Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

This little gecko found the perfect perch on Kamili. Fortunately, our resident contrarian was in a good mood today! Her 'take no prisoners' personality means she's more likely to discipline misbehaving orphans than coddle them – she's far too independent for all that: swt.bio/kamili

Twiggy was rescued after she tried to pass herself off as a zebra, tagging along with a passing herd. Twiggy has settled amongst the eclectic herd. Her gentle nature and towering presence make her the perfect guardian– she's always first to notify Keepers of potential threats: swt.bio/twiggy

Our Umani grandbabies aren't bottle-fed – they get all nutrition from nursing – but they still love joining the dependent herd's midday milk race!

Watch Lenny, Sulwe, and Mwana race across, trying to trip each other up.

The amusing twist? It's the race itself that thrills them, not the prize!

Ten years ago, a one-tusked wild elephant appeared in Ithumba. She was so disruptive the Keepers nicknamed her 'Crazy One'. Over the years, she has become a friendly fixture. On 1st October, she strolled up with a two-day-old baby in tow – debuting her newborn just as our ex-orphans do!

Rokka slurps her milk bottle the same way she approaches life: with gusto and vim. She convinced herself that stockade neighbour Twiggy the giraffe had a better stash of greens, and made attempts to sneak into Twiggy's bedroom. Her determination won out and poor Twiggy had to stand by and watch!

Rescued as a tiny 5-month-old calf from the Chyulu Hills in 2016, Esampu now lives completely wild, but continues to maintain the bonds with her human family that sustained her through her most vulnerable years. She chooses when to come and when to leave - exactly as it should be.

#WildSuccess

Our SWT/KWS Mara Vet Unit responded to this callout, carefully immobilising the world's tallest patient before cleaning and treating his wounds. KWS Vet Njoroge reports that the giraffe's good overall health and timely treatment mean his prognosis is fair to good – he's now on the road to recovery.

Pardamat never misses an opportunity to cause harmless chaos. From teaching tree-pulling techniques to younger orphans, to engaging in serious pushing games that sometimes require intervention from Kerrio, Pardamat ensures there's never a dull moment.

Support Pardamat: swt.bio/pardamat

Behind every elephant rescue, every dawn patrol, and every orphan’s journey, there are stories — stories of hope, heartbreak, and healing in the wild.

Buy Field Notes for yourself, or as a Gift for someone special in your life: buyfieldnotes.com

#FieldNotes

#WorldAnimalDay is a reminder that we open our doors to all wild animals in need.

Meet the full spectrum of orphans in our care; buffalo calves, zebra foals, and countless other species who receive the same expert guidance and second chances as the elephant orphans you are more familiar with.

This World Animal Day, step into the world of Umani Springs – where orphaned elephants find family amongst the forest. Rescued orphans have become mothers, now raising the next generation in protected wilderness.

#WorldAnimalDay

From trunk to tail, every inch of Amali is coated in Nature's own sunscreen and insect repellent: mineral-rich mud. Umani's unique volcanic springs produce this distinctively dark grey mud. The orphans take advantage of the protection it offers in this heat, wallowing to their hearts content.

Busara can’t make up her mind!

She survived a devastating drought that brought so many orphans into our care, and now her biggest challenge is navigating stockade steps. Wisely she chose the direct route – an apt decision as her name means ‘wise’ in Swahili

In a masterclass that will serve them well in the wild, the youngest orphans at our Kaluku Nursery experiment with trunk techniques and tooth positioning to peel away nutritious layers of bark. Tree bark provides nutrients and minerals, important during dry seasons when other vegetation is scarce.

Little Moe is nearly one! Safe in the shadow of his mum, Mulika, this confident calf benefits from being born into a secure, loving family. A quarter of a century ago, Mulika arrived as a traumatised orphan – today she leads her own herd in the wild! Support families like Mulika's: swt.bio/mulika

Four-year-old Kitich is an orphan of human conflict from Samburu, rescued in 2022. Once shy, he has flourished in size, confidence and energy – testing his strength against older orphans and developing the assertiveness he'll need as a future bull.

Hopeless rascal Pardamat has found the perfect prop for his latest scheme. Whether he's planning to poke unsuspecting friends, use it as a back-scratcher, or simply wave it around to get everyone's attention, Pardamat's stick-wielding antics keep the Nursery herd amused.

#NurseryLife

Our 29 SWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Teams are the backbone of field operations across Kenya, and their work extends far beyond anti-poaching alone. Day-to-day, they could be supporting veterinary treatments, rescuing orphaned elephants, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and responding to emergencies.

Remember when Mr Bean was our tiniest orphan? Now look at him – growing up fast and usually bursting with energy.

But even the most spirited orphans need a mid–week breather. Watch our former littlest resident completely surrender to the mud.

#HumpdayHappiness

Competing motherly instincts recently caused chaos at the Nursery mud bath...

When jealous Wamata charged at Kipekee, Nyambeni leapt up to protect her – causing devoted Latika to defend her precious Wamata! Fortunately, head matriarch Kerrio restored calm.

#ElephantAntics

Esoit is king of his (very tiny!) soil castle. No matter how tall or how small the earth mound, he likes to climb atop and lord over the dusting session. Esoit is normally a very humble elephant, so we always laugh to see this habit!

Your generosity helps us give second chances: swt.bio/esoit

Our 29 SWT/KWS Teams covered 39,009 km on patrol, collecting 1,111 snares and making 48 arrests, whilst dismantling 16 charcoal kilns and 47 illegal camps in August. We also assisted with an orphaned elephant rescue, freed two trapped adult elephants, and responded to veterinary cases.

Life at the top of the food chain isn't easy, and its likely a predation attempt left this lioness with one of her canine teeth partially dislodged. Our SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit drove into the field to treat her in-situ, and extracted the tooth.

In Tsavo alone, we operate 26 Anti-Poaching Teams in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service. Through foot patrols, aerial missions, and targeted operations, our rangers — and their four-legged teammates, like Abby and Bela here — protect Kenya’s wild spaces and the animals who call them home.

These young friends have both incredible odds – Neshashi, rescued at three years old after her mother was shot, and Kitich, found abandoned in drought-stricken mountains. Now they are building strength and confidence together through play, and will one day roam the wild side by side too!

#PlayTime

A drought survivor, Kilulu has made his mark at Voi since his rescue back in 2022. At that time, he was an emaciated orphan who needed an IV drip to revive him. Today, his theatrical behaviour and larger-than-life personality keeps everyone on their toes: swt.bio/kilulu

Ending the day with a friend by your side — exactly the way life should be.

Little Kipekee, our newest rescue, is surrounded and supported sunup to sundown. Today, Nyambeni is her lucky chaperone!

🐘 Support Kipekee’s journey though an adoption: swt.bio/kipekee

Join us in cheering on SWT fundraiser Alex O'Riordan who is kayaking solo across the full 700km length of Lake Tanganyika to raise vital funds for our projects! We’ve just received his latest update from the water: He’s finished day 25, and is achingly close to the finish line: t.co/YLuGMMHTjn

Our aerial teams are always on call – not just for wildlife emergencies, but for wildfires too.

It’s also fire season in Tsavo. Wildfires can devastate entire ecosystems, destroying habitats for both animals and people. That’s why, whenever we can, we help stop the flames in their tracks.

September showboating in Voi! Our orphan herd adores the camera and many members strike a pose when they see it focused their way.

Who’s your favourite showboat?

1 Akina striking an elegant pose
2 Chapeyu snooping
3 Kaluku reaching for the sky