Celebrating Long’uro’s 6-year Rescueversary
Help us prepare for his future in the wild
This April, we are raising US$ 60,000
Every gift will go directly towards the ecosystem of care that makes his return to the wild possible – and protects the future of elephants across Northern Kenya.
Your gift will support an entire ecosystem of care
For when Long’uro returns to the wild!
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Rangers on the ground
protecting the landscape he will return to -
Engaged community
across Northern Kenya that will live alongside him -
Mobile vet unit
to reach him wherever he roams -
Monitoring technology
tracking his every movement -
Migratory corridors and restored rangeland
giving him the space he needs to thrive
Long’uro is being rewilded
Not tomorrow. But when the time is right, Long’uro will return to the wild – where he has always belonged. It takes long-term preparation, and it’s the work of an entire community.
The truth is, Long’uro’s future is not yet written. No one knows exactly what lies ahead for him. What we can do is put every piece in place to make his return to the wild as safe as possible. Long’uro’s rescueversary is an invitation – to follow his journey and to be part of what we are building for him and for all the elephants across this landscape.
Join us, and help write the next chapter.
WHAT IT TAKES TO REWILD
Reteti’s ecosystem of care
Built by the Samburu community, powered by supporters around the world – Reteti's ecosystem of care gives every orphaned elephant the best possible chance of going home
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![Samburu Mobile Rangers at Sarara]()
Rangers on the ground
Every day, rangers cover thousands of acres across Northern Kenya on foot. On patrol, they are watching over the wildlife and communities that share this landscape. They’re the first line of protection for the land Long'uro will one day return to – and integral to his safety.
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![Samburu Women at Sarara]()
Engaged community
Long'uro will return to a land where people have lived alongside wildlife for generations. When communities benefit from conservation, they become its greatest defenders. Long'uro's wild future depends on that relationship continuing to grow.
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![Reteti's Mobile Vet Unit in Northern Kenya]()
Mobile Vet Unit
The wild is unpredictable, and in an emergency, speed is everything. Reteti's mobile vet unit means that wherever Long'uro roams, the team can reach him. Because preparing an elephant for the wild is only half the work – keeping him safe once he’s there is the rest.
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Monitoring technology
Using Earth Ranger technology, the Reteti team tracks rewilded elephants every day – monitoring location and wellbeing across thousands of acres. If something changes, the team knows. It’s what makes responsible rewilding possible.
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Migratory corridors & restored rangeland
Elephants need space to roam, forage and follow the ancient routes their species have walked for generations. We are restoring the land and protecting the migratory corridors that make that possible. Without them, there is nowhere for Long'uro to go.
Six years ago, Long'uro was rescued from a well in Northern Kenya.
When the team reached him, they discovered he had survived a brutal hyena attack – leaving him with only a third of his trunk. It raised a heartbreaking question: could an elephant with such a severe injury ever return to the wild?
Today, Long'uro is answering it himself.
Raised by Samburu keepers at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, he has grown into a spirited, strong teenager who has adapted to his shortened trunk in ways that continue to astonish everyone who knows him. Keeping up with the most able-bodied elephants in the herd, he is curious, cheeky, and completely himself.
Fireside chat with the Reteti Team
Q&A about Long’uro returning to the wild in Northern Kenya
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We don't have a fixed date and that is intentional. The decision will be made when Long'uro and the rest of his herd is ready. What we can say is that the preparation is underway now, and this campaign is part of making that possible.
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Long'uro has spent six years adapting to his shortened trunk in ways that continue to astonish his keepers. He browses, feeds, drinks, cools himself down and interacts with the herd with remarkable ingenuity. He has found his own way, and that is exactly why the team believes rewilding is possible.
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No. Rewilding is never done in isolation. He will be released alongside the rest of his herd. Long'uro's release will be carefully managed, with consideration given to herd dynamics and the elephants he will move alongside.
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This is exactly why the ecosystem of care matters. Our mobile vet unit can reach Long'uro wherever he is. Earth Ranger technology tracks his movements daily. If he needs intervention, the team will be ready.
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Yes and we want you to. Adopting Long'uro is the best way to stay close to his story. Adopters will receive regular updates on his progress and will be among the first to hear news as it unfolds.
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Because preparation takes time, resources and community – and we want supporters to be part of building that future alongside us. This is an invitation to invest in what makes rewilding possible.
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This is a question the team has taken seriously and continues to assess with care. Long'uro's ability to adapt has been extraordinary. The decision to pursue rewilding is based on his behaviour, his health, and the considered judgement of the people who know him best – not on a fixed idea of what an elephant should look like.
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As Long’uro’s tusks continue to grow, we expect they will naturally wear down over time through daily activities such as digging, foraging, and interacting with his environment. Our team will continue to monitor him closely to ensure his tusks do not interfere with his wellbeing or his ability to feed and drink.
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Long’uro’s knees are expected to adapt as he grows. Elephants are highly adaptable animals, and there are documented cases of trunk-injured elephants – even in the wild – developing alternative feeding techniques, including kneeling or using their legs and mouths in creative ways. While kneeling may become more physically demanding as he gains size and weight, his early adaptation means he is already building the strength and habits needed to support this behaviour. Reteti’s keepers continue to observe his growing independence, calm nature, and remarkable ability to problem-solve.
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Looking back...
Long’uro is one of Reteti’s most beloved residents. When he was rescued six years ago after being stuck in a well, the team discovered he had also survived a brutal hyena attack – leaving him with only a third of his trunk. It raised a heartbreaking question: could an elephant with such a severe injury ever return to the wild?
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Adopt Long'uro
Join him as he takes his next steps back towards the wild. Every adoptive parent will receive regular updates on his progress and be among the first to witness his journey as it unfolds.
Your support is about more than one elephant's future. Every gift helps build a world where elephants and people can thrive side by side, now and for generations to come. We remain deeply grateful for this global family that continues to show up for us, again and again.
Join us, and help write the next chapter.