tempered with a good dose of tears.” “

For all the miraculous rescues and new life brought into the world this year, we also experienced our fair share of tragedy. We lost three members of our herd in 2021. These elephants left an indelible mark on all who knew them, near and far. Although they are no longer with us, they will always remain a cherished part of our hearts.

The circumstances surrounding each orphan’s passing is told in their respective unit section (Luggard - Umani Springs, Maisha - Ithumba, Shukuru - Nursery). This is a tribute to their everlasting spirit, how we will remember them best.

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LUGGARD, OUR LIONHEART 2015-2021

Few elephants could survive the gunshot wounds Luggard sustained, particularly a calf so young. Despite the pain and suffering inflicted on him by mankind, he never showed an ounce of bitterness. Even during his early days at the Nursery, when he must have been in terrible pain, he never let his circumstances define him. He eagerly emerged from his stable each morning, undeterred by his limp, just excited to meet up with his friends and discover what the day had in store. This open spirit also defined his time at Umani Springs, where he was lavished with more love than we ever thought possible. Luggard was an incredibly sweet, optimistic elephant, epitomising all that is so wonderful about these creatures.

MAISHA, OUR MINI MATRIARCH 2016-2021

In her short time on earth, Maisha touched lives the world over. Her nurturing presence shaped young orphans like Roho, offering them love and guidance at a time when they needed it most. To know Maisha was to know the embodiment of goodness. Her name is the Swahili word for ‘life’ — and full of life is how we will remember her. She had such joie de vivre, in her own, quiet way. Maisha was never the biggest showboat in the mud bath or the loudest trumpeter at the milk bottles, but she exuded compassion, kindness, and joy. She loved her life and, even more so, she loved the creatures she shared it with.

SHUKURU, OUR SWEETHEART 2009-2021

Shukuru’s full name is Nashukuru, which means “I am grateful” in Swahili. We can only be grateful that her time on earth was marked by love and contentment. Shukuru loved her human-elephant family deeply. Even during the greatest dips in her health, she remained tranquil, despite whatever inner turmoil caused her ailments. Shukuru went through life with a stoic grace. She was never an effusive elephant, but tellingly, the smaller orphans flocked to her. She was constantly surrounded by a coterie of tiny elephants, all of whom gravitated towards her gentle, reassuring presence.

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Mobile Veterinary Units 6 Mobile Veterinary Units 1 Sky Vets Unit 1,182 animals attended to in 2021 8,481 animals attended to overall 3,059 elephants attended to overall

18 years ago, we launched our first Mobile Veterinary Unit in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service. Since then, it has grown into a cornerstone of our conservation projects, providing a lifeline to injured and ill creatures across Kenya. Today we operate six SWT/KWS Mobile Veterinary Units, plus a Sky Vets initiative, in key ecosystems across Kenya, saving thousands of wild lives in the process.

This year, we proudly launched our newest team, the Rift Valley Unit. Based out of Naivasha with KWS veterinarian Dr Titus Kaitho at the helm, the Rift Valley Unit brings a lifeline to creatures in the threatened Lake Naivasha – Elementaita – Nakuru Region and Bogoria – Baringo Region. In auditing the threats facing the region, which range from bushmeat poaching to habitat loss, it was clear that a veterinary presence was direly needed. The team has already made an impressive impact, responding to 146 emergency cases between June and December. Taking a proactive, forward-thinking approach, they placed great emphasis on engaging the local community, which will hopefully go a long way in tackling threats to conservation.

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TSAVO MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT Unit Leader: Dr Jeremiah Poghon Established: 2003

Areas of Operation: Greater Tsavo Conservation Area, Chyulu Hills National Park, and Shimba Hills National Reserve

MARA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT Unit Leader: Dr Campaign Limo Established: 2007

Areas of Operation: Maasai Mara National Reserve, the adjacent Mara Triangle, neighbouring community areas, Ruma National Park, and Lake Victoria.

MERU MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT Unit Leader: Dr Ephantus Ndambiri Established: 2012

Areas of Operation: Meru National Park, Bisanadi National Reserve, Kora National Reserve, and surrounding wildlife dispersal areas, parks, and reserves

AMBOSELI MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT Unit Leader: Dr Edward Kariuku Established: 2014

Areas of Operation: Amboseli National Park and the Southern Conservation Area, encompassing Kajiado, Namanga, Magadi, and Lake Natron; Southern Tsavo West, including Lake Jipe

MOUNT KENYA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT Unit Leader: Dr Domnic Mijele Established: 2017

Areas of Operation: Mount Kenya, the Aberdare Range, and Southern Laikipia

RIFT VALLEY MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT Unit Leader: Dr Titus Kaitho Established: 2021

Areas of Operation: Lake Naivasha-Elementaita-Nakuru region and BogoriaBaringo region

SKY VETS Unit Leader: On-duty KWS veterinarian Established: 2013

Areas of Operation: The whole of Kenya, with a focus on cases in remote or inaccessible areas

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Collectively, our Vet Units support wildlife in the vast Tsavo Conservation Area, Amboseli National Park and its environs, the Maasai Mara, the Rift Valley, Mount Kenya, the Aberdare Range, Laikipia, Meru National Park, and as far north as Samburu to Turkana. Through the Sky Vets initiative, we are able to treat patients in remote areas that are impossible to access by road.

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust funds every Vet Unit. Led by an experienced KWS field veterinarian, each team is rounded out by KWS capture rangers and a driver.

Operating from a regional base, they travel vast distances within their designated area to respond to all manner of wildlife treatments. They rely on an informal, crowdsourced surveillance network to flag cases. These eyes on the ground include KWS personnel, local NGOs, lodge staff, guides, tourists, and local communities. Their dedication greatly increases the efficacy of the units.

Indeed, collaboration is a key component of the success of the Mobile Veterinary Units. Each team is outfitted with a customised Land Cruiser to reach their destination.

Sometimes, however, additional aerial support is needed to dart the patient or reach a particularly inaccessible area. In these instances, our Aerial Unit is mobilised. Our aerial capabilities have made an enormous difference in the number of patients the units are able to successfully treat. Over the course of 2021, Vet Units collectively attended to 1,182 animals in 651 cases. While they treat all manner of creatures, elephants make up a large proportion of their patients, representing 30 percent of all cases in 2021. In addition to the 206 elephants the teams attended to, they also attended to 149 rhinos; 101 lions, leopards, and other predators; 74 giraffes; 437 plains game; and a variety of other species. 34 percent of cases (223 in total) were the victims of poaching activities.

As we are reminded every single day, a permanent veterinary presence is vital to the long-term conservation of key habitats. Human-inflicted cases remain worryingly prevalent. Following the trend we have seen in recent years, ivory poaching is on the decline. However, the deadly use of snares is on the rise. Vet Units are also the first line of defence in human-wildlife conflict mitigation.

This is a growing challenge across Kenya, as mankind’s footprint continues to expand: Seeking sustenance or following ancient migratory routes, elephants and other species wander into nearby communities and become embroiled in human-wildlife conflict. Vet Units respond to community reports, de-escalating conflict situations

and, in some cases, translocating the animals back to the safety of protected areas.

On top of it all, a long and devastating dry season made for an extremely challenging year. Across Kenya, failed rains put a severe strain on wildlife and the communities who live alongside them. Drought brings about all manner of challenges: Wildlife leave protected areas in search of food and water, leading to human-wildlife conflict. Herders bring their livestock into parklands to graze, driving unsustainable competition over resources; and of course, there are the clear-cut victims of the drought, creatures who become too weak to go on.

The units successfully rescued a number of orphaned elephants during this period, each of whom was brought to the safety of our Nursery and will grow up in our care.

The rains arrived in December, bringing much-needed relief. Unfortunately, they also heralded the culmination of a remarkable life. Mid-month, our Tsavo Unit received reports that famed tusker ‘Wide Satao’ had slipped in mud and, weakened by the long dry season, he lacked the strength to stand. A herculean, seven-hour attempt to save him ensued, battling pelting rain and encroaching darkness, but the bull never got to his feet. It was incredibly sad to see such a magnificent creature reach his end, despite everyone’s best efforts. However, we can comfort ourselves in the knowledge that a monument like Wide Satao has sired successions of elephants. While his days presiding over the plains of Tsavo are over, his legacy will live on.

For all the challenges of 2021, there were plenty of heart-warming successes to celebrate. Some memorable treatments included a complex operation to relocate a lion from community lands (Tsavo Unit), saving a pregnant eland and her unborn baby after a spear went straight through her body (Mara Unit), and ear notching 7 black and 21 white rhinos for monitoring purposes (Meru Unit). Of course, many of the most remarkable treatments involved elephants. In a single day, the Mara Unit saved three elephant calves who had snares slicing into their necks, while the Tsavo Unit embarked on a harrowing night-time mission to extract a mother elephant and her baby from a collapsed water tank.

As these operations remind us, our Mobile Veterinary Units mean the difference between life and death. We are incredibly proud to be in a position to help these creatures, saving innocent lives and keeping Kenya’s wild families together.

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Perspective from the Field: Dr Titus Kaitho, SWT/KWS Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit

“The

team has been actively involved in security patrols and extensive searches for snared, injured, and wounded animals.”

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The SWT/KWS Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit was officially launched on 27th May 2021, based out of the Wildlife Research & Training Institute in Naivasha. I am proud to lead this team as the KWS veterinarian, saving wildlife of the region and mitigating growing threats to conservation. We respond to cases in the Lake Naivasha / Elementaita / Nakuru Region and the Bogoria / Baringo Region. These are vital but threatened habitats, home to important populations of endangered species including mountain bongos, black and southern white rhinos, Rothschild’s giraffes, along with lions, cheetahs, leopards, and western Kenya’s elephant population. As is sadly the case across much of Kenya, human actions have an adverse impact on the Rift Valley. Threats such as bushmeat poaching, human-wildlife conflict, and habitat loss have devastating effects on entire populations of species. The SWT/KWS Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit was established to rapidly respond to cases in this important area and lessen the suffering of all kinds of creatures.

In summary, these are the achievements of the Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit in our first seven months of operation. · · · · · ·

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We responded to 146 cases of diverse species in the landscape, including treating wildlife, rescuing them from snares, and carrying out post-mortems.

We supported the Kenya Wildlife Service Headquarters Veterinary & Capture team in various wildlife translocation activities, rhino ear notching, and elephant collaring activities.

We are fully operational with a state-of-the-art Land Cruiser vehicle, along with staff housing that was purpose built by SWT for the Veterinary Unit, including office space and furniture.

Veterinary drugs, consumables, veterinary equipment, and assorted supplies including tents, staff uniforms and salaries have been provided, all courtesy of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Staff establishment includes a Land Cruiser driver-photographer, two armed security rangers, and a wildlife veterinarian. At the moment, the unit is hosting a veterinary intern in training.

We have strong working relationships with stakeholders, including area wardens, wildlife scouts, informers, Kenya Wildlife Service intelligence and investigations team, wildlife managers, hoteliers, and the general public, which supports a rapid response to animals in distress. The Unit has also done community engagement meetings in the Surwai/Impala – Kedong and Muciringiri/Kamuyu communities.

We have been at the forefront of advocacy and animal welfare. We positively engaged communities against digging of trenches and moats, which markedly reduced the number of trapped animals.

The Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit began in a very modest setting, with staff living in tents. In a record time of four months, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust constructed two housing blocks. Our team will be forever grateful for the timely manner in which staff housing was provided. The team has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, surmounting Covid-19 challenges.

Snaring of wildlife for bushmeat and active hunting of wildlife is a major challenge to conservation in the region.

The team rescued snared, injured, and wounded zebras, buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, impalas, oryxes, waterbucks, topis and hyenas. We also treated ostriches in Baringo county who had been wounded by arrows. The team has been actively involved in security patrols and extensive searches for snared, injured, and wounded animals.

Human population growth, change of land use, and attendant deforestation has led to habitat loss. Increased agricultural activities, fencing, housing development, and flooding of the Rift Valley lakes has resulted in marooning and isolation of wildlife in some areas. There is increased human-wildlife conflict due to the prevailing drought and flooding of the lakes, as pasture and browse availability is decreasing. As a result, we are seeing increased movement of wildlife.

The Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit also worked within the Maasai Mara Ecosystem, when the SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Vet Unit was off-duty. During this time, we rescued and treated wounded animals, and freed snared and trapped animals, including elephants, zebras, and warthogs.

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Anti-Poaching Teams 22 mobile Anti-Poaching Teams 1 Canine Unit 57,036 kilometres patrolled on foot in 2021 318 wildlife offenders arrested in 2021 9,377 snares confiscated in 2021

Our rangers, working in partnership with KWS, are the frontline defenders of Kenya’s wildlife. For more than two decades, they have been at the vanguard of conservation, tackling the most pressing threats facing Kenya’s wildlife. What started as a single Tsavo-based Anti-Poaching Unit in 1999 has grown into a comprehensive force, protecting habitats across the country. In partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service, we now operate 22 fully mobile Anti-Poaching Teams. 19 of these teams patrol within the greater Tsavo Conservation Area, collectively securing Kenya’s largest national park and the surrounding wilderness. In 2014, we expanded our presence to Meru National Park, which provides sanctuary to a critically important population of black and white rhinos. Under the direction of Mara Elephant Project, we also fund two teams based in the Mau Forest, an important water catchment area in the Rift Valley.

Given the success of our existing Anti-Poaching Teams, we were asked to expand our operations in vulnerable habitats. In 2021, we established five new teams: Kajiado, Shompole, Lake Jipe, Dakadima, and Kulalu. These teams were created at the request of KWS, in response to rampant bushmeat poaching and human-wildlife conflict. While each team has a designated wilderness under their remit, several also work as mobile rotating teams, stepping into areas that need coverage when other teams are on leave. This helps to ensure a constant level of vigilance in key ecosystems across Kenya.

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TSAVO CONSERVATION AREA

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Mtito - Tsavo Triangle, Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks (est. 1999) Peregrine - Trust land, Tsavo East National Park (est. 2001) Burra - Southern sector of Tsavo East National Park and surrounding ranch lands (est. 2002) Ithumba - Northern sector of Tsavo East National Park, including Ithumba Reintegration Unit (est. 2002) Tiva - Northern sector of Tsavo East National Park (est. 2004) Ziwani - Southern sector of Tsavo West National Park and surrounding ranch lands (est. 2004) Chyulu - Chyulu Hills National Park (est. 2006) Kenze - Kibwezi Forest Reserve Chyulu Hills National Park (est. 2013) Yatta - Northern sector of Tsavo East National Park, including the Yatta Plateau (est. 2016) Mobile North - Where most needed in the northern sector of Tsavo Conservation Area (est. 2016) Sobo - Central and western sectors of Tsavo East National Park (est. 2018) Mobile South - Where most needed in the southern sector of the Tsavo Conservation Area (est. 2018) Chyulu Mobile - Where most needed in Chyulu Hills National Park, Kibwezi Forest, and KARI Kiboko Ranch (est. 2019) Mukururo - Northern sector of Chyulu Hills National Park (est. 2020) Kajiado - North of Amboseli and Chyulu Hills National Parks, and where needed (est. 2021) Shompole - Shompole, Namanga, and Bisil, and where needed most (est. 2021) Lake Jipe - Lake Jipe area, bordering the Tanzania border (est. 2021) Dakadima - Southern Tsavo, bordering Lali Hills (est. 2021) Kulalu - Southern border of Tsavo East National Park, within Kulalu and Galana Ranches (est. 2021)

MERU NATIONAL PARK

• Meru - Meru National Park and Mwea National Reserve (est. 2014)

MAU FOREST

• Mau Forest 1 (est. 2018) • Mau Forest 2 (est. 2019) Being a ranger is a dangerous, difficult job. Just as they are committed to protecting the wilderness, we are committed to their welfare. When on patrol, each team is accompanied by two armed KWS rangers who have the power to make arrests. Our SWT rangers have undergone extensive paramilitary training at the KWS Manyani Training Academy.

As a result, each team is highly trained in mitigating human-wildlife conflict, ecosystem management, field survival, weaponry use, and capture and arrest.

Our Anti-Poaching Teams conduct most of their patrols on foot, while our Aerial Unit is on stand-by to support and complement operations and deploy rangers to remote destinations. They work like a well-oiled machine to apprehend perpetrators: Ground teams move in to cut off escape routes and confiscate any weapons or paraphernalia left behind, while the KWS rangers make the arrest. Over the course of the year, our Anti-Poaching Teams supported the arrest of 318 perpetrators for a variety of offences.

While ivory poaching, charcoal burning, illegal logging, and livestock encroachment remain persistent threats, we have seen a worrying explosion in bushmeat poaching in recent years, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gone are the days of the poisoned arrow, replaced by a simple-but-lethal weapon: the snare. These wire loops have an immortal lifespan, lying in wait for any creature to cross their path. Affixed to a stable post or trunk, they cinch noose-like around their victims. Even those who are large enough to break away are not safe, as taut snares can inhibit - 73 -

an animal’s ability to eat and move, and ultimately cause mortal injuries and infection. Snares are as indiscriminate as they are cruel, capable of killing a creature as small as a dik-dik or as large as a bull elephant. Baby elephants are particularly susceptible, and over the years, we have rescued calves with grievous snare wounds around their legs, trunks, and necks.

Our Anti-Poaching Teams are an indispensable asset in the fight against snares. With their incredible bush prowess, they can spot subtle signs of poaching activity.

Where most would only see vegetation, they discern subtle disturbances in the ground, broken branches, and cleverly disguised snares. They confiscated 9,377 snares over the course of 2021, which marks a 146 percent increase from five years ago. This figure indicates both a rise in poaching, but also the impact of having boots on the ground. Through their daily patrols, our teams are able to seize snares that otherwise would have been a death trap. On several occasions this year, they were even able to release trapped animals who are found alive.

In June, the Galana and Shompole Teams conducted a sting of bushmeat poaching syndicates, arresting 14 poachers who were carrying bushmeat ready for market. The scope of these syndicates is staggering: In these operations alone, the teams confiscated over

700 kilograms of bushmeat, along with weapons and motorbikes.

Much like last year, bushfires remained a persistent threat. Over the course of the year, a total of 79 fires swept through the greater Tsavo ecosystem. Our AntiPoaching Units were on the frontlines of these fires, often working through the night to battle the flames alongside other field partners. While bushfires can be a natural phenomenon, the majority of these appeared to have been set deliberately. Culprits include farmers clearing their farms adjacent to the park, herders burning to create new grazing pasture for their livestock, and poachers promoting new growth to attract animals. Worryingly, they are also set as revenge for arrests made or as a distraction method to tie up teams with firefighting, so culprits can engage in illegal activities elsewhere.

Kenya experienced an unusually long, challenging dry season in 2021. Wildlife feels the bite of the drought keenly: Amidst their own daily struggle for survival, they also must contend with human actions. Poachers target the remaining water sources in the parks, knowing wildlife are forced to congregate in more concentrated areas. Illegal herders bring their livestock into protected areas to graze, depleting scarce resources in the process.

And of course, there are always creatures who tragically

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succumb to the drought conditions. Our teams supported several orphan rescues during this period. As a testament to our extensive presence within the Tsavo landscape, poaching activities were down within the national parks.

However, we uncovered large-scale bushmeat operations on the huge Galana and Kulalu Ranches, which form much of Tsavo East’s eastern boundary. Aware of rising challenges in these areas, we made them the focal point of our 2021 anti-poaching operations. Comprehensive aerial and ground patrols have already made a marked impact on illegal activities. They also uncovered a direct correlation between charcoal burning and poaching: Charcoal burning often acts as the gateway activity, and where it occurs, bushmeat poaching follows.

Working in the field is unpredictable by nature, full of unforeseen events and threatening encounters. With their local knowledge and specialised skill sets, rangers can rise to the challenge. They are often called upon to provide additional field support, tackling everything from veterinary treatments to orphan rescues to firefighting efforts. They approach these missions with the same dedication that they apply to tracking down poachers.

Anti-Poaching Teams are vital to the success of our Mobile Veterinary Units, tracking wild patients for hours until the veterinarian arrives and monitoring them

afterwards in case follow-up treatment is needed. With human-wildlife conflict on the rise, they are the first port of call to push back animals who have wandered onto community lands.

Elephants are the primary creature caught in the crosshairs, as an innocent jaunt onto a smallholding can decimate a farmer’s crops. By mitigating these encounters, our Anti-Poaching Teams save countless wild lives each year, and equally, protect local communities and their livelihoods. They have developed a strong rapport with local communities, which has long-term conservation benefits: When locals know they can rely on our teams to help with marauding elephants or other creatures, they are far less likely to resort to violence.

Our Anti-Poaching Teams are ever-evolving, adapting to meet the threats of today and get ahead of those on the horizon. We continue to invest in ranger training, ensuring they are equipped with advanced skills and the latest knowledge. Together with KWS, these teams played a pivotal role in subduing the ivory poaching crisis in their areas of operation. Continuing the positive trend of last year, there were zero reported rhino poaching cases in Kenya. As new threats come to the forefront, our Anti-Poaching Teams employ that same proactive approach to tackle them head-on.

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GALANA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY & GALANA AND KULALU RANCH In May 2021, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust commenced management of Galana Wildlife Conservancy. This 60,000-acre conservancy sits within the 1.75 millionacre Galana Ranch, which is the last frontier of the Tsavo ecosystem. Sharing an unfenced border with the eastern boundary of Tsavo East National Park, Galana and the Galana Wildlife Conservancy is both a vital buffer zone and a habitat to all manner of creatures. However, in recent years, the greater landscape has become overrun with illegal activities, notably bushmeat poaching, charcoal burning, and livestock incursions. These activities were taking their toll on the ecosystem, vastly diminishing Galana’s potential as a viable home for wildlife.

As part of our management agreement with Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC), we dedicated significant security resources to Galana.

We began by rotating our different teams into Galana and the adjacent Kulalu Ranch. At any given time, we had at least two Anti-Poaching Teams based in the landscape. As the year progressed, we employed 20 new recruits on Galana, which equated to an additional four teams. Equipped with vehicles and mobile camping equipment, this collective manpower proved to be a formidable presence. Each recruit went through intensive training and then hit the ground running, assisting in anti-poaching operations and conducting essential infrastructure work.

Given the rampant level of bushmeat poaching on the ranch, we placed great emphasis on targeted patrols. Arresting poachers required a constant change of tactics, as they continued to adapt their strategies. The teams logged countless hours on the ground, understanding perpetrators’ favoured routes and routines.

Their efforts were complemented by vigilant aerial patrols, which brought bird’s eye intel to our anti-poaching efforts. Throughout the year, the teams supported several significant arrests of bushmeat poachers.

While our work in Galana is by no means complete, we have already seen enormous progress in our first eight months on the ground. As usual, it is the wildlife who serve as the best barometer of success for our efforts: Later in the year, hundreds of elephants were reported accessing the deepest reaches of Galana Ranch once again. Their return indicated that we had successfully reduced motorbike traffic that comes with bushmeat poaching — a fact that was confirmed by ground and aerial patrols.

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CANINE UNIT Our anti-poaching operations began with a single team of rangers. Over the years, our presence has expanded across the country — but as we continued to develop our anti-poaching operations, we realised there was a missing link.

While rangers are extremely specialised in their craft, scent-based tracking could significantly augment anti-poaching efforts across the Tsavo Conservation Area.

For that reason, we established the Canine Unit in partnership with the KWS in 2016. The KWS had individual canines in various locations across the country, but no comprehensive unit existed in the Tsavo Conservation Area. Given that Tsavo is Kenya’s largest National Park and a habitat of vital importance, it is inherently vulnerable to wildlife crime. The mere presence of the Canine Unit is an effective deterrent to poachers, and the dogs and their handlers are highly skilled at tracking down perpetrators and detecting contraband. Now five years into its operations, this specialised team has emerged as a formidable asset in the vast Tsavo landscape.

Bringing dogs into a place like Tsavo is an enormous undertaking. We constructed a state-of-the-art kennel facility at our Kaluku Field Headquarters, ensuring the dogs had a sanctuary within the challenging ecosystem. Every detail was attended to, including fly-proof kennels, snake-proof fencing around the outdoor runs, and a climate-controlled system that keeps temperatures down. The dogs’ welfare is our top priority: Their handlers check their vitals throughout the day, which allows them to be highly attuned to any changes in condition. A dog’s emotional well-being is just as important as their physical condition. When they are back at base, they enjoy relaxing grooming sessions and lots of play.

In addition to a rotation of KWS dogs in training, we presently have three permanent dogs in our Canine Unit: NAIKO: The veteran. Born in 2014, this Belgian Malinois is our allstar leader. Unlike many dogs, he thrives in the heat. He has a signature approach to tracking, marked by a methodical diligence. Naiko has been known to track down perpetrators over the course of 15 kilometres. (For reference, a typical police dog tracks for about 1 kilometre.)

AYA: The workaholic. Born in 2018, this Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd mix is known for her determination. She is remarkably focused on whatever task is at hand and never gives up.

ZORA: The tank. Born in 2018, this Belgian Malinois, a bit bigger than Naiko and Aya. She has enormous power and charges ahead on her mission. However, she is also a sensitive soul and requires delicate handling.

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CANINE UNIT Matching a handler with their dog must be done with great care. The selection process takes place over the course of several weeks, as candidates go through a rigorous series of tests designed to assess their verbal and non-verbal communication, physical and mental fitness, observation skills, and ability to multitask. A KWS Corporal heads the Canine Unit, along with three KWS dog handlers and two SWT dog handlers.

On every patrol, the Canine Unit is accompanied by armed KWS rangers, who move in to make the arrest. The unit also has an incredible relationship with our Anti-Poaching Teams. On long-distance patrol, the Canine Unit handlers must carry enough water for themselves and their dogs, which adds up to a not-insignificant volume of 8 litres. In a telling display of camaraderie, we often witness anti-poaching rangers volunteer to shoulder this burden.

Consistent training ensures the dogs and handlers remain at the top of their craft.

Along with daily exercises, we invest in annual training. This year, Anti-Poaching Teams based in the Tsavo Conservation Area were included in the sessions, with the goal of further integrating the Canine Unit into their operations. To combat the rising threat of bushmeat poaching in Galana Wildlife Conservancy, Zora and Aya underwent specialised training to hone their bushmeat detection skills.

Every day, the Canine Unit makes a marked difference on the Tsavo landscape.

An incident in July served as a potent reminder of their impact. During a routine patrol of northern Tsavo East, the team came across over 100 snares.

They promptly confiscated the snares and expanded their patrol area to find the bushmeat poacher responsible. Over the course of several days, they rigorously patrolled the area and gathered evidence, covering over 50 kilometres in the process. A breakthrough occurred when rangers spotted footprints along the fenceline. They visually tracked the perpetrator for two kilometres, before Naiko and his handler, Semeli, took over. They apprehended the poacher and the KWS made the arrest. The poacher had over 200 snares in his possession, which could have killed countless animals. These successes have played out time and time again, across the Tsavo Conservation Area.

The Canine Unit is built upon an extraordinary partnership: man and dog, working together towards a shared goal of conservation. Every day, Naiko, Aya, and Zora and their handlers deliver on that goal, making Tsavo a safer place for all the creatures who call it home.

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Perspective from the Control Room: George Mutui, SWT Control Room Operator

“From

our vantage point in the Control Room, we have a keen understanding of the challenges on the ground. ”

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At our Kaluku Field Headquarters, the Control Room is where everything comes together. It is our job to tie together dozens of movements to achieve one common mission. Day by day, these individual missions take the form of vet treatments or anti-poaching patrols, but collectively, they amount to a massive conservation achievement.

Days in the Control Room begin early. We have a wall of monitors, which show the movements of our Anti-Poaching Teams and any airborne aircraft. After checking that everyone is doing well on their patrols, it is time to sit and watch and listen. On any given day, our phones are constantly ringing, as teams report signs of illegal activity or animals in need of help. All the while, we are checking outside channels, too: Oftentimes, injured wildlife are reported on social media. We also have a thriving WhatsApp group with the KWS, tour guides, and other players in the landscape, which acts as a crowdsourced surveillance chat. When we receive an emergency or even just an unusual report, we make a plan to attend to it.

For example, if we received a call from KWS to assist with a wounded elephant case in Tsavo West, the Operations Room is responsible for coordinating the treatment. I alert the pilot and provide all the necessary details (Do we have people on the ground? Where is the elephant located? How big is it?). The teams at the airstrip and onsite must also be alerted. Once the pilot is airborne, he has no direct communication between the ground teams, so we serve as the link.

At the culmination of every operation, we type up and collate the results, which are shared with senior management and the KWS. From our vantage point in the Control Room, we have a keen understanding of the challenges on the ground. Bushmeat poaching and snaring continue to be a grave threat. This is not subsistence-level poaching, but commercial-scale. Small creatures are snared in protected areas and then taken to big towns, such as Malindi or Taveta, where they are sold. Human-wildlife conflict, livestock incursions, and charcoal burning are other persistent threats.

On the upside, we have witnessed a dramatic decline in elephant and rhino poaching. No rhinos were poached in Tsavo this year, and we lost precious few elephants to poachers. Every life lost is one too many, but given how disastrous ivory poaching was just a few years ago, this is an enormous success.

Indeed, positive results are everywhere. When we started working in the Kibwezi Forest and adjacent Chyulu Hills, it was rife with reports of illegal activities. Today, this area is very quiet.

We are using the same conservation template to tackle Galana Wildlife Conservancy which came under our management earlier this year. It is an important buffer zone, but years of rampant bushmeat poaching and charcoal have taken their toll on the landscapes of Galana and Kulalu Ranches.

While Galana is a challenge, I am confident and full of optimism that we will turn this landscape around. In a matter of a few months, we have already seen so much progress. And that is all because of the commitment and passion of our teams. When we tell them about an unexpected operation, they never hesitate — all they say is, “Just tell us when, and we will be there.” That is passion and commitment at work.

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Aerial Operations 8 fixed-wing aircraft 3 helicopters 6 pilots 1,994 hours flown in 2021 276,016 kilometres covered in 2021

It is almost impossible to comprehend the vastness of Kenya’s wild spaces. Many areas remain completely untouched by man, inaccessible by road and trod only by the four-legged creatures who live there. Protecting these remote habitats presents a significant conservation challenge.

All manner of vital tasks become all but impossible — and significantly less effective — if tackled from the ground alone.

David Sheldrick, in whose memory Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was founded, was an early proponent of using aircraft for conservation. As the founding warden of Tsavo National Park, the versatile, bush-friendly Super Cub was his wings of choice.

And so, it was only fitting that a Super Cub would serve as the inaugural aircraft in our fleet, launching the Trust’s Aerial Unit in 2008. This plane marked a pivotal turning point in our operations, quite literally elevating our capabilities for conservation. Our Aerial Unit complements the forensic approach of our ground teams with capabilities that can only be achieved in the sky. Pilots can cover an area in a fraction of the time it would take on the ground. They can also land in areas that are inaccessible by vehicles. Suddenly, we had the capacity to rescue orphans, patrol and protect swathes of wilderness, mitigate human-wildlife conflict, respond to veterinary cases and other emergencies, medevac injured personnel, and extinguish bushfires. It has been more than a decade since we got our first Super Cub. Over the subsequent years, our fleet has expanded to eight fixed-wing aircraft and three helicopters, each of which plays a unique role in our conservation work: - 90 -

TOP CUB (DTP) CubCrafters took the famous Piper Super Cub and redesigned it, keeping what made the original so great and making it even better with modern aerodynamics and wing structure, increasing the gross weight carrying capacity, and adding a 180 HP engine. The Top Cub has become the benchmark of backcountry surveillance, flying in and out of rugged surfaces with ease. Our pilots spend up to six hours at a time in slow flight, cruising around 60 MPH, with the all-around visibility of this aircraft, patrolling the vast landscape of Tsavo. Our Super Cubs are the backbone of our air-wing operations, flying around 250,000 miles a year on patrol.

SUPER CUB (STP) This aircraft is an original Super Cub that has been modified and modernised, including increased gross weight, bigger 180 HP engine, and an amazing ‘Wide Body’ conversion, which adds four inches to cabin width. With huge ‘Tundra Tyres’ and the more comfortable wider cabins, STP is perfect for bush flying patrol work. It is a firm favourite amongst our pilots, as she flies beautifully and just wants to get off the ground and fly.

SUPER CUB PA 14 (TRA) This is a larger four-place version of the standard ‘Tandem Two-Seat’ Super Cub. Fitted with huge, 35-inch Tundra Tyres’, this aircraft is ideally suited to carry three people and their gear; for example, it would be the perfect aircraft to transport a veterinarian and his assistant, along with their tranquillising equipment and drug box, and land in a remote riverbed or open field to treat an injured elephant. This is a fantastically versatile aircraft and a favourite amongst our pilots.

CARBON CUB FX3 (STR) With the FX3, Cub Crafters once again set the bar very high. They took a Carbon Cub and added a slew of features, including constant speed propeller, wider cabin space, higher gross weight capacity, and modern avionics, to make one of the most amazing bush planes on the market today. For example, you can take off from a sand bank next to a river in ten rotations of the big 35-inch Tundra Tyres’, climb at 1,500 feet per minute, pull the prop RPM back, and quickly cruise back to base at 140 MPH with a digital autopilot. The FX3 takes our patrolling of the Tsavo landscape to a new level.

CARBON CUB EX3 (STB) The FX3 proved to be so essential to our field operations that, in light of our increased operations across the Tsavo landscape and further afield in Kenya, we added another to our fleet. The EX3 is just like its sister, the FX3, except it was assembled by a professional aircraft builder in South Africa. One of our pilots flew it north to Kenya when it was ready, and it has already made its impact as part of the Aerial Unit.

CESSNA 185 (DHS) This particular model aircraft by Cessna is a tailwheel aircraft and has proven over many decades to be a very robust and versatile bush plane. DHS has a slightly bigger more powerful engine which makes the STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) capabilities almost unrivalled for a six-place aircraft. For us, DHS is especially suited for bush airstrip operations, where you need to get further, faster. It is ideal to collect one of our veterinarians and their team from a remote bush strip to urgently treat an injured animal in another location.

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CESSNA 206 (CFZ) The 206 is Cessna’s infamous tough “Truck”. Like the Cessna 185, the 206 is renowned for its reliable, tough load carrying capabilities, making it a favourite amongst many-a bush pilot all over the world. For us, this aircraft is most suited for carrying personnel to further afield places or, for example, to fly one of our sniffer dogs and a handler up to Nairobi for specialist treatment.

CESSNA “BABY” CARAVAN 208 (STW) New to the SWT Air Wing, the Cessna Caravan is one of Cessna’s best-selling aircraft and is widely regarded as the premier medium-sized bush plane. This very robust aircraft can carry eleven people, including the pilot, or haul a massive amount of cargo or rescued wildlife in and out of rugged terrain. The vast majority of our orphaned elephants have been carried back to the Nursery in a Cessna Caravan. Equipped with the latest avionics technology, this aircraft can safely fly in most weather conditions and night operations. This aircraft is equipped with a “Life Port” system for medical evacuations.

AIRBUS AS350 B3 (CXP) Getting our first helicopter has been a game-changer. Being fortunate enough to have an Airbus AS350 has taken our operations to a whole new level. This helicopter is so versatile: In anti-poaching operations, it drops our sniffer dogs and handlers at remote, inaccessible sites. In human-wildlife conflict operations, it shepherds wildlife back into parks and reserves. During fire fighting efforts, it drops water on fires with a Bambi Bucket. It can sling-load cargo into difficult-to-get to places; conducts medical evacuations of injured personnel, taking them from site directly to hospital; and supports our veterinarians, providing a perfect platform for them to dart wildlife from the air. If there was one piece of equipment that has dramatically changed our operations for the better, it would be this helicopter.

For that reason, and through the generosity of our incredible supporters, we were fortunate to add a second Airbus AS350 B3 to our fleet this year (5Y KUI). Out of great demand, we have expanded our field veterinary initiatives in collaboration with KWS to the northern and central parts of Kenya. This helicopter will expand our aerial reach across the country, specifically in these northern and central regions. It will enable our Mobile Vet Unit to rapidly access and treat injured wildlife, and will provide invaluable support to KWS in conservation efforts in the same region.

AIRBUS EC120 (CXT) This is the smaller of our three helicopters. Still with the robust Airbus technology and TurboMeca turbine engine, this five-seater helicopter is ideal for economical surveillance, patrol work, responding to human-wildlife conflict, medical evacuations, and deploying rangers and sniffer dogs. If conditions are right, it is used on many veterinary cases to dart wildlife from the air and land close by for the vet to jump out to treat the animal. Because of the economy of using this helicopter, it is also very useful in human-wildlife conflict mitigation.

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2021 was a very productive year for our airwing. Our six pilots logged a total of 1,994 hours in the air, covering a distance of 276,016 kilometres.

The beginning of the year was dominated by a staggering amount of human-elephant conflict cases. The SWT helicopter responded to 20 incidents in January alone.

The majority of these cases occurred in the communities along the Mtito River in Tsavo East, which has emerged as a conflict hotspot. Land cultivation is at the heart of the issue, as historic buffer zones around the park become increasingly developed for farming and smallholdings.

Understandably, elephants struggle to understand the distinction between cultivated land and protected wilderness. From their perspective, they are simply taking advantage of resources on the land they and their ancestors have roamed for millennia.

A rapid response is vital in instances of human-elephant conflict, but so is persistence. These are large, wild creatures, with prodigious minds of their own. Even the presence of a helicopter is not always enough to coax them back onto protected land. Our pilots must be patient and precise, flying low enough to shepherd their quarry without causing panic. Oftentimes, it takes several attempts to succeed in pushing an elephant back to safety.

March was marked by the unusual — and rather alarming, given the season — presence of bushfires. The Aerial Unit responded to three fires, including a large blaze on Rukinga Ranch. Later in the month, the helicopter was involved in a survey of the Chyulu Hills with two leading East African botanists. Over the course of two days, they evaluated the damage sustained by the cloud forest in last year’s fire season. This activity was funded by the Chyulu Hills REDD+ Project, in which the Trust is a partner.

On 6th March, we were alerted to the plight of a baby elephant whose leg was caught in a rope snare affixed to a stake, anchoring the calf to the spot and spelling out certain tragedy if we didn’t immediately intervene. This was all unfolding along a remote sector of the Tana River, making the rescue mission essentially impossible from a ground approach.

Fortunately, our airwing is poised for situations like these.

Mobilising Sky Vets, our helicopter flew the SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit to the scene. Dodging dramatic thunderstorms along the way, our pilot was able to deliver help to the scene — and, crucially, deliver it in time: While the calf’s frantic family was still in the area,

they would have eventually been forced to leave him behind. Every passing minute brought that possibility closer and closer. That made it all the more gratifying to watch the calf run off into the forest once he was freed from the snare, treated, and revived, making a beeline for his mother.

We saw a noticeable increase in veterinary cases in April. This can partially be attributed to the expansion of our anti-poaching operations to the Shimba Hills and Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary ecosystem. With boots on the ground, cases that would have never been discovered are now flagged in a timely manner. Three treatments occurred in the area, including one that took an extraordinary turn: On 16th April, we received reports of a snared elephant in Shimba Hills National Reserve.

She had a cable looped taut around her front leg, creating a grievous wound that cut close to the bone. The injury left her severely incapacitated, to the degree that she had fallen away from her herd. We mobilised a Sky Vet treatment, flying our Cessna 206 to collect KWS vet Dr. Poghon from Voi. Within half an hour, the plane was en route to the Shimba Hills National Reserve, which is located near the south coast of Kenya. Thanks to a speedy treatment, the elephant was soon back on her feet.

What we didn’t know was that two lives were at stake.

Just two days later, the female gave birth to a healthy baby. Given the extent of her injury, we wondered if she would be able to cope with a new-born. However, we were pleased to discover that she was surprisingly mobile.

The following day’s tracks revealed that mum and baby had linked up with a nearby herd, which was exactly the development we had been hoping for. Had this elephant not been treated, neither she nor her calf had a hope for survival.

To contend with the continued influx of human-elephant conflict cases, we rolled out a new, double helicopter approach in May. The inaugural operation unfolded in a community bordering Tsavo West. Working in tandem, both helicopters were able to successfully push two groups of elephants (numbering eight and four individuals, respectively) back into the park through an opening in the boundary fence. Later in the month, we employed the same approach to successfully push 11 out of 14 elephants back into Tsavo East, followed by five more elephants several days later. This was the first time we experimented with a two-helicopter response, and it proved incredibly effective.

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Not all human-wildlife conflict involves elephants.

In May, the Aerial Unit was called to save five giraffes who were trapped within a newly fenced area on Taita Ranch. They had been confined there for two months, without access to water, and time was running out. The Trust’s helicopter was mobilised to the scene, where a frustrating-but-dogged mission to save the giraffes ensued — for they were certainly not amenable to being herded!

After two attempts, we were finally able to shepherd four of the giraffes to freedom. The following day, the fifth giraffe joined the others on his own accord.

The bulk of June’s flying hours were in support of Kenya’s 2021 National Wildlife Census.This was the largest such survey of land and aquatic wildlife ever undertaken by the Kenya Wildlife Service and its partners, taking place country-wide over the course of two months. We were proud to help survey the Tsavo Conservation Area, which was the most significant portion of the census in terms of elephant numbers. We committed three fixedwing aircraft to the wildlife count, flying a staggering 12,365 kilometres over 94.3 hours in just eight days.

In the end, the National Wildlife Census determined that Kenya’s national elephant population stands at 36,280 individuals. 14,964 were counted within the Tsavo Conservation Area, making it home to 41 percent of the country’s elephant population.

It is unusual to discover orphaned elephants from the air, but on a routine patrol along the Tiva River in July, our helicopter pilots spotted a calf wandering along the riverbank. She was far too young to be on her own and appeared to be extremely stressed. Using the baby as their epicentre, the pilots scoured a 15-kilometre radius area in search of other family groups. Upon confirming that she was an orphan, they had a rescue to contend with.

With darkness approaching, the window of opportunity was closing with each passing minute. Rescuing a sevenmonth-old orphaned elephant is usually more than a twoman job, but the pilots were aware that if they didn’t act immediately, she would disappear forever in such a vast landscape. What ensued was a truly herculean effort to bring the calf to safety, racing dusk and battling extreme fatigue. The calf, who we named Rokka, is now thriving at our Kaluku Neonate Nursery.

The effects of the brutal dry season really began to take hold in September. We witnessed a huge influx of illegal livestock, particularly in northern Tsavo East, along the

Tiva River, and towards the end of the Yatta Plateau.

This put incredible stress on the landscape, as there was already precious little food and water for the resident wildlife. On many flights, our pilots observed large plumes of dust stretching out for several kilometres, caused by herders leading their livestock to the Galana River.

The teams also supported all manner of anti-poaching operations, from missions with the Canine Unit to ranger drop-offs in remote locations. As part of a wider antipoaching strategy, great emphasis was placed on patrolling Galana and Kulalu Ranches, which border Tsavo East.

Both landscapes have been the scene of damaging illegal activities, notably bushmeat poaching, charcoal burning, and livestock incursions.

With the dry season came a predictable increase in bushfires. Pilots provided aerial support in several firefighting efforts across Chyulu Hills National Park and the surrounding landscape. Containing these blazes requires an immense, coordinated effort from multiple field partners. Worryingly, nearly all these fires appeared to have been set intentionally.

The challenges continued through October and November.

Carcasses became a heartbreakingly commonplace sighting, as animals succumbed to lack of food and water.

They were also called to rescue the orphans left behind.

Time is of the essence in drought victims, and a rapid aerial response can mean the difference between life and death. Orphans like Latika, Kamili, and Taabu are alive today because of the Aerial Unit.

Despite the severity of the conditions brought on by the dry season, our Aerial Unit encountered very little evidence of poaching inside the park. While this was a positive development, pilots were called to support a litany of veterinary treatments, most of which stemmed from human-wildlife conflict and snaring attempts.

Predictably, many of these victims were elephants. In these instances, we are again reminded how our Aerial Unit can change an animal’s fate. Several operations unfolded in extremely remote locations or at the eleventh hour, and would not have been possible without aerial support.

Despite the arrival of the rains, the year ended just as busily as it began. Over the course of December, the Aerial Unit was called out to rescue Twiggy, an orphaned giraffe who is now growing up at the Trust’s Kaluku

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Neonate Nursery. They also supported several notable human rescues, including a truck driver who was stranded overnight in a remote sector of Tsavo East without food and very little water. Later in the month, our helicopter was called to Medivac a young boy who had been bitten on the face by a black mamba. These are highly venomous snakes, and without urgent intervention, his situation could have ended with a tragic outcome. We are delighted to report that the boy was successfully treated and has made a full recovery.

As they fly across the most beautiful parts of Kenya, our pilots are treated to spectacular wildlife sightings. They saw packs of wild dogs pursuing their quarry, lions lazing in the shade, and giraffes plucking the highest branches. Civet cats, a pair of honey badgers, and striped hyena were among the more unusual sightings. During a memorable flight in December, a pilot spotted 15 black rhinos in Tsavo East. This was a record number seen in a single patrol in Tsavo East. Swathes of elephants, from breeding herds to imposing groups of bulls, now dot the landscape.

These sights must never be taken for granted: Not so long ago, many parts of the northern area of Tsavo were largely devoid of wildlife. In fact, just two decades ago, there was scarcely a sign of elephants north of the Tiva River. Now, the area is bustling with them. Their very presence is a testament to concerted conservation efforts, both on the ground and in the air.

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Perspective from the Air: Hamish Rendell, SWT Pilot

“One

Ton walks a line that is the balance between humans and wildlife.”

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One Ton. What a magnificent creature and icon of the Tsavo conservation area. He is a symbol of what we are all striving to protect in the vast wilderness of Tsavo.

Life is about balance, and the year 2021 did not start in the favour of our magnificent friend, One Ton. He stands at thirteen feet tall, tipping the scales at over fifteen thousand pounds. Add to that a huge broad set of tusks and you start to understand where he got his nickname. One Ton roams the lush volcanic forests of the Chyulu Hills and crosses the semi-arid grass plains to the swamps of Amboseli. His natural range is a combination of heavily protected National Parks, reserves, ranches, and semi-arid cattle land, with pockets of small intensive crop farms.

One Ton walks a line that is the balance between humans and wildlife. There are no defined boundaries for these big tuskers and, unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to injury or death.

On a routine patrol in March 2021, Big Life rangers spotted a severe injury on One Ton’s left upper neck region. Immediately, the thought was he has been speared, as is the case so often with many injuries and subsequent treatments carried out on elephants each year. Swift planning was made for vet intervention. This particular treatment really brought to light the efforts that are being made to secure the future of these animals.

Saturday, 29th of March: All hands on deck. When One Ton was spotted by a ranger team at one of his favourite watering holes, arrangements were made for the SWT helicopter to be in position immediately. The SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit was on duty with other jobs, so we had to call on Dr Mijele and the Mt. Kenya Mobile Vet Unit to assist with the treatment, all of whom were available and ready to help.

While I flew up to Nanyuki to bring the Mt. Kenya team to the scene, another SWT pilot conducted an aerial search for One Ton. After an hour of searching, everyone was beginning to worry that our patient had escaped into the misty Chyulu forest, but almost ‘on cue’, and just as the vet team landed from Nanyuki, One Ton was finally spotted hanging out with his giant pals.

He was a few kilometres into the forest from his favourite watering hole.

We now had a team of about 25 people getting ready for action. The three Land Cruisers were readied with water, ropes, and vet supplies. Dr Mijele prepared his tranquiliser gun with the maximum dose of M99 — an extremely powerful sedative that is widely regarded as the best sedative for treating elephants. We discussed and all agreed that the ideal location for the treatment was on the open grass plain, not far from One Ton’s watering hole.

I started the engine of the SWT AS350B3 helicopter. Dr Mijele harnessed himself in, seated directly behind me. He slid his door open and gave me a big thumbs up, signalling he was ready to go. I couldn’t help but feel butterflies in my stomach. There is always an element of risk for the elephant in these operations — and that day, we had to bring this gentle giant to the floor, patch him up, and send him on his way.

We flew up to One Ton’s last known position and found him happily foraging in the forest with four of his friends. Elephants are extremely attuned to sound and also have incredibly sensitive feet that they can use to communicate at impressive distances. The helicopter produces large amounts of sound and vibration, making it a good tool for guiding wildlife back to safe areas, or in this case, to our designated treatment area. So, we positioned ourselves at a comfortable distance from One Ton and slowly herded him to our planned location.

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Everything was going perfectly as we approached the grass opening at the edge of the dense forest and volcanic rock. One Ton slowed his walk right at the edge of the forest and instinctively sensed the danger of breaking cover and moving onto the plain.

Patience, patience, I reminded myself. We spent a good fifteen minutes in a ‘Mexican’ standoff, neither of us budging a foot. Finally, One Ton broke cover. He gave me just enough space so we could position the heli between him and the forest.

The standoff then turned into a dance. We attempted several times to get One Ton to turn and run, as the vet needs a clean shot at the elephant’s hindquarters to land the sedative dart. Now, at this stage, most elephants will run and not look back, but not One Ton. He just kept turning and charging the helicopter, thrusting his huge set of tusks up at us. Eventually the dance left us with enough room to allow One Ton to run for the cover of the forest. This in turn gave Dr Mijele just enough time to deliver a perfectly aimed shot to his rump. The dart was in! We very quickly positioned ourselves back in the blocking position, so he couldn’t escape back into the forest and volcanic rock area, where carrying out the treatment would not have been possible.

Eight minutes later, One Ton finally lost his balance and dropped to the ground. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, my adrenaline subsided, and the helicopter’s job was done. The ground teams moved in swiftly and the vet team went about its crucial operation. A foot-long hole in One Ton’s neck was drained of all its infection and he was given large doses of antibiotics and a dressing of Angela’s famous green clay.

Dr Mijele finally administered the revival drug and One Ton, like a drunken sailor, pulled himself to his feet. Another successful treatment was complete, and the vet team reported a good prognosis for our iconic friend.

As One Ton wandered back into the forest, I felt an immense sense of pride in our collective teamwork, everyone going about his or her individual tasks in unison.

Finding the perfectly balanced team is a hard thing to achieve. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has balance, pride, and spirit in teamwork. A group of dedicated individuals all working towards one common goal, tipping the balance back in the favour of the likes of One Ton and all the other creatures, great and small, living in this truly beautiful wilderness of Tsavo.

I reach out to our supporters and the people reading this and say thank you. Without you, this team’s mission would be impossible. Your continued support will keep making our team stronger and so strengthening the wider Tsavo ecosystem.

“In

wilderness is the preservation of the world.”

– Henry David Thoreau –

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Saving Habitats 2 million acres under the Trust’s conservation management and protection

GALANA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY

Galana Wildlife Conservancy is one of Kenya’s hidden treasures. Spanning 60,000 acres, it is a little known but pivotal piece of the Tsavo Conservation Area. Strategically located along the eastern boundary of Tsavo East National Park and northern banks of the Galana River, it is an important buffer zone and habitat to all manner of creatures. Because it shares an unfenced border with Tsavo East, Galana Wildlife Conservancy is a haven for all manner of endangered and threatened large mammals and birds.

Galana Wildlife Conservancy began operating in March 2010, under the management of a board of directors.

Historically, the conservancy has relied on revenue from gate fees to fund its operating costs. Tourism to the area has declined over the years, and the situation worsened severely during the pandemic, when it all but came to a standstill.

Illegal activities took hold across the landscape, from bushmeat poaching to charcoal burning to livestock incursions.

The former had emerged as a particularly pervasive issue, with poachers killing scores of creatures for the commercial bushmeat trade. At the request of its board, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust commenced management of Galana Wildlife Conservancy in May 2021. As part of the agreement, we committed to fund the conservancy’s operating costs, installed dedicated security forces, and focused aerial patrols over the landscape. We immediately set about implementing the infrastructure to support this work, from creating base camps for Anti-Poaching Teams to grading airstrips at Lali and Kulalu. We also focused on improvements to the tourist experience.

Faced with a particularly brutal and prolonged dry season, we focused significant resources on water projects across Galana Wildlife Conservancy. We installed a borehole at Lali, which supplies both the teams in situ and local wildlife, and upgraded dams and watering points. When the dry season reached its peak, a watering team topped up designated areas on a daily basis. We supported 45 hippos who were at risk of starvation with supplemental lucerne and hay feedings. Eight months into our management of Galana Wildlife Conservancy, we have already seen a dramatic improvement in the landscape. With water now available north of Lali, all manner of creatures have come circling back into the area. There has been a marked decline in bushmeat poaching and other illegal activities. Wildlife numbers - 106 -

have increased on the conservancy, and without livestock incursions and other threats to their lives, they appear peaceful. Thanks to a dedicated conservation presence and proactive management, Galana Wildlife Conservancy is experiencing a rapid transformation.

KIBWEZI FOREST AND CHYULU HILLS

The Kibwezi Forest is an environmental comeback story which has unfolded in a short period of time. We were presented with the opportunity to fund, manage, and protect the Kibwezi Forest in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service in 2008. At the time, it was a very different place: Decades of poaching, logging, charcoal harvesting, and livestock incursions had severely degraded the landscape and decimated its wildlife population. On taking over management, our first step was to erect fencelines around the Kibwezi Forest, linking it to the adjacent Chyulu Hills National Park. By securing its boundary, we mitigated human-wildlife conflict with the bordering community and shielded the ecosystem from illegal incursions. We employed members of the local community to conduct daily patrols of the 93 kilometres of fencelines, working in tandem with our staff. Over the years, we have augmented our conservation presence in the Kibwezi Forest through two dedicated AntiPoaching Teams, regular aerial surveillance patrols, and continued infrastructure support. Every year since our concession commenced in the Kibwezi Forest, we have seen a marked decrease in illegal activities and increase in wildlife numbers. Elephants have returned to the forest in healthy numbers, all manner of vegetation flourishes, and rains have returned to normal. More than a decade on, this environmentally rich site has been restored to its natural splendour.

UMANI SPRINGS REINTEGRATION UNIT

Umani Springs is our newest Reintegration Unit, established in 2014. It is an ideal place for our most vulnerable orphaned elephants to reclaim their place back into the wild, thanks to its gentle forest environment that remains relatively lush throughout the year. The Umani Springs herd is currently 15 strong. Of that number, five orphans are considered semi-independent, spending nights away from the stockades and fraternising with the local elephant population. While these orphans’ reintegration journeys are nearly complete, the remaining ten orphans remain milk and/or stockade-dependent.

This includes Maktao, Kiombo, and Kiasa, who graduated from the Nursery to Umani Springs in May. We recently constructed a new stockade complex to accommodate

non-elephant orphaned wildlife being raised at Umani Springs, while two additional stables have also been built at Kenze.

KIBWEZI FOREST APIARY

To further bolster community engagement, we built an apiary at Umani Springs, which is managed by women from the local community. The apiary has a capacity for 15 beehives. It is currently home to five occupied CAB hives, which yielded honey during 2021. Last year, we purchased 14 modern log hives to trial. Research indicates that log hives offer better protection from pests such as wax moths and wasps, making bees more likely to survive dry seasons.

KIBWEZI FOREST TREE PLANTING

Since 2011, we have conducted annual tree plantings in the Kibwezi Forest Reserve. These exercises are collaborative by nature, including participants from Kenya Forestry Research Institute, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, and, crucially, individuals from the local communities, who also benefit from the plantings. Indigenous saplings are nurtured within the Kibwezi Forest Tree Nursery and then planted at four different locations within the Kibwezi Forest: Umani Springs, Manyanga, Kenze, and the zone along the power-lines. These were severely degraded by historic charcoal burning and logging, and benefit from targeted reforestation efforts. This year, we hit our goal to plant a total of 55,680 saplings, which is the current capacity of our Kibwezi Forest Tree Nursery.

CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION PROGRAMME

Firefighting has become a fact of life in the Chyulu Hills ecosystem. While overall fires were down from 2020 to 2021, we still had several blazes to contend with. Left untended, these bushfires threaten to destroy swathes of wilderness and the creatures who call them home. Along with members of our own team, we hire labourers from local communities to fight fires in the Chyulu Hills. We also hire a crew of casual staff to maintain over 40 kilometres of road throughout the Kibwezi Forest. This includes grading roads to serve as fire breaks and maintaining a network of roads to help protect the forest.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Umani Springs Eco Lodge continues to be a favourite destination for domestic and international travellers alike. A pandemic-imposed lull in tourism provided us with the opportunity to conduct essential maintenance and upgrades to the lodge and its environs.

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CHYULU HILLS REDD+ PROJECT

The REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Project is a global initiative to mitigate climate change in developing countries. In partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, Big Life Foundation, Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, and four group ranches on the western side of the Chyulu Hills, we are proud to participate in the Chyulu Hills REDD+ Project.

Collectively, partners own or manage 410,533.84 hectares of wilderness in the Chyulu Hills ecosystem, including Chyulu Hills National Park (KWS), a sector of Tsavo West National Park (KWS), the Kibwezi Forest (KFS, under our management), Mbirikani Group Ranch, Kuku Ranch, Kuku A Ranch, and Rombo Ranch. At the launch of the project, approximately two million carbon credits were available for sale.

In 2021, the project successfully managed to sell most of the balance of 2 million credits that were available at the onset. With further disbursements to SWT, we were able to purchase a new tipper truck for use in road maintenance in the Kibwezi Forest and Chyulu Hills NP, as well as build a new office block and canteen for the KWS rangers at the Rhino Base in Chyulu Hills. This is an important step in allowing KWS to increase security presence in order to eventually introduce new animals and genetics into the very small population of black rhino in the Chyulus.

Also, in 2021, the project underwent another verification process, which actually began with plot sampling in 2020.

This will allow the project to unlock and begin marketing the next batch of carbon credits that accumulated in the time since the original verification. Encouragingly, the plot sampling yielded a very positive picture of the project, with the greatest increase in carbon being observed in Kibwezi Forest, which is under the conservation management of SWT and is where the Trust first began its operations in the Chyulu Landscape.

Overall, the Project has resulted in earnings of over $10,000,000, a lot of which has been disbursed to the partner organisations to carry out important conservation and community related activities, and the balance of which will provide security to maintain these activities in uncertain times.

KARI RANCH (KIBOKO RANCH)

As wild spaces continue to shrink across Kenya, buffer zones and border lands are an increasingly precious resource.

KARI Ranch is a 63,321-acre wilderness spread across the foothills of the Chyulu Hills. Because it sits within a zone of recent volcanic activity, the land is of marginal agricultural use. However, it is a vital rangeland for all wildlife.

Because Chyulu Hills National Park lacks surface water, all manner of creatures rely on the natural springs and foraging opportunities to be found on KARI Ranch. This area is of special significance for our Orphans’ Project, as it will form the stomping grounds of the orphaned elephants who go wild from our nearby Umani Springs Reintegration Unit.

In 2019, we finalised a 25-year lease with the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Institute (KALRO) to protect and manage KARI Ranch. Years of human-wildlife conflict, illegal livestock grazing, charcoal burning, bushmeat and ivory poaching, and human encroachment had taken their toll on the landscape. Most of these issues originated from the unfenced eastern border, which abuts community lands that are used for subsistence farming. As soon as our management commenced, we set about constructing an elephant exclusion fence to mitigate the human-wildlife conflict on this precarious boundary. We also deployed a third full-time Anti-Poaching Team to the Chyulu area, providing dedicated surveillance and security.

The original fenceline, which stretches 43 kilometres along KARI’S eastern boundary, was completed in mid-2020. It is a continuation of the Chyulu Hills National Park / Kibwezi Forest fenceline, albeit with a different configuration.

Implemented as an elephant exclusion fence, the KARI Ranch fenceline features a three-strand design with outrigger wires, stretching five feet high. This effectively deters elephants from leaving the protection of KARI Ranch, sparing neighbouring farms from crop-raiding and alleviating human-wildlife conflict. The fenceline also safeguards the landscape against poachers and other illegal incursions. In 2021, we extended the fence by a further 7 kilometres - 109 -

on the eastern boundary to help mitigate human wildlife conflict. Teams of askaris (guards), who are based at seven fence outposts, conduct daily patrols and fence maintenance. Also this year, we constructed a main entrance gate to KARI and an additional energiser house for the fence extension, which will also act as guard accommodations.

Building off the success of the original fenceline, we continue to add to it as needed. In 2021, we completed a 2,100-metre elephant exclusion fence around KARI Headquarters and School. This was borne from a good problem: In the past two years, KARI has become a conservation area and there are now plenty of elephants in the area. Securing headquarters within KARI was necessary to protect both staff and wildlife from unwanted encounters.

The SWT/KWS Chyulu Mobile Anti-Poaching Team is responsible for securing KARI Ranch. Established in tandem with our lease agreement in 2019, it has had a transformative effect on the landscape. Through their daily patrols, the team responds to all manner of illegal activities, from livestock incursions to charcoal burning to timber harvesting. They have led to a marked decline in poaching, making many significant arrests of bushmeat and wildlife trophy poachers. Addressing illegal livestock incursions has had a positive impact on local wildlife populations, removing competition over precious food and water resources.

Wildlife populations are one of the best barometers of conservation successes. We are only two years into our management of KARI Ranch, but already there has been marked progress in this area. Patrol teams have reported a notable rise in elephant, eland, hartebeest, zebra, and giraffe populations. In time, we are hopeful that the resident rhino population of Chyulu Hills National Park will take advantage of KARI Ranch, as it is part of their traditional rangelands. Surrounding communities have also benefited from our presence in KARI Ranch. The elephant exclusion fence has effectively spared crops and homesteads from wandering elephants, protecting lives and livelihoods in the process. Since the completion of the fenceline, there have not been any reports of humanwildlife conflict around KARI Ranch or south at Kibwezi, both of which were historically conflict hotspots. The year before we installed the fenceline, we responded to a number of callouts in the area, after elephants ventured onto farms and caused significant damage.

KARI Ranch is an example of how conservation can serve wildlife and the people who live alongside them.

Because of mutually beneficial results, our efforts within the ecosystem have received robust support from the community and county government.

PROJECT AMU

Tucked on the northern coast of Kenya, Amu Ranch is home to one of the largest mangrove forests in the world and some of the oldest coastal forests in Africa.

In partnership with the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, and local stakeholders, we have been working to protect and regenerate this fragile ecosystem.

Since 2012, we have provided financial support and management expertise to the Lamu Conservation Trust (LCT), a community-led umbrella organisation that manages and preserves the wildlife and marine ecologies of the greater Lamu region.

Together with Eden Reforestation Projects, we have commenced the Amu Ranch Expansion Project, a collaborative reforestation project with local communities. We employ a full-time staff of 10 and up to 40 seasonal labourers to nurture and plant the seedlings.

In partnership with Eden, we have planted 4,692,850 mangrove seedlings in Lamu County. We supported Eden’s efforts by facilitating site visits, sourcing labour, and making introductions to local leaders, as well as providing our boat to access planting sites in the early days of planting.

To meet the increase in water demands, we have constructed a 5 million litre water reservoir in Amu Ranch, which will be fed by rainwater. We received a grant to surround the dam with an electric fence, which will ensure wildlife do not inadvertently fall inside.

PEREGRINE CONSERVATION AREA

The Peregrine Conservation Area was established in 1997.

It sits where the Mtito and Athi Rivers meet, creating a vital buffer zone along Tsavo East National Park. The Peregrine Conservation Area has become one of the last frontiers in the Tsavo ecosystem. As climate change takes hold, irregular rains and frequent droughts are becoming a fact of life in this arid landscape. Throughout the year, but especially during the dry season, elephants and other creatures are anchored to water sources like the Galana and Athi Rivers. Building off our original plot,

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we continue to purchase land as it becomes available, further securing Tsavo’s boundaries and preserving more space for wildlife. We now protect approximately 4,500 acres within the Peregrine Conservation Area.

Blighted by decades of human interference, the Peregrine Conservation Area used to be devoid of wildlife. Now, it is home to a spectacular array of creatures. There has been a marked return of elephants. Bachelor groups and breeding herds take up residence during the dry season, and many choose to remain throughout the rains. This is a discernible measure of the trust we have built with our wild neighbours in the Peregrine Conservation Area.

Tsavo Farm is situated on the periphery of the Peregrine Conservation Area. Using sustainable farming methods, it provides valuable employment opportunities for the surrounding community. In 2019, we developed a reforestation programme in which indigenous saplings are nurtured at Tsavo Farm and then planted in the surrounding ecosystem.

We also installed a 17,000-litre Aquaponics system at Tsavo Farm, which has capacity for up to 600 tilapia fish.

The tanks drain into 12 plant beds inside the greenhouse, where vegetables grow in lava stone that is fed by fish waste. Vegetables grown through aquaponics require about 10 percent of the water needed to grow the same crops through conventional, soil-based agriculture.

Work is ongoing at Tsavo Farm. To support our reforestation programme, we dug a new well adjacent to the river, which collects sand-filtered water through a sealed borehole casing. The water is pumped to the 6-acre reforestation area, which will be home to over 600 indigenous trees.

Our first order of business was to erect a 120-kilometre fenceline to secure the corridor, which will connect Mwaluganje with the Shimba Hills. Long-term, our goal is to incorporate this into a fenceline that goes around the entire Shimba Hills. Plans were drawn up in 2021 and the fenceline will be installed next year.

We also continued our support of Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, which is one of Kenya’s first community-owned wildlife sanctuaries. Established in 1994, it compensates community members for putting their land towards conservation. The sanctuary, which spans 60,000 acres, effectively links the Mwaluganje Forest Reserve to the north with the Shimba Hills National Park to the south.

Working with the Kenya Forest Service and Kenya Wildlife Service, we subsidise Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary by funding sanctuary staff wages, covering essential maintenance and equipment, and compensating the 300 private landowners who dedicate their land to conservation. This year, we were able to significantly raise the level of financial support we provide, supporting local communities and conservation in the process. In addition, we put Ksh 1 million towards bursaries to fund the education of local schoolchildren. Supporting the schooling of the next generation is incredibly important.

To further secure the landscape, it is our intention to significantly ramp up our anti-poaching presence in Mwaluganje and the Shimba Hills. With the support of KWS, SWT’s visiting anti-poaching teams have conducted patrols across the landscape. Bushmeat poaching and snares remain the most persistent threat to the ecosystem, along with human-wildlife conflict on the adjacent lands. While the mere presence of these teams acts as a powerful deterrent to poachers, it is our hope that the new electric fence that is planned will further secure the area.

SHIMBA HILLS AND MWALUGANJE SANCTUARY

In 2021, we purchased an 800-acre corridor between Mwaluganje Sanctuary and the Shimba Hills. This is a critical and increasingly vulnerable habitat for elephants.

When ivory poaching decimated Tsavo in the 1970s and 1980s, elephants sought refuge towards the coast in the forested Shimba Hills. It has remained a small but mighty stronghold for the species. However, over the years, human encroachment has chipped away at the landscape and inhibited the migratory passage back to Tsavo. It was vital that this corridor did not fall into the hands of developers.

The Shimba Hills and Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary sit within a very lush environment, which makes it challenging to get an accurate count of its elephant population. However, aerial patrols suggest that around 250 elephants live within the area.

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MOUNT KENYA NATIONAL PARK

KIMANA CORRIDOR AND SANCTUARY

As the highest peak in the country and the second highest peak on the continent, Mount Kenya is an icon of the African wilderness. Due to human encroachment, however, Mount Kenya National Park has effectively become an “island,” surrounded by dense settlements and agriculture. Mount Kenya Trust was established to facilitate the long-term conservation of the ecosystem and reduce conflict between local communities and wildlife.

It spearheaded the Mount Kenya Elephant Corridor, a 14-kilometre elephant migration route linking the mountain with the Ngare Ndare Forest, Borana Ranch, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and beyond to Samburu National Reserve. Over 1,000 elephants use the route in a single year.

If Kenya’s National Parks are the heart of its natural world, wildlife corridors and dispersal areas are its arteries. These small but vital lands connect habitats across the country, ensuring that migratory species, such as elephants, can travel uninterrupted. Unfortunately, these areas are particularly vulnerable to development, as they sit outside the protected confines of National Parks. Such was the case with Kimana.

