Ndara's Story

On Tuesday 25th September 2001 at 9.25 AM a message was relayed through KWS to DSWT that an elephant calf had fallen into an open water pipeline manhole near Maungu town, about 30 km South East of Tsavo East Park headquarters. A team of DSWT Keepers led by Dr. Samuel Kasiki immediately left to facilitate the rescue of this stricken calf. Arriving at the scene they found a group of curious villagers gathered around the hole all trying to comfort the helpless baby and by now terrified baby. It was learned from the residents that the calf fell into the hole the previous night when a herd of elephants had visited the area for a drink. Attempts by the mother, and perhaps other relatives, to were futile and the group left at the break of day. No elephants were seen any where close to the scene by early morning.When the team first arrived only the calf’s head was visible above the water and she was struggling to remain above the water. In trying to escape she had bruised her forehead, back and rump in the process. One of our Keepers squeezed into the hole and passed a soft belt rope under her chest and hind quarters, and with the help of the villagers, the calf was extracted from the breathe hole.