Alamaya visited us today, which took us on a trip down memory lane – he came to us with such serious injuries, but look at him now!
RESCUE: In March 2015, an orphaned baby elephant was reported in the Mara.
Hyenas attacked the calf, injuring its hindquarters and biting off its tail. We named him Alamaya, meaning ‘brave’ in the local Maa language – a name he would prove to embody completely.
RECOVERY: Three months after his rescue, we discovered an extraordinary event. All early reports suggested Alamaya was female, but during a follow-up surgery we realized he was actually male – his injuries were so severe that there was nothing to indicate his gender. Although this meant he would not be able to father children, it did not diminish his quality of life.
TODAY: In 2016, Alamaya graduated to our Umani Springs Reintegration Unit, which is tailored for traumatised elephants. After many years among this supportive herd, he has regained his place in the wild. He is a popular bull, always keeping company.
Alamaya still visits his orphaned family regularly. He is an unusually large bull who pulls higher than his peers – but as his keepers always comment, he is also remarkably gentle.
Your support makes success stories like Alamaya possible. Adopt today and be part of an orphaned elephant’s journey: