Murera’s story is a genuinely heartwarming one that touches the soul. She is one of the many orphaned elephants under our care, and her journey is extraordinary.
It all began in 2012, a challenging time for Kenya, plagued by rampant poaching. During this period, we first encountered Murera in a dreadful state.
She had fallen victim to a trap that severely damaged her hind leg. These injuries left her unable to keep pace with her herd, and her other hip was dislocated, rendering her immobile.
The pain etched on her face was a constant reminder of her harrowing ordeal, a sight that truly pulled at our heartstrings.
However, recently, there has been a ray of hope and joy in our Umani Springs community. A new addition, a tiny bundle of happiness, has brought us immeasurable delight.
Initially, all the veterinarians advised that Murera be euthanized, given her dire condition. Yet, Daphne, unwavering in her determination, embarked on a mission to save her.
The Keepers were astounded by Murera’s unyielding will to survive despite her critical condition.
They poured their hearts into nursing her back to health. Peter, a Nursery Keeper with years of experience, remembered the early challenges, saying, “At the beginning, we all had a tough time…
There was a point when Murera lost hope and stopped eating, but we never gave up urging her to eat and showing her love and care.”
While Murera faced difficulties walking after her rescue, her dedicated caretakers worked tirelessly to aid her recovery.
Eventually, she began to enjoy walks in the forest with increasing ease, although it was evident that her injuries would impose some lasting physical limitations.
Murera, the head of the Umani Springs herd, held a special place and was highly respected. Planning for her future, given her impairments, demanded careful consideration. Finding food and water during Tsavo’s dry seasons, especially for long distances, would be challenging.
Sonje, another elephant with lifelong injuries, faced similar hurdles. We established the Umani Springs Reintegration Unit nine years ago to address their needs.
Nestled in the lush Kibwezi Forest, this sanctuary has thrived under the guidance of Murera, and Sonje is now home to 18 orphaned elephants flourishing in this oasis.
Despite the loss of Luggard, Murera’s sorrow didn’t define her. She displayed extraordinary resilience and strength, overcoming every challenge in her path.
Recently, caretakers observed significant changes in Murera’s physical and behavioral characteristics after enduring a series of hardships, including giving birth to a baby elephant.
Following Luggard’s demise, whom she regarded as her offspring, Murera embarked on a four-day “wild safari.”
Upon her return, she had completed her grieving period and continued demonstrating resilience, staying close to the herd and returning to the fences at night.
Over time, a noticeable increase in the size of Murera’s belly confirmed suspicions. The Keepers, intimately familiar with their beloved elephants’ behavior, detected changes in her demeanor.
After more than a year of monitoring, they deduced that our matriarch was pregnant. In hindsight, it’s possible that Murera’s grief over Luggard’s passing drove her to seek solace in the wild, hoping to have her offspring.
Despite her usual caution around wild elephants, she took a bold step and risked mating with them to conceive.
On a beautiful afternoon, March 12th, the human-elephant family welcomed Mwana, Murera’s calf, into the world. Interestingly, Mwana was born on the same date, almost two years after the rest of the herd.
The delivery, though nerve-wracking, went smoothly, and we were delighted to witness the arrival of a beautiful baby girl within ten minutes.
We named her Mwana in honor of her Swahili roots, which means ‘child.’ As the other elephants enjoyed a dust bath, Murera made a warning trumpet before disappearing into the bushes to give birth to her precious offspring.
It was a moment of pure joy and wonder when Umani’s first wild-born baby arrived. Three protective male elephants rushed in to create a barrier around the mother and child. The rest of the herd gathered around to celebrate and shower the little one with love.
This protective circle remained for forty-eight hours until the males were confident that the mother and baby were safe.
Interestingly, one of these bulls may be the father of Murera’s baby, as he displayed a compassionate and watchful nature throughout the ordeal. Murera certainly seems to have chosen her partner wisely!
During the day, Murera and Mwana are free to explore their surroundings. However, caregivers noticed that Mwana sustained some injuries during the night.
To ensure their safety, they moved them to Murera’s bedroom, where they could rest securely. Murera kindly accepted the arrangement and showed her little one the way to their new resting place.
Without hesitation, Murera introduced Mwana to the loving men who had contributed significantly to her upbringing. Murera and Mwana chose to stay close to their Umani herd throughout the day.
As a devoted mother, Murera invited the entire human-elephant family to spend time with Mwana, acknowledging the significance of Umani’s first wild-born baby for everyone involved.
The sight of the orphaned elephants joyfully vying for the chance to be near their newest family member was heartwarming.
Our family defies convention, as it doesn’t adhere to the typical structure of parents and children.
Instead, our unique family includes Sonje, an exceptional nanny, and her team of animal assistants – Lima Lima, Quanza, Zongoloni, Enkesha, and Kiasa.
They all adore the newest addition, Mwana, who receives plenty of attention from her male animal companions.
However, Kapei, who used to be the center of attention, isn’t thrilled about sharing the spotlight with Mwana.
The story of Murera took an exciting turn as she displayed unusual behavior towards her calf.
Although she loved her, she refused to allow Mwana to nurse her. This created a challenging situation as Murera would walk away whenever the calf tried to suckle.
Despite the circumstances, Murera cooperated remarkably by allowing the Keepers to extract her milk manually.
This was crucial to provide colostrum and essential nutrients for Mwana’s development.
To ensure this, we began hand-milking Murera while our Keepers fed her baby with a bottle. Murera’s trust in us throughout this process was genuinely touching.
As they observed, Murera noticed how the Keepers cared for Mwana with exceptional attention.
Their dedication towards both Murera and her baby was admirable. Despite the enormity of their responsibilities, these Keepers remained committed till the end.
After 11 days of practice, Murera finally mastered the art of nursing. It was a defining moment when she discovered that positioning her leg forward made nursing easier for the eager Mwana.
