Long’uro’s Extraordinary Story
Today, exactly four years ago, Long’uro was rescued after being stuck in a well and attacked by hyenas – leaving him with only a third of his trunk.
His story is one of hope, courage and resilience – a story that’s groundbreaking and unprecedented!
Against all the odds, Long’uro is thriving, and he’s adapted to life as a special-needs elephant in such clever ways. With every milestone reached, he’s shown the world there’s no limit to what he can do! Day after day, he is changing how we think about conservation and animal behaviour.
Long’uro’s story is still unfolding – through his journey to become a wild elephant bull. But if there’s one thing we have learned these past four years, it’s that Long’uro will show us the way.
We hope that you too will become part of his story, and support him as he keeps forging a brave new path.
To celebrate his remarkable life, join us in revisiting Long’uro’s incredible journey.
Photo by Ami Vitale
Long’uro’s Rescue
Every rescue is tough… but 18 April 2020 was unlike any rescue we’d ever seen.
Our team received news of a seriously injured calf who had been stuck overnight in a well near Loisaba Conservancy. He was found in a critical state, crying out for his mother – scared and in pain. Added to the terror of being abandoned and trapped for so long, the calf had lost two-thirds of its trunk during a hyena attack in the night. An elephant’s trunk is its most versatile tool, making this a harrowing and extremely painful loss.
Vets from Kenya Wildlife Service and Reteti rushed to the scene – and at the time, the poor little elephant was bleeding profusely and struggling to breathe. Its condition was dire, and the team had to consider euthanasia to free him from his agony and pain.
But ultimately, Long’uro’s story is one of courage, and the united voice of a community that’s being heard. And here at Reteti, we favour the brave! The little calf was fighting for his life, and so would we!
Guided by his spirit of resilience, it was decided that the team would do everything in its power to keep him alive. After being airlifted directly to Reteti by Tropic Air, Long’uro was placed in a stable that had been specially prepared for him.
He was named Long’uro which means something that has been cut in Samburu.
Long’uro’s first days at Reteti
In less than 24 hours, Keeper Mary Lengees had established a powerful bond with Long’uro. Mary is one of the first women keepers at Reteti, and with her endless patience and wealth of experience in caring for baby elephants, she enveloped him with a soothing presence. Because of Mary’s care and love, Long’uro never fell into depression, as baby elephants who had been deeply traumatised often do.
In the beginning, when his brain hadn’t adjusted to his trunk no longer being there yet, Long’uro kept bumping into things – or he’d reach up to scratch where his trunk had once been. It was heartbreaking to see, because even the smallest impact would cause him to shriek with pain.
As the months went by, Mary dedicated her entire existence to Long’uro – caring for him like a son. Mary’s nurturing, as well as the community’s commitment, have been integral to Long’uro’s story of survival and hope.
Long’uro’s Surgery
While all logic suggested it’s not possible for an elephant calf who’d been stuck in a well, separated from its herd, and brutally attacked by hyenas to survive – the community at Reteti in Northern Kenya disagreed.
Shortly after Long’uro arrived at Reteti, the veterinarian team from Kenya Wildlife Services prepared for Long’uro’s surgery. The veterinary surgeon carefully cleaned his wounds, removed loose and torn skin, and neatly closed the wounds and gashes on his short trunk. In the days following the operation, Mary kept the wounds clean and the veterinarian would visit regularly to check on his progress.
Thinking back now, we realise it was a miracle that Long’uro never got a bacterial infection, given all the wounds on his trunk, face, and ears.
His first year at Reteti
Shortly after Long’uro’s arrival, three other baby elephants joined the nursery: Lomunyak, Bule, and Sera. The four quickly became the best of friends. They provided each other with a much-needed sense of safety and support, which helped to heal both their physical and mental scars. This was especially true for Long’uro and Lomunyak – who nearly drowned after surviving a lion attack! Our little baby was starting to show his boisterous, joyful side – and it was such a delight watching him having fun.
Long’uro – as well as Lomunyak and Sera – were also the first orphans at Reteti to start drinking our unique and highly nutritious goat milk formula. The milk, which is sourced locally from Samburu women through our Milk to Market program, had a significant impact on their rehabilitation, and along with the rest of the herd, they still drink it to this day!
It was sad to see how Long’uro kept forgetting that he didn’t have a trunk anymore, and continued to bump his nose against things ALL the time! We all tried to figure out the best thing to do, but in the end, it was Long’uro himself who weathered this – and so many other storms – all by himself. His unrivalled resilience in his fight for survival pulled him through, and we knew he would figure all of this out!
Long’uro Today
It's been such a relief to see how well Long'uro's trunk has healed – as well as his resourcefulness in adapting to life as a special-needs elephant! We were thrilled that he got the hang of feeding himself out on bush walks with the rest of the herd. And recently, he learned to splash water on himself and eat seed pods off the ground!
Long’uro’s excellent sense of smell is augmented by the olfactory receptors which are located in the upper nasal cavity of elephