Our 30 Anti-Poaching Teams, operating in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service, patrolled 34,633 kilometres in June, lifted 1,130 snares, seized 156kg of bushmeat, and supported 38 arrests. They also responded to incidents of human-wildlife conflict and aided veterinary operations across Kenya.

A tiny calf spotted alone in the Tsavo bush. Two pilots watching from the air for nearly two hours, hoping his family would return. They never did. Today, Arthi turns two. An easygoing, independent bull, he prefers play-wrestling with Taroha and Olomunyak over rougher characters like Pardamat.

Female elephants usually love the opportunity to nanny younger siblings and members of their herd. Naleku takes this to the next level: In late 2025, she left the dependent herd early, refusing to enter her bedroom to instead spend nights out in the wild caring for ex-orphans' calves.

The youngest members of the herd are quick to take advantage of the bounty of tasty green leaves served up when mini matriarch Muridjo reaches up for the best branches! Having taken her fill, Muridjo stepped back to let Kipekee, Daba, Zuri, Arthi, and the other babies enjoy – and enjoy they did!

Enter Kaikai's partner in crime, Bungalu! She's still learning how to share, but is adjusting admirably and adores her brother. Before he was rescued, Bungalu spent several lonely weeks trying to fend for himself, surviving a lion attack and storms. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/bung...

Only two months at the Nursery and Zuri is squaring up to one of its biggest characters! Olomunyak never turns down a game – in June he took on Taroha and Pardamat in a sparring match. With Zuri, he's more like a gentle uncle, letting her take the lead. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/zuri

Ten years ago a one-tusked wild elephant turned up at Ithumba – so disruptive the Keepers nicknamed her 'Crazy One'. Over the years our orphans taught her that the Keepers could be trusted, and today she moves freely between the wild and Ithumba. Last year, she brought a newborn of her own.

Umani's two youngest calves have adopted Amali as their personal climbing frame – clambering, crawling, and tumbling over her whenever she lies down. Mothered by ex-orphans Zongoloni and Sonje, Zigi and Sulwe are two of more than 90 calves born to elephants we have rescued, raised, rewilded.

Can you guess Wangalla's weight? 🐘 Throughout their first year, we carefully monitor the weight of every rescued orphan elephant. As Korbessa keeps a watchful trunk on her young charge, how much do you think Wangalla weighed at today's weigh-in? www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/wang...

Tytan came to us in September, a seven-month-old rhino who had lost his mother when she fell from a cliff on Borana Ranch. Ten months on – almost always with his bestie Notty – he can be found sauntering past Max's stockade, sharpening his horn on tree stumps, and charging bushes head-down.

Help us choose your favourite photo of Alia from the past few months. 1. A smile for the camera. 2. Covered head to toe in mud. 3. Out for a walk. Alia came to us last October, found all alone in the Tsavo ecosystem. She has always been one of the quieter orphans – but she is finding her feet.

Baby elephants are very fragile, inside and out — even their delicate skin is susceptible to sunburn. In the wild, calves stand beneath their mums for shade. We improvise at the Nursery, slathering their ears with sunscreen on particularly bright days. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans

Meet Bungalu! This little elephant survived a true odyssey to be here today – braving weeks on his own, storms of epic proportions, and even a terrifying lion attack. We’ll be sharing more of Bungalu’s story later, but for those who can't wait: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/bung... 🐘♥️

Which is your favourite moment from the Nursery this month ? 1. Daba and Arthi, trunks wrapped around one another, with Mzinga watching on. 2. Zuri, having a go at Arthi's ear. The Nursery's newest arrival is nannied in shifts by five older girls. 3. Tytan, measuring his horn against a stick.

Korbessa is rarely seen without her mini-me, Wangalla. She has well and truly adopted her as a little sister – but the love only goes so far! One area where Korbessa refuses to budge is hose possession. She covets her personal water fountain even more. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/wang...

Elephants love babies. Nsimba is no exception. When ex-orphan Naipoki and her calf stopped by the Voi stockades, deep rumbles rang out and outstretched trunks tried to touch her tiny baby. Overwhelmed, Nsimba dived for cover to his safe place. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news/updates...

A giraffe was spotted with a winch wire snare around her neck at Kari Ranch in Tsavo. The snare had cut deep, and the wound was septic by the time our SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit arrived. She was darted from the helicopter, the wire removed, and the wound treated. Prognosis is good.

When he and his mother, ex-orphan Suguta, visit our Ithumba Reintegration Unit, Sullivan is the one you notice: running here and there, rolling about in the mud, charging up to the dependent orphans at full tilt. Meet our wild-born family: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/calves

Do the orphans know which is their bedroom? Yes, and not just their own either. Watch Mzinga, who has taken it upon herself to see new rescue Zuri settled – walking the younger calf back to her stable, then lingering until she's lain down for the night. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/nursery-herd

This is the moment we first laid eyes on Zuri. It's a miracle she was discovered, and in the nick of time, as the little submerged calf would not have survived the night. Once on dry land, she was cleaned off and taken to Voi to rest. Next morning, we flew her to Nairobi.

On her birthday, Lamuu gets showered in love and dust in equal measure. She arrived just four days into the New Year, barely surviving a snare wound that left a deep gash encircling her left front leg. Under Keeper Lekoli's care, the scar is now healed. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/lamuu

Baby elephant vs. warthog. It's hard to be terribly imposing swaddled in a blanket, but Sattao's best bluster (replete with a squeaky trumpet!) sent the stubborn pig running. This was taken in 2017, just months after his rescue. Now nine and living wild, he has risen through the ranks.

A bullet wound brought Serenget to us – found alone in Tsavo West a year ago, hobbling on her left leg. Nearly seven months of stockade rest and treatment by the SWT/KWS Tsavo Mobile Vet Unit followed. Today she turns three. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/sere...

Notty came to our Nairobi Nursery after her mother fell from a cliff, orphaning her at the start of her life. After tragic beginnings, she has found a home and a place where she can be her exuberant self and frolic to her heart’s content! www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/donate

A leopard in a bedroom isn't the typical start to one of our veterinary operations. A guest at a camp by Lake Elmenteita opened their door one night – and a female leopard slipped inside. Working with KWS, our Vet Team climbed through a side window, and the third dart landed. She was moved safely.

For most orphans, it can take a while to play – and when they do, we know they've turned a corner. Lemeki surprised us all, eight years ago, charging around from the minute she exited the rescue helicopter! Even the guineafowl couldn't escape her. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/lemeki

The moment an elephant's tusks come through is worth showing off about. Muridjo's came through in 2023 and she's since risen through the ranks to become our Nursery mini-matriarch. Curious how she ended up in our care? www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/muri...

Kaikai turned one last month and while browse makes up some of her diet, it will be many years before she is fully weaned off of her 24 litres of milk per day. A gift from our milk wishlist can help covers a full day's milk for orphans like her: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/shop/wishlist

The face of a tired bull. After a long night roaming Tsavo East, ex-orphan Ndotto arrived at Voi looking sleepy. The herd headed out to browse and Ndotto stayed back, resting his head on a rock and closing his eyes. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/orphans/ndotto

Toto is Ithumba's new team leader. Most evenings now, it's Toto out in front, walking the herd back to the stockades. In April, he graduated from Kaluku to Ithumba alongside Mwinzi and Natibu, taking the next step back to the wild. Read their story: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/news/updates...