The Keepers suspected that a miracle was afoot. The day prior, Christmas Eve, Sonje appeared to be in discomfort. She kept lying down and rolling on the ground, much how Lima Lima acted when she went into labour earlier in the month. She then got up and moved to consult with Murera and Lima Lima, seeking guidance from the expert mothers as she prepared for her big day. As the nightclubbers (including Sonje) and the dependent orphans parted ways that evening, the team wondered if a little gift might be waiting for them on Christmas day.

They weren’t disappointed. The following morning, promptly at 7 o’clock, the nightclubbers slowly approached the stockades, hiding something wonderful between their big bodies. Amali rushed over to discover their secret, and proudly emerged with two little babies in front of her: Lima Lima’s son, Lenny, and a tiny new addition to the world! Sonje had clearly given birth in the night, with Lima Lima and Zongoloni supporting her as midwives.

As soon as Amali broke the news, the celebration spread to Murera and the rest of the herd. The forest was filled with joyous commotion, with elephants trumpeting and even urinating everywhere in excitement, as if they had forgotten all manners. The Keepers were overjoyed that Sonje had given them such a precious gift on Christmas Day.

We named Sonje’s daughter Sulwe, which means ‘morning star’ in the Luo language. It felt most fitting, for we could not have imagined a better or brighter way to top our Christmas morning. The name has special significance for Umani’s Head Keeper, Philip, who is of the Luo tribe. He has been by Sonje’s side since her Nursery days. Now, with the other Umani Keepers, he gets to be the honorary grandfather to her daughter.

Sonje is a first-time mother, but a wealth of experience prepared her for this new role. We rescued Sonje in February 2012, just as the second wave of ivory poaching was taking hold across Africa. She had been observed on her own for several days, limping terribly and growing weaker by the minute. Sonje, like many orphans who experienced enormous physical trauma and the vulnerability of loneliness, was so relieved to be treated with compassion that she immediately embraced her new human-elephant family.

Once Sonje arrived at the Nursery, however, we discovered the gravity of her situation: Her right knee was completely fractured, as the result of either a gunshot or a spear injury. While the wound had healed over, her leg was essentially a peg with very limited mobility.

That was plenty to contend with, but just ten days later, an even more dire case arrived on our doorstep. Murera had stepped on a poacher’s poisoned spike and then taken a serious fall, which left her with a debilitated hip. Equally serious, she was traumatised and deeply depressed. Sonje, who was no stranger to hardship, emphasized with her neighbour’s situation. She was a godsend for Murera, offering her moral support during the fraught time she spent healing in her stockade.

As we planned for Sonje and Murera’s futures, we knew that we had to forge a special path for them. Given their physical impairments, they would struggle to cover the great distances required to find food and water during Tsavo’s dry season. Our answer was Umani Springs, a new Reintegration Unit in the protected and perennially lush Kibwezi Forest.

That was ten years ago. Under Sonje and Murera’s leadership, Umani Springs has blossomed into a place where physically compromised orphans and their friends can reclaim their wild birthright. Here, elephants of all abilities can live as nature intended, but in a supportive environment.

Sonje and Murera have always been co-matriarchs, and as the years progressed, their roles have become even more defined. Because of her injured hip, Murera prefers to stay anchored to the dependent herd, returning to the stockades each evening. This hasn't changed since becoming a mother in 2023; she and her daughter, Mwana, retire to their shared bedroom every night. Meanwhile, Sonje joined the 'nightclubbers,' the semi-independent orphans who sleep in the forest. Both elephants lead their own groups, linking up most mornings to spend the day as one herd before parting ways come bedtime.

Our Umani herd is unique, in that even the wild-living orphans have chosen to remain very connected to their human-elephant family. As such, we had a unique view into Sonje’s courtship and pregnancy. She has always been an exceptionally beautiful elephant, setting hearts aflutter in the Kibwezi Forest. If there were impressive bulls around, you could be guaranteed that they would set their sights on Sonje.

Sonje had no shortage of suitors, but one elephant really captured her heart — a handsome bull we nicknamed Osama. He was besotted with Sonje and the feeling was mutual; she behaved differently around him and was obviously very enamoured. Osama would leave for many moons and then return expressly, it seemed, to reunite with Sonje. He trailed after her for days at a time in the hopes of whisking her off on a private date in the forest. It was during one of these rendezvous that we believe she conceived Sulwe.

We knew that Sonje’s due date was approaching, but we never could have imagined a Christmas Day debut. Already, the Umani herd was in a convivial mood, still basking in the glow of little Lenny’s birth earlier in the month. The arrival of a second December baby leaves us feeling truly blessed.

In fact, Umani is fast turning into a creche! Now, these two little mites have become everyone’s focal point. Even the rowdy boys are enchanted, although the protective nannies rarely permit them within trunk’s reach of their precious babies.

It has been particularly wonderful to see how Mwana, Umani's first grandchild, has embraced her new role. She initially saw Lenny's birth as a personal affront, usurping her position as the baby of Umani. However, she resolved her grievances following a meeting chaired by Murera and Sonje. Her mother and aunt must have explained that the Umani family was growing, and everyone needed to be kind and welcome the new babies, just as they did when Mwana was born.

Following this heart-to-heart, Mwana took on the role of junior nanny with gusto. She attends to Lenny and Sulwe as if they were her own babies, treating them with great care and consideration. In the ultimate display of maturity and generosity, she even lets them nurse from her own mother! One afternoon, Lenny suckled from one side of Murera and Sulwe from the other, while Mwana calmly watched on.

Sulwe is bright-eyed, engaged, and energetic — everything a newborn elephant should be. When she was just a day old, the herd escorted her to the waterhole for her very first wallow. Despite being so young, she proved to be a natural swimmer and seemed eager to show off her skills.

As the months, years, and decades unfold, we will get to know Sulwe even better. With Sonje as a mother, we know that we can expect great things from this little elephant. And as for us, we feel like proud grandparents, celebrating yet another bud on our growing Umani family tree.

Sulwe is the 70th known calf born to an orphan we rescued, raised, and reintegrated back into the wild. These wild-born babies are the best testament to the success of our Orphans’ Project, showing how one life saved can lead to generations of elephants.