In 2021–2022, Tsavo and much of Kenya fell into the grips of a long and gruelling drought. As large animals that require significant amounts of food and water to sustain themselves, elephants struggled the most. As the drought claimed its fair share of starvation victims, human-wildlife conflict was also on the rise. Desperate for food, elephants increasingly snuck out of protected areas and onto community land. Times were difficult for everyone, and marauding elephants faced a hostile response from neighbouring humans who were barely scraping by.

Such was the case with Itinyi. His mother was an iconic female known and loved by many. As the drought bit, she had taken up residence on community land. In an incredibly sad and terrible incident, she was shot and killed on 2nd November 2022. Her death remains a hard one to reconcile.

They were deep in community land, so it was important that her youngest calf was whisked away from the scene and brought to Voi to heal. Itinyi came to us deeply affected by the horrors he had witnessed. For many months, he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, sheltering in a corner of his stockade and refusing to interact with anyone. Understandably, he had deep-rooted trust issues and was reluctant to believe in humans again. We didn’t rush things, giving Itinyi time and space to heal.

For several months, Itinyi convalesced inside his stockade. Progress was slow and incremental, but we celebrated the smallest successes. As time went on, he started to venture outside his little corner. Where he had once shied away from the orphans’ extended trunks, he started to become receptive to their kindness. While he remained wary of the Keepers, their presence no longer terrified him.

At last, the special day arrived when Itinyi was ready to properly join the orphan herd. He was accompanied by fellow newbie Epiya, who was rescued just a few days before him. After spending the morning on Msinga Hill, the orphans returned to escort the youngsters out for their inaugural bush walk. Mbegu, Sagala, and Tamiyoi went inside the stockade to reassure the pair, who were standing nervously in one corner, and to gently escort them out. Very slowly, Itinyi and Epiya walked out, so close together that they were almost leaning against each other.

The older girls took Itinyi and Epiya over to the feeding area, where they embraced them into the rest of the herd. Lots of rumbling and trunk touching ensued. To everyone’s surprise, Itinyi relaxed so much that he began to play-mount Dabida, Kenderi, and Ashanti — a cheeky move and a wonderful sign that he was healing at last.

Itinyi has always been a boy’s boy. He enjoys hanging out with older bulls Ndotto, Lasayen, Ngilai, and Murit and has become firm friends with fellow ‘Voi Kids’ Kenderi, Hildana, and Kilulu. It’s been a revelation to see how playful he is — we can usually find Itinyi embroiled in an energetic sparring match. He has come to trust his Keepers, although he remains understandably reserved.

But where Itinyi really shines is the mud bath. He is a swimmer of note, rivalling even our original water baby, Pika Pika. We often see him climbing atop his friends in the water, pestering everyone just so he can have the pool all to himself. Goal achieved, he then spends several minutes enjoying a solo party, swinging his trunk and splashing in delight.

These are the sights that galvanise us. Itinyi came to us utterly broken-hearted. While he may always carry the emotional scars of his terrible ordeal, we have helped him heal and find happiness once again. Itinyi lost his mother under the most tragic circumstances, but he is growing up knowing the love of a family and has really flourished despite his fraught beginnings.