For nearly five years, we have supported Mount Kenya Trust and their camping patrols. We fund the team’s equipment, rations, and logistics. In 2016, we donated a Land Rover Defender 4x4 to the team, which continues to support their daily operations. Through regular mobile camping patrols, Mount Kenya Trust effectively secures the mountain, elephant corridor, and surrounding areas against pervasive threats.

As the pandemic continued to take its economic toll, many of Mount Kenya Trust’s partners were forced to reduce or halt funding. However, these same financial pressures drove an increase in illegal activities in the ecosystem. We continued our funding of the Mount Kenya Trust, enabling them to ramp up patrols that are so vital in combating bushmeat poaching and other threats.

In 2021, we bolstered our support in the region by funding the vehicle fuel costs associated with the KWS Mount Kenya rapid response team, having donated the land cruiser to KWS four years before. This team responds to any emergency calls within the region, tackling poaching issues and illegal activities, while also supporting elephant rescues and veterinary interventions. Keeping this team in motion is vital to the security of the ecosystem.

Over the years, the human footprint has continued to advance on the Amboseli ecosystem. Kimana Sanctuary is one of the last remaining open tracts that connects Amboseli to the Chyulu Hills and Tsavo ecosystem.

Spanning just 5,700 acres and flanked on either side by settled areas, it provides the holy grail for wildlife in today’s increasingly developed world: safe passage.

In 2018, we entered a partnership with Big Life Foundation and local Maasai landowners to ensure this vital corridor remains protected for all manner of creatures. SWT covers the annual lease fees for both Kimana Corridor and Kimana Sanctuary, providing local Maasai landowners with a reliable and competitive income stream. This model effectively incentivises communities to use their land for conservation, instead of farming.

In 2021, a partnership was finalised with Angama, owners and operators of Angama Mara safari lodge in the Maasai Mara. Through a sublease agreement, Angama will be granted tourism access to the Sanctuary. The resulting revenue streams will allow Kimana Sanctuary to become self-sufficient, simultaneously covering its own running costs and increasing income to its landowners. Big Life will retain the head lease and management responsibilities, while SWT will support anti-poaching operations in the sanctuary and continue our funding support of the Kimana Corridor.

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Perspective from the Field: James Mbuthia, Kibwezi Forest Project Manager

“Recently,

we increased the dispersal area for wildlife in the greater Chyulu ecosystem.”

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Kibwezi Forest Reserve and Chyulu Hills National Park are inextricably linked to the health of the greater Tsavo Conservation Area. When the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust began its concession, the Kibwezi Forest and greater Chyulu ecosystem was under serious threat of degradation.

Charcoal burning, illegal logging, and poaching had taken their toll on the landscape. Humanwildlife conflict was another grave issue, especially through crop raiding by the elephants.

The Trust’s immediate interventions included establishing four Anti-Poaching Teams for the area in partnership with the KWS and constructing electric fencelines that run along the entire eastern boundary of the catchment. Through both ground and aerial patrols, we have successfully contained illegal activities. We also support the livelihoods of surrounding communities by providing various ecosystem services.

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is committed to winning more space for wildlife in other parts of the country. Recently, we increased the dispersal area for wildlife in the greater Chyulu ecosystem by incorporating KARI Ranch in our conservation arrangement. This has increased the size of the Chyulu catchment by a further 80,000 acres, which is a relief for wildlife that live in the ranch. Notably, more wildlife have already moved into the area, particularly elephants, elands, wildebeest, and kudus. Every day, we see sustained evidence of the positive environmental and social impacts from our presence in KARI Ranch, including: Environmental Impacts: • There has been a marked reduction in illegal activities within KARI Ranch and Chyulu Hills National Park, and a reduction in incidents of human-wildlife conflict along community boundaries • The water catchment tower, which sources the Tsavo ecosystem, benefits from enhanced conservation and protection • Many rivers that had dried have started flowing again, due to a reduction in illegal activities • Effective communication and coordination between fence monitoring teams and SWTKWS-KFS-KARI ground and aerial teams facilitates a rapid response to incidents of human-wildlife conflict and illegal activities, which greatly enhances security in the area Social Impacts: • Because secure boundaries effectively deter elephants and other wildlife from marauding onto community lands, neighbouring communities have seen: - Enhanced agricultural productivity - Reduced vulnerability of livelihoods - Reduced social disruption from problem animals • Because we recruit locally for rangers, guards, and other staff locally, the park-adjacent community benefits from myriad employment opportunities • As a result of mutually beneficial conservation initiatives, there is an enhanced relationship between KWS and the local community We are only two years into our work in KARI Ranch. The immediate results we have seen set the stage for long-term success in securing this vital ecosystem.

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REFORESTATION EFFORTS

Reforestation is one of the best climate change solutions available today. Trees are the lungs of our planet, feeding all forms of life as they take carbon from the air and water from the ground releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

And yet, human activities continue to destroy forests on a massive scale. The United Nations estimates that, since 1990, 420 million hectares of forest have been lost through conversion to other land uses. Deforestation and degradation have a devastating effect on habitats, wildlife, communities, and the climate.

We are working to reverse that trend across Kenya. Our reforestation efforts are a joint undertaking between our Saving Habitats and Community Outreach conservation projects, with the goal of regenerating ravaged habitats and supporting local communities in the process.

We have established three tree nurseries in notable ecosystems across Kenya: the lush Chyulu Hills and the Kibwezi Forest, the arid plains of Tsavo, and the tropical coastlines of Amu Ranch and Lamu. In each Tree Nursery, we nurture tens of thousands of saplings, choosing a variety of indigenous trees that are suited to the environment and complement the creatures who live there. For example, we place great emphasis on varieties of the acacia, because it is a hearty tree that provides sustenance to wildlife during the dry season. We have ramped up melia plantings, a hardwood that has been depleted through illegal logging. All saplings grown in our Kibwezi Forest, Kaluku, and Tsavo Farm Tree Nurseries are planted in degraded areas that would benefit from targeted reforestation efforts.

Community engagement and reforestation go hand-inhand. We proudly employ women from local communities

to tend to the seedlings in the Tree Nurseries. Over the years, we have donated many thousands of indigenous tree saplings to schools and communities bordering the Tsavo Conservation Area. Through this outreach, communities understand the benefits of conserving their forests, as opposed to degrading them. During tree plantings, local volunteers come out in full force to participate and learn.

Our Community Liaison Officer oversees the distribution of saplings and tree planting efforts. In 2021, these initiatives took place within the Kibwezi Forest, Chyulu Hills National Park, Tsavo West National Park, and Amu Ranch. Once the saplings are planted, the tree husbandry begins. We have strict follow-up procedures in place, and we do all the weeding, supplementary watering and propping where necessary. Normally, we record 70 percent survival rates for our trees.

To enhance our existing Kaluku Tree Nursery, we established a new site that has the capacity to produce 40,000 trees per year. The team has undertaken training on Melia volkensii germination, with the goal of providing high value, sustainably harvested timber to the local community. 14 indigenous species are currently produced in the nursery. At Tsavo Farm, we created a 6-acre reforestation area, which will be home to over 600 indigenous trees. The Kibwezi Forest Tree Nursery is a shining example of germination and reforestation. It hit its planting target of 55,680 seedlings in 2021, which is the nursery’s current growing capacity. On the coast, our partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects has seen more than 4.6 million mangrove seedlings planted in Lamu County in 2021 alone.

“To

see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the Palm of your Hand, And Eternity in an Hour.”

- William Blake -

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Water for Wildlife 32 boreholes drilled and maintained in the Tsavo Conservation Area

Water has always been the factor upon which all life hinges. Years are marked by the rains; bountiful rains or a severe drought can seal any creature’s fate. In Kenya, water is an increasingly scarce resource. As climate change continues to take hold, dry seasons are growing longer and droughts more frequent.

We felt these effects keenly in 2021, as a brutal dry season swept across the country.

Typically, the short rains fall between April and May. These tide over the landscape, until the long rains arrive in late October through November. This year, however, the short rains were negligible. This alone would not have signalled a devastating situation for wildlife. However, October came and went, and still the long rains did not arrive. The heavens properly opened in December, more than two months later than expected. For many animals, the rain arrived too late.

Throughout the year, but especially in times of drought, reliable water sources mean the difference between life and death. The Tsavo Conservation Area has a particularly complicated relationship with water. While it is one of the last remaining vast wildernesses in Kenya, vast swathes of the park lack natural drinking sources during the dry season. Without suitable water, even the most pristine habitat is unviable for long-term habitation.

That is why our Water for Wildlife, our supplemental water programme, is so vital. In consultation with hydrology experts and the Kenya Wildlife Service, we implement tailored water solutions in traditionally arid areas, with a focus on the Tsavo Conservation Area. These water sources provide a lifeline to wildlife during the dry season and unlock previously uninhabitable areas.

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Boreholes bring life to places where aquifers are plentiful, but surface drinking water is scarce. Employing solar and wind power, and generators where needed, pumps tap into water tables beneath the ground. Boreholes are strategically installed far from communities, drawing wildlife deeper into the protection of the park. During the dry season, elephants and other creatures venture onto community lands in search of water, which leads to an inevitable uptick in human-wildlife conflict. The presence of water sources deep within the park reduces the likelihood of these oft-lethal situations. Boreholes also often support conservation initiatives in the area, by supplying water for field personnel and facilities.

Providing water in a vast, arid landscape is a massive undertaking. Every ten days, our field teams conduct service checks of all water projects, cleaning out troughs and tuning up equipment as needed. This level of vigilance ensures that each borehole and accompanying trough remains fully operational at all times.

In places where boreholes are unfeasible, we offer water on wheels: Our water bowsers fill up at a borehole or river, then transport their cargo to protected areas that lack natural drinking sources. We have a fleet of eight bowsers, five of which have a holding capacity of 20,000 litres.

These are particularly important for bringing water to the orphaned elephants at our Tsavo-based Reintegration Units, and for supplying KWS field personnel. All told, we have the ability to rapidly transport 124,000 litres of water at any given moment.

Given the extensive dry season, this was a particularly busy year for Water for Wildlife. We have now drilled 32 boreholes in the Tsavo Conservation Area. In 2021, we rehabilitated an old borehole on Galana Ranch. This particular project proved to be an enormous challenge, but absolutely vital — not only to bring water to a waterless area, but also to supply our newly appointed Anti-Poaching Teams, whose continued presence will combat pervasive conservation threats in the area. Using a comprehensive solar installation, the borehole was successfully installed and now pumps into our Lali Base and two water holes.

Ndii Ndaza previously had a windmill, but it failed to bring sufficient water to the nearby KWS security basecamp. To ensure the security team had an adequate supply, we installed a new borehole and laid 2 kilometres of pipe, which is run through a generator to the camp.

Recent boreholes at Mbololo, Rhino Base, Kamboyo, and Rhino Valley are also operating very well.

In terms of boreholes, Thabangunji is a particular triumph.

This northern sector of Tsavo East was traditionally waterless during the dry season, making it unviable for most creatures. Powered by an efficient solar system, the new borehole ensures that three different water pans and a large trough, which are kilometres apart from each other, remain topped up throughout the day. Because water is now accessible, animals are finally able to utilise this vast landscape.

At Dida Harea, we swapped out the windmill for a solar system. The winds had stopped from midday, which meant it was unable to pump water during the afternoon hours. The new solar system was a perfect solution: With the water pan now full, it is once more a favourite drinking spot for the area’s wildlife.

Several troughs also received an upgrade in 2021. Arruba is a high-traffic area for wildlife, and with three troughs feeding off a single windmill, the drinking situation was becoming quite concentrated. Installing a fourth water trough ensures all manner of creatures, from plains game to elephants, have ample room to drink.

Looking ahead, we must brace ourselves for increasingly extreme weather and unreliable rains. Through Water for Wildlife, we are creating a viable path forward in these uncertain times.

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Support for The Kenya Wildlife Service

We have a long-established partnership with the custodians of Kenya’s National Parks and wildlife, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). As the Government of Kenya’s authority for conservation and management, the KWS has a broad mandate, with about 8 percent of the country’s total landmass under their remit. Above and beyond the extensive projects we operate in partnership with the KWS, we continue to provide significant financial support to their efforts. Historically, our collaborative work was focused on the Tsavo Conservation Area. In recent years, however, we have expanded our support to also respond to conservation challenges across the country.

FIRE RESPONSE

Bushfires are a natural phenomenon and annual reality in Kenya’s wild spaces. However, arson has become a prominent threat in the Tsavo Conservation Area. Far from regulating the environment, as natural blazes do, these man-made fires threaten swathes of the ecosystem and all the creatures who live there. Much to our dismay, the first fires of 2021 broke out in March — a month earlier than the previous year — and continued through October. Our aerial and ground teams responded to a total of 79 fires throughout the year, working on the frontlines to tackle blazes and create firebreaks. To support the KWS in fire fighting efforts, we imported customised fire fighting trailers that can be pulled behind Land Cruisers and water bowsers.

These trailers effectively fight blazes by pushing pumped water with great pressure. We also bought and distributed 80 firefighting water tanks, which are carried by ground teams in situ. To improve firefighting capacity in the ecosystem, we completed an open water tank at Chyulu Pump in Tsavo West and rehabilitated the KWS water tank.

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HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT MITIGATION

Human-wildlife conflict has become a prominent threat facing our natural world. As the human footprint continues to expand, communities and wild creatures are increasingly competing for resources. A rapid intervention, moving animals away from conflict areas and back into protected areas, can mean the difference between life and death. We are proud to support the KWS Animal Capture and Translocation Unit through the donation of vehicles and equipment. This year, we purchased a new tractor for the team, which was immediately used to translocate an elephant from Kamunyu to Tsavo West. Throughout the year, we dedicated 157 hours to mitigating human-wildlife conflict, responding to reports of 327 problem elephants.

FENCELINES

Fencelines are one of the most effective tools for conservation, securing wild borders and protecting local communities from marauding wildlife. Not all landscapes can be fenced, as natural wildlife migratory movement is essential, but they are indispensable on precarious boundaries.

Over the years, we have financed the construction, patrolling, and continued maintenance of over 267 kilometres. These wild borders prevent human-wildlife conflict and inhibit poachers, charcoal harvesters, loggers, livestock herders, and other perpetrators from exploiting natural resources in vulnerable areas.

We employ over 80 fence maintenance/monitoring staff, many of whom are members from the local communities where the fencelines are located. These teams monitor all fencelines daily. They are in close radio communication with the corresponding SWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Unit, who remain poised to respond to any security breaches.

Most fencelines have been constructed in the Tsavo Conservation Area, with particular emphasis on areas that are rife with human-wildlife conflict or illegal activities.

In 2021, we completed several notable fenceline projects: We constructed an electric fence around the IPZ KWS Security Base in Rhino Valley, which is a vital stronghold for Tsavo’s free release rhinos. After completing the fenceline bordering KARI Ranch, which now spans 43 kilometres and includes energiser and gate houses, we continued to secure the area through a 2100-metre elephant exclusion fence around KARI HQ/school, a 4000-metre fence around Kiboko, and a 7300-metre elephant exclusion zone along the western boundary of KARI Ranch to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. We also commenced plans for a 120-kilometre fenceline securing the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary and the Shimba Hills, which will be erected next year.

Erecting and maintaining these 14-strand unshortable fencelines is a significant financial commitment, but its proven impact on conservation pays dividends. As of 2021, our fencelines protect the following conservation areas:

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• Northern Tsavo East - 63 kilometres Over the years, we have constructed a 63-kilometre elephant-proof fenceline along the Tsavo East northern boundary, bordering the Ithumba area. We added two extra wires to the bottom of the fenceline to deter livestock incursion, while rehabilitating any old posts or problem areas.

• Voi - Ngutuni - 17 kilometres Stretching from Voi Safari Lodge towards the Ngutuni Ranch boundary to Ndara, this fenceline ensures elephants and other creatures are protected from the Nairobi-Mombasa Standard Gauge Railway. It also provides further security for our Voi orphans.

• Kibwezi Forest - 77.8 kilometres The Kibwezi Forest is now protected along three sensitive boundaries, connecting it with Chyulu Hills National Park and preventing all manner of illegal activities. Its presence has had a transformative effect on the forest.

• Kamboyo IPZ - 16 kilometres This fenceline was built to enhance the protection of Tsavo West’s free release rhino population. To further secure this threatened species, we also built a new electric fence around the IPZ KWS security base in Rhino Valley.

• Meru Rhino Sanctuary - 25 kilometres We partnered with the KWS to upgrade and extend the Meru Rhino Sanctuary, which sits within Meru National Park. The resulting fortified fenceline nearly doubled the size of the sanctuary, providing more space and heightened security for its growing resident rhino population.

• Ndii Ndaza - 4 kilometres This fenceline fortifies the area around the Ndii Ndaza KWS camp, further enhancing security in this crucial sector of Tsavo East National Park.

• KWS Voi Headquarters - 15 kilometres As the hub of all KWS operations in Tsavo East National Park, security around the Voi Headquarters is absolutely vital to conservation in the region.

• Nairobi National Park - 10 kilometres As one of the only national parks within a capital city, Nairobi National Park is known as the ‘World’s Wildlife Capital.’ Securing this precious wilderness not only benefits the myriad of creatures who call it home, but also the orphaned elephants growing up at our Nairobi Nursery, which sits within the park.

• KARI Ranch - 43 kilometres KARI Ranch is an important buffer zone in the Tsavo Conservation Area, with a direct link to Chyulu Hills National Park. Securing precarious boundaries has protected the landscape and benefited neighbouring communities, who historically struggled with human-wildlife conflict.

• Mwaluganje - Shimba Hills - 120 kilometres (work in progress) We have finalised plans for our most ambitious fenceline project yet, securing the vulnerable boundaries of Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary and the Shimba Hills. Construction of the fenceline will commence in 2022.

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OPERATIONAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT

While we proudly partner on and fund ambitious conservation initiatives with the KWS, we also fund essential infrastructure and equipment that underpin the success of these projects. Keeping teams in motion is essential. In 2021, we donated a Toyota Landcruiser pickup to the KWS for the Rhino Security Teams in Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary in Tsavo West, and rehabilitated two for the security team who are responsible for Nairobi National Park’s rhino protection. We also donated fuel and Avgas to assist operations in Tsavo East, along with donations to the KWS PAMU and Kajiado Teams to elevate their response to bushmeat and ivory poaching.

We rehabilitated the KWS Capture Unit and Ithumba trucks, and donated dozens of tyres for teams across the Tsavo and Meru ecosystems.

We proudly provided all manner of operational support to the KWS. We donated US$100,000 to assist KWS with management of the Tsavo Conservation Area during the Covid-19 crisis, ensuring that the drop in tourism funds did not correlate to a lapse in conservation initiatives. We committed to financially support the annual operating costs of the DNA/Forensic Laboratory for three years.

This will allow the team there to clear analysis of backlog samples, as well as analyse new samples expected in the lab to help combat bushmeat poaching and other high value trophies. In addition, we donated a radio system to KWS installed at Ithumba Mountain, which gives blanket radio coverage for the Northern Area of Tsavo East. As the pandemic continued to take its toll on Kenyans, we expanded our community food donations. To address food shortages among children, we set up a daily meal distribution programme at seven schools in the Tsavo ecosystem. Through this programme, 1,422 students receive a daily meal at school.

We also took the opportunity to conduct vital refurbishments and upgrades in the Tsavo landscape.

These included a rebuild of the KWS Tsavo West gate entrance complex, building an office at Mukururo in the Chyulu Hills, repainting the KWS Voi Headquarters and Education Centre, and refurbishing the Senior Warden’s house in Voi. We also rebuilt and refurbished several KWS Security Bases, including Galdessa Rhino Base, Chyulu 2, and Ndii Ndaza. Ndii Ndaza is a pivotal base, as it secures the northern sector of Tsavo. Its original location along the Tiva River was problematic, given annual flooding. We rebuilt the base further from the river, securing it with an electric fence and installing a borehole to fulfil water needs. At Manyani, which is the

site of the KWS Law Enforcement Academy, we funded necessary infrastructure upgrades. This is where all SWT Rangers graduate from before joining their respective Anti-Poaching Units. Our support helps ensure the highest standards of training at the academy. In Naivasha, we constructed accommodations for the new SWT/KWS Rift Valley Mobile Vet Unit. Launched in 2021, this new unit provides much-needed veterinary care to wildlife of the expansive Rift Valley.

In 2021, we worked on a new security road over the Yatta Plateau, near the northern park boundary. This creates a link between Ithumba and Gazi, allowing for better security in a historically sensitive area. Our machinery was used to continue road upgrades and maintenance, building upon the 400 kilometres of roads that we rehabilitated in the northern sector of Tsavo last year.

As a donation to KWS, we took on the complete renovation of the camp on Lake Jipe. Our goal is to rebuild this camp into a viable property for visitors to rent, enhancing tourism in the southern end of Tsavo West. Historically, this has been an underutilised two thirds of the park. Simple but attractive properties within the park will draw in tourists and allow KWS to become more self-sustaining. We also funded the refurbishment of the Tsavo East Research Centre, which had fallen into a state of disrepair. Originally built by David Sheldrick, it is home to many valuable specimens, including a priceless collection of elephant skulls that show their teeth progression through the years. Newly renovated, it can become a destination for tourists and researchers alike. It also makes an effective and convenient working base for the Tsavo Veterinary Unit and Research Team.

INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT

In 2020, we commenced a comprehensive project to eradicate the invasive Opuntia Cactus from the southern sector of Tsavo East. Known as the “prickly pear,” the plant had come to dominate many parts of the park, threatening indigenous plant life and disrupting the biome of the region. To naturally combat the prickly pear, we bred cochineals in our greenhouse at Buchuma. These insects feed on, and ultimately kill, the cactus. We then scattered infected cuttings throughout targeted sectors of Tsavo East, where the cochineals then spread through the invasive growth. Patrols have confirmed extensive dieback, and by mid-2022, we expect to see a widespread die-off of this invasive species.

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Rhino Conservation

While we gained global recognition for our work with elephants, we are equally committed to the conservation of other threatened species. In the 1960s, David and Daphne Sheldrick became the first people to successfully raise orphaned rhinos in Kenya. The following decade, orphaned rhinos Stroppy and Hoshim were translocated to Solio Ranch, where they became the founding population of the renowned Solio Rhino Sanctuary. In 1982, in partnership with the KWS, we funded the formation of Kenya’s first rhino sanctuaries, in Tsavo West and Nakuru National Parks.

In the 1960s, Kenya was home to a robust population of 20,000 black rhinos.

Poachers decimated the species, and just two decades later, their numbers had dwindled to 300. Thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, Kenya is now home to 938 black rhinos. As the threats facing rhinos continue to grow, we remain deeply committed to securing a future for this prehistoric species.

MERU RHINO SANCTUARY

Our work with Meru Rhino Sanctuary, which sits within Meru National Park, spans many years. In 2017, we partnered with the KWS on an extensive fenceline project to expand the sanctuary and create security bases and entrance gates. This nearly doubled its size, providing more space and upgraded security for Meru’s growing rhino population. We continue to fund essential infrastructure and operating costs, which ensure teams are fully outfitted to protect the sanctuary. This includes funding annual fence maintenance and the salaries of full-time staff who patrol the fenceline. In 2021, we donated a vehicle to the security team in Meru Rhino Sanctuary, along with vehicle tyres. We also donated 20 mobile camps for security rangers, who conduct daily patrols. These conservation efforts are paying off: Five baby rhino births were recorded in Meru Rhino Sanctuary between 2020-2021.

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Community Outreach

Conservation and community outreach go hand-in-hand. If we are to secure a future for Kenya’s wildlife, we must also support the people who live alongside them. About 38 percent of rural-dwelling Kenyans live below the poverty line.

These communities often view wildlife as threats to their livelihoods — and their very survival. As they struggle to make ends meet, conservation efforts fall low on their list of priorities.

Just as we are invested in the long-term welfare of Kenya’s wildlife, we are equally committed to the people who live alongside them. We focus on communities bordering Kenya’s National Parks and protected areas, ensuring conservation initiatives also improve their quality of life. This support takes the form of local employment opportunities, education initiatives, food distribution programs, and sustainable conservation solutions. As we continued to grapple with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, our Community Outreach strategy evolved to address the immediate needs of our local communities.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMME

In 2021, we debuted our new school feeding programme. This was the most significant project of the year, expanded as a direct response to the pandemic. In speaking with local communities, we understood that many families were struggling to adequately feed their children. Through our Food Distribution Programme, we provided fully subsidised, daily lunches to seven schools in the Tsavo Conservation Area, feeding 1,422 children throughout the year. In terms of food relief, we provided 5,400 kilograms of maize, 5,400 kilograms of beans, 6,000 kilograms of rice, and 720 litres of cooking oil.

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“Trees

are precious. There is little else on Earth that plays host to such a rich community of life within a single living organism.”

- Sir David Attenborough SCHOOL SUPPORT AND STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

The pandemic put our school field trips on hold for over a year, but this perennial favourite returned towards the end of 2021. It also marked the debut of our new bus, a sleek green machine with plenty of room for eager learners.

We proudly expanded our area of operations beyond the Tsavo ecosystem. Members of Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, a community conservancy bordering Shimba Hills National Park and Mwaluganje Forest Reserve, requested that we bring our class trip experiences to their local community. While this area is committed to conservation, the locals have very little engagement with the nature and wildlife on their doorstep.

In rural landscapes, many children grow up with a complicated relationship with wildlife. Some have never seen an elephant, while others associate them with crop destruction or frightening encounters. By introducing students to Kenya’s natural world from the safety of a school bus, we connect the next generation with their country’s natural heritage and foster an interest in conservation efforts. While the pandemic vastly curtailed our field trip schedule in 2021, we were still able to lead eight class trips into Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary and Shimba Hills National Park, 12 trips for children bordering Tsavo East and West, and a trip for 22 teachers.

We also work closely with local communities to improve school infrastructure. Over the years, we have donated more than 710 desks to schools around the Tsavo Conservation Area, along with resources that spark intellectual curiosity and physical activity. In 2021, we donated sports equipment to a further four schools, providing them with supplies to play badminton, football (soccer), volleyball, netball, and basketball. In our quest to help support the continued education of rural Kenyans, we proudly fund a scholarship

programme. Together with Children of Conservation who support four secondary and six university students, we currently sponsor the education of 28 students from communities in the Tsavo Conservation Area. We also donated six laptops to students in need.

COMMUNITY TREE DONATIONS

Over the years, we have cultivated a thriving community tree donation programme. Now, dozens of schools around the Tsavo ecosystem are home to mature, evergreen trees. In 2021, we donated a total of 9,284 saplings for community use. These saplings were nurtured in our Tree Nursery and then planted at local school and government facilities during the rainy season. As the years progress, they will flourish into tall, sturdy trees that provide much-needed shade from the Tsavo sun.

BEEHIVE FENCELINES

We launched our beehive fenceline project in 2014, as a sustainable, non-aggressive method to combat humanwildlife conflict. Elephants have an intrinsic aversion to the buzzing sound of bees, so the mere presence of hives along community lines acts as a powerful deterrent. We have installed 144 hives across seven community farms that were historically targeted by crop-raiding elephants.

In 2021, we installed 78 new beehives.

In addition, we recently established a women’s beekeeping group that operates out of the Kibwezi Forest. After undergoing an intensive five-day training course in 2021, the women were provided with professional beekeeping equipment. They now tend to 30 hives in a new apiary in the Kibwezi Forest. This programme further connects local communities with conservation initiatives and provides valuable employment opportunities for women.

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Perspective from the Community: Samuel Munyao, Community Officer

“This

year, we were excited to serve a new community outside our normal area of operation in Tsavo.”

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School field trips have always been a highlight of our Community Outreach initiatives. In communities bordering Tsavo, children grow up alongside wildlife — but they have few opportunities to appreciate and learn about their natural world. They might think of elephants as frightening creatures, without fully appreciating what they do to support our country’s economy and the very ecosystems in which we live.

That is why our school field trips are so important. In a single, fun-filled day, we expose Kenya’s children to the natural world around them. In a normal year, we lead over 60 free trips into Tsavo East and West National Parks. Covid-19 changed all that, putting a halt to our much-loved program. However, by the end of the year, we were able to resume — much to everyone’s delight.

Even better, we had a brand-new bus to take our students on their memorable day among nature.

Dixon, my colleague and our fearless driver, couldn’t wait to get behind the steering wheel again!

We led 12 trips in and around Tsavo for children bordering Tsavo East and West, along with a special trip for 22 teachers.

This year, we were also excited to serve a new community outside our normal area of operation in Tsavo. We received the request of members of the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, a community conservancy that forms an important corridor between Shimba Hills National Park and Mwaluganje Forest Reserve. We were able to conduct a total of eight trips into both Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary and Shimba Hills National Park. Students were treated to sightings of the last population of sable antelope in Kenya, and took a refreshing dip in Sheldrick Falls. This is just the beginning of our work in this special area.

After such a prolonged pause during the pandemic, it felt great to be back among nature with our students. We take children of all ages, from primary school to secondary school. The trips usually begin at the KWS main gate, where a KWS ranger gives the students a brief history lesson about the park and talks about some of the creatures who live within it. From there, we get back on the bus and our adventure begins! The students are given a workbook during the day, filled with conservation-themed games and useful information. Suddenly, the drive turns into a game of spot, as they record all the creatures they see in their workbook. Along the way, we teach them about conservation challenges, from poaching to habitat loss, and why it is so important that we protect our natural world.

It is incredible to see how every single class comes to life among nature, running up the lava mountain at Chaimu or observing a herd of elephants stride across the plains. Watching klipspringers hop among the crags of Shetani Lava Flow or taking a sip from Mzima Springs, while hippos wallow nearby, or even just enjoying a picnic lunch surrounded by nature — these are experiences that turn children into conservationists. I feel incredibly privileged to be part of this program, connecting the next generation of Kenyans with their natural heritage.

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Eco Lodges 6 Eco Lodges The revenue they generate goes towards supporting conservation

Beyond Nairobi, the hidden gems of Kenya await. Our Eco Lodges add a unique dimension to our conservation projects, inviting supporters into these remarkable places and immersing them in the work they make possible. Thoughtfully designed and sustainably managed, they offer a “private home” amidst some of the most spectacular landscapes in Kenya. Eco Lodges are booked exclusively, allowing guests to tailor their stay and truly immerse themselves in nature that surrounds them. This is a distinctive safari model in Kenya, one designed entirely around each guest’s unique vision for their safari.

Simply by staying in our properties, guests directly support these elephants and the ecosystems they call home: Eco Lodges are run through a not-for-profit model, generating vital revenue for conservation initiatives focused in the areas in which they sit. Our portfolio includes three lodges in Ithumba, the remote, northern sector of Tsavo East National Park; two on the Galana River, a destination for some of Kenya’s most iconic species; and one in the Kibwezi Forest, a groundwater forest known for the array of life it supports. Each Eco Lodge is located within close proximity to one of our three Reintegration Units, affording guests with exclusive visiting privileges to meet the orphaned elephants there and experience the Orphans’ Project firsthand.

Lodge Enquiries and reservations: info@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

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ITHUMBA HILL CAMP:

Ithumba Hill Camp is a luxurious tented camp built into the hill that earned it its name. Designed with the discerning traveller in mind, this camp offers panoramic views of Tsavo’s rugged wilderness.

ITHUMBA PRIVATE:

Ithumba Private is a special annex to Ithumba Hill Camp. Built among the rocks of Ithumba Hill and shaded by giant baobabs, this hideaway offers an intimate oasis within the vast wilderness of Tsavo.

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ITHUMBA CAMP:

Ithumba Camp is a stylishly rustic hideaway set at the base of Ithumba Hill. It is designed for the intrepid traveller who relishes big skies, star-studded nights, and an array of fascinating species at your doorstep.

UMANI SPRINGS:

Umani Springs is an elegant African lodge tucked within the ancient Kibwezi Forest. It offers an oasis of tranquillity and comfort, surrounded by a spectacular range of birds, butterflies, and other wild creatures.

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GALDESSA LITTLE:

Galdessa Little is an intimate annex perched on the banks of the Galana River. Fringed with doum palms and overlooking the Yatta Plateau, the camp promises unparalleled wildlife sightings.

GALDESSA CAMP:

Galdessa Camp is an enchanting camp set in the heart of the Galana River. Wildlife abounds in this section of the Tsavo, from elephants meandering along the shore to hippos wallowing in the mud below.

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SPECIAL THANKS Trusts and Foundations Aaron and Patricia Blumberg Foundation Acton Family Giving Anderson-Formolo Family Foundation Annenberg Foundation Argus Fund Azura AG Benjamin River Fund Bernard and Nancy Karwick Foundation Bill Hannon Foundation Bruce and Carolyn Costin Martin Foundation Bulrush Foundation Cinco Craig and Cynthia Rosen Dahan Family Foundation Dave’s Fund for Environmental and Social Change Diane and Dorothy Brooks Foundation EBR Foundation Empty Cages Forever Charitable Trust Fredman Family Foundation Friese Foundation Grousbeck Family Foundation Hard Yaka Foundation Hayes Foundation Hyman Levine Family Foundation: L’Dor V’Dor India Blake Foundation Jeffrey Dennis and Jacqueline Miller Jeffrey and Mary Smith Family Foundation Judith Anne Kaplan Fund Kristine Moden Estate Lerer Family Charitable Foundation Lund Trust Marjorie and John Buyers Foundation Marta Heflin Foundation McDuck Fund Mey Share Foundation Merlin Foundation Metamorphosis Foundation MIH Trust Michael and Christine Tattersfield Foundation Mickles Elephant Foundation Mitchell Family Charitable Fund MRB Foundation Mudge Foundation Norah Hamblin Memorial Trust Patricia and Paul Bragg Foundation Pearson Family Foundation Raindance Charitable Trust R G Hills Charitable Trust Richard Lounsbery Foundation Rockwell Foundation ROS Foundation

Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust Shattock Family Foundation Steve Siadeck Family Fund Stone Family Fund Terra Mater The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust The Britten Foundation The Burton Foundation The Joseph and Fiora Stone Foundation The Loke Foundation The Red Butterfly Foundation The Scott (Eredine) Charitable Trust The Wagmore Foundation The Zermatt Trust William Wockner Foundation VBS Foundation Corporations Angama Anna Beck Designs Artists for Wildlife Conservation Barrett and Coe Boscovic Air Charters Chantecaille Citibank AML Team Drunk Elephant China Elephant Gin Elizabeth Scarlett Energy Access Ventures Euromonitor FERRON Federico Veronesi Photography FLOREANI Studio Legale Associato Gillie and Marc GoMacro HP Hood LLC/Planet Oat IT Pharma LLP L.A. Burdick Louise Mulgrew Designs LOVE BRAND and Co. Metage Capital Peach Branding petitTembo Prowin Render Loyalty Spitalfields Spot Dog Walking App Strulch Tea Lab Company The True Traveller Treecelet whiteGREY Williamson Tea

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NGOs Aktionsgemeinschaft Artenschutz (AGA) Children of Conservation Eden Reforestation Projects Eden Wildlife Trust Foreningen Forsvara Elefanterna Forsava Elefanterna Four Paws - Vier Pfoten Rettet die Elephanten Sauvez les elephants d’afrique Serengeti Foundation Terre et Faune Verein Der Elefantenfreunde Vrienden van de Olifant Local Kenya Partners Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) Big Life Foundation Galana Conservancy Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) Kenya Forest Service Kenya Wildlife Service Lamu Conservation Trust Mara Conservancy Mara Elephant Project Mount Kenya Trust Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary Wildlife Works Individuals and Groups Alexander Hunter-Robertson Estate Amy and Brian Kinion Angela Humphery Annabel Audrey Buchan Estate Annajane Sheppard Estate Annaliese Schulz Estate Anne Meyer Anne Moss Anne Pattee Arnold and Peter Stahl Barbara Jennings Beatrice Von Gontard Beth Onosko Birgit Reimnitz Bishnu Rauth Candace Klein-Loetterle Candis Stern Carol Ann Morse and Ellison Armfield Catherine Mathez Charles Lowrance Estate Christina Jonsson Darylan Stratten Dattilo Family Dawn Yamada Debbie and Lou Salkind Debora Goebel

Deborah Kerridge Estate Diana Fitzgerald Diane D’arcy Diane Davidson Diane and John Televantos Dimtri Antonatos Dina Liaquat Ali Khan Edward J Harris Edward Marram and Karen Carpenter Elisabeth and Claude Koeberle Elizabeth Steele Ellen Karlsen Raaholt Eric Margolis Erika Rosenthal Eugene Wu Felicia Kahn Flora Fiegenspan Estate Gagan Bhatnagar and Rima Shah George A Hambrecht and Andrea Fahnestock Gerald Meyer Gerald Weber Gillian and Martin Evans Gregory Allgrim Greta Smith Guy Hilton Harjinder Brar Heather and Garry Dossantos Heidi and Kevin Naughton Heidi Blackie Hollis Stern Hope Sherwood-White Howard Katz Hugh Robinson Ilka Demmer Jack and Carole Strauss Estate James and Zoe Lloyd Jean Moye Jerilyn and Cregg Baumbaugh Jerry and Iris Silver Jill Preston (Tombs) Joan Neville Martin Estate Jo Ann Hoffman Jodie Bailey John and Jutta Kay / Maue Kay Foundation John and Kathy Burke John and Teresa Mclean John and Carole Garand John and Sue Pearl Jon Steel Jonathan Connolly Judie Graham-Bell Julie and Tom Hull Julie Wolf Jyoti Dave

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SPECIAL THANKS Keri Gillespie Kevin and Heidi Naughton Kids’ Tusk Force UK Kristin Davis Lehr Family Charitable Fund Leslie Absher Leslie A Gerolde Estate Lila Luce Linda and Michael Lyon Linda Rodgers Lisa Mihan Loi and Adele Nguyen Lori Price Lydia and Andrew Mays Lynn Larson Lynn Pearcy M. James Lenhard Mallory Hathaway Margaret Burchell Mark and Jacqui Atkinson Martha Davis Martha Raynolds Mary Joanne Irwin Mei Kwee Chew Melinda Mueller Merrin McRoberts Michael and Jean Mary Doel Estate Michelle Goldthwaite Nancy Camp Nancy Hunter Nancy Kay Nicholas Noyes Nicholas Warren N S Ramjee Olivier and Sylvie Chantecaille Parris McBride-Martin Patrick and Priscilla MeLampy-Lawrence Paul Cichocki and Cindy Ostrowski Paula Begoun Peter and Shelly Zwick Peter and Sondra Ward Estate Priscilla Henley Ramona Reichert and Ivo Schemionek Rebecca Muddeman Rebecca Seltzer

Rickard and Nicke Hetzel Rita Ashton Rita Goldstein Robert Holder Robert Lumpkins and Christine Gleim Robert and Lisa Margolis Robert Musser and Barbara Francis Robert Stojnic Robin Anderson Robin Whistler Estate Roger and Ann McNamee Romo Family Rosanna Brown Russell Williams Sam Alfstad Scott and Linda Greene Shelly and Peter Zwick Shobana Natu Sophie Lotta Peter and Max Peter St. Clare Seifert Stephen and Lyle Smith Stephen Charles Stuart Tomlinson Susan and Roy Dorrance/The Parker Foundation Susan Mathis Susan Simandl Susan Taylor Sven Lindblad and Kristin Hetterman Sylvie Marquois Tamara Makarenko Teresa Mchale The Dharmaraj Family/Rajam Family Foundation Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins Tim and Nancy Corwin Toby and Regina Wyles Tom and Cathy Staver Tracy Payne Vera Kennerly Estate Veronica van Diepen Estate Vigdis Underland Vivian Nicoli Watson S. A. Haley Estate Yen Jen Chen

Photographs Copyright © The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust All rights reserved. Photography with special thanks to; Mia Collis, Robert Carr-Hartley, Neville Sheldrick, Taru Carr-Hartley, Roan Carr-Hartley, Hamish Rendall and Antony Kimani.

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Online donations can be made directly through the website

WWW.SHELDRICKWILDLIFETRUST.ORG

The David Shelddrick Wildlife Trust is a Charity registered in Kenya.

For donations to the Trust please make checks out to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

KENYA Sheldrick Wildlife Trust P.O.Box 15555 Mbagathi, 00503 Nairobi, Kenya Email: info@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org Telephone : +254 (0) 202 301 396 +254 (0) 111 044 200

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a charity registered in the U.K. Charity No 1103836.

Donations to the Trust by U.K. taxpayers can be gift aided.

UK Sheldrick Wildlife Trust 2nd Floor 3 Bridge Street Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8BL Telephone: +44 (0) 1372 378 321 Email: infouk@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt ‘Public Charity’ to which contributions, gifts and bequests are deductible for U.S. income, gift and estate taxes. Checks can be made out to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

USA Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA 25283 Cabot Road, Suite 101 Laguna Hills CA, 92653 Telephone: (949) 305-3785 Email: infous@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST P. O. Box 15555 Mbagathi, Nairobi, 00503 Kenya Tel: +254 (0) 111 044 200, +254 (0) 20 230 1396 Email: info@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org Website: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org