The 2022 drought hit the southern sector of Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park particularly hard. Swathes of bushland turned into a desert plain as food and water sources evaporated. Elephants — creatures that require large quantities of vegetation to sustain themselves — struggled to survive. Calves, particularly those who were on the older side but still milk-dependent, were among the greatest victims.

Juni’s story with us began on the shores of Lake Jipe. On 1st May 2022, a team from Save the Elephants heard rustling in the reeds bordering the lake. Upon closer inspection, they discovered a young elephant calf. She was in visibly poor condition and had clearly been on her own for some time.

Our fixed-wing pilot happened to be on patrol in the area, so he flew over to investigate. There were no other elephants in the area, save the small, lonely calf hiding along the lake. It was evident that she was a victim of the dire times in Tsavo. To make matters worse, he could see that she had an advanced urinary tract infection, which exacerbated her loss of condition.

The Voi Keepers, who were the closest to the scene, rushed to rescue the elephant. They brought her to the nearby Voi stockades, where she received urgent care. Because she was on the older side and in very precarious condition, the decision was made to keep her at Voi and bypass the Nursery stage altogether.

We named the calf Juni, in honour of her origins. It is a shortened version of Mkwajuni, the closest village to where she was found.

As is common with drought victims, Juni got worse before she got better. She was riddled with worms and had a grave urinary tract infection. For over a month, she recuperated in the Voi stockades. Mbegu, Godoma, Sagala, Tagwa, Tamiyoi, Lemeki, and Thamana made a point to visit her each morning as they headed out for the day, almost as if they were wishing her another good day of healing.

At last, after six weeks of recovery, Juni was ready to join the Voi herd. Tagwa, Tamiyoi, and Sagala escorted her from activity to activity, but really, she didn’t need the guidance: Juni handled the day like an old pro, as if she had done the whole routine hundreds of times before.

Little did we know that Juni would be but the first of 16 ‘Voi Kids’ to join our Voi herd during the drought. Juni proved to be instrumental in helping these newcomers feel at home, acting as a reliable deputy to matriarch Mbegu. She has a very special friendship with Tagwa, who has become a big sister figure. Initially, Pika Pika and Thamana were very jealous of Juni — they begrudged her for dethroning them as the babies of the herd — but this resentment soon melted away. Juni has such a friendly, easygoing nature that it is hard to hold a grudge against her for too long!

Given that Juni is growing up in the Tsavo ecosystem, the place where she was rescued, it is entirely possible that she will reunite with her natal herd one day. Whatever the future holds, she will always have a family and a place with us.