It is with heavy heart that we have to report that Sorka died quite unexpectedly in the early morning of the 25th of October.  She was always a weak calf who has been singled out by all the Voi orphans for preferential treatment, as if instinctively they sensed she needed it more than Bada, another orphaned calf who came into our care shortly before Sorka’s rescue.  The reason for Sorka being abandoned and alone was never established either, it was always assumed to be poaching.    She and Bada came into our care in August both orphaned in Tsavo, and both remained in Voi to be raised down there as they were over two years old.  Both came in extremely thin having been without their mothers for a long time.

However despite the milk, the extra greens, the lucerne and supplementary feeding and medication Sorka never thrived, and the texture of her skin and general weakness seemed not to improve despite the intensive care which would suggest that she possibly had a chronic problem.  She came to us emaciated and weak and recovery takes a long time so we were confident that in time her strength would improve, but we certainly were not prepared for her untimely death today that came quite suddenly.  Yesterday she appeared excessively weak and was placed on IV support to help increase her energy levels, and she did appear to rally after that, but early this morning her young heart simply stopped beating catching us all off guard.  Dr. Jeremiah Poghon was called to perform an autopsy to try to get some clarity of what her problem could have been and what he discovered was hemorrhagic enteritis, this despite medication which she received.