This tiny calf was found at 1pm walking alone on the roadside within the Kangere area in the Meru district. The calf was looking very confused and extremely hungry when community members discovered him. By the time the KWS rangers received the report of the calfs plight the community had sadly already well-meaningly fed the ravenous calf cows milk, which is extremely dangerous for any baby elephant.

The fate of this babys mother was never confirmed, but judging by his condition he had obviously been without her for quite some time. It is assumed that he had inadvertently strayed onto the road through the electrical fence where his mother was unable to reach him, or perhaps that he was orphaned and in his confused state got under the electrical fence in search of company, but either way by the time he was rescued he had clearly been alone for a long time.

The KWS rangers took the calf to the lower Imenti KWS headquarters where he spent the night due to the late hour of his rescue. Overnight he was not fed any milk, only water. We believe Bocha was just one week old, and he was given the name Bosha, which in the Orma language means Gods creation, but is also the name of the area near to where he was discovered.

Bocha was reported to the DSWT late in the evening of the 28th of March. With no time left to deploy a rescue team from the Nairobi Nursery that evening, the rescue took place early the following morning and the little calf was flown out of the Lewa airstrip, the closest airstrip to where he was rescued and brought to Nairobi.

Of course everyones hearts sank the moment we were told that the calf had been given cows milk, for these tiny infant elephants are a great enough challenge without having to begin the process with little reserves and with a compromised gut. So sadly, despite everyones best efforts, over the next few days we just could not get control of Boshas tummy and gastrointestinal problems and he just grew weaker and weaker before our eyes, before he slipped away peacefully in his sleep on the 4th of April. Rest in peace sweet Bosha.