Reteti’s release herd is showing us the way – a walk to remember!
Each release is different and everything from the most suitable site to ensuring continuous monitoring form part of the plans as the project is developed and rolled out – and it’s incredible to see it all coming together when the elephants are ready to remain in the wilderness for good!
Aerial view of Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, nestled at the foot of the Mathews Range.
Our upcoming release will happen closer to us than previous ones, which involved transporting the elephants eastwards to Sera Conservancy. This time, the site is right here in Namunyak, and located in the most beautiful area too! Its waterhole has a breathtaking rock face as a backdrop – the perfect spot for keepers to quietly observe the released elephants as they intermingle with wild elephants in the bush.
It’s already been so encouraging to see these elephants engaging more and more with wild elephants, as the most important factor in successful rewilding is abundant and meaningful interactions with elephants in the wilderness! That’s how they learn where to find the best water and food sources, find ways to stay safe from dangers and predators, and foster a deep sense of belonging.
With the release site being relatively close to Reteti, it falls in the same area as the browsing route of the release herd, and they often visit it when they are out and about in the bush. It’s therefore familiar ground to these orphans, which accounts for them staying out later and later every day with such ease!
By the time they’re fully released, the elephants will be completely weaned from their milk bottles and their diet will consist solely of what they can forage in the wilderness – thanks to the skills learned on bush walks over the years!
The keepers will keep a close eye on each elephant to make sure they maintain their weight and stay healthy – which is another reason to monitor their wellbeing around the clock. Reteti’s keepers will stay in specially constructed accommodation out in the bush, and received extensive training to monitor these elephants as they continue their journey of reintegration in the wilderness every day.
Lorian and her iconic folded ears, photographed in December 2023
Meibae photographed on a bush walk in December 2023
(Elephant) time will tell!
In a human world, we would envision walking the release herd across to the new site at a set time, and on a set day – but for good reason, this is most likely not how things will unfold! With the elephants already mingling so much with wild elephants, and them being so familiar with the release site, chances are good that one of these days, they’ll simply decide to stay put and not return after their wilderness walk.
Their intuitive timing will show us the way.
The release herd on a bush walk.
With everything prepared – from training the keepers, to setting up the site’s infrastructure, to collaring the elephants so that they can be tracked – it will all fall into place if they decide to stay at the site. And if they’re still part of Reteti’s big herd by the planned time of their release, we’ll just gently walk them across to the site, and simply not walk them back to Reteti’s boma that night.
It is such a privilege to be at their sides at this incredibly special time – and watch silently as they go through their process in their own time! We look forward to keeping you posted as they continue to pave their way into the future, so look out for more updates here in the coming days and weeks!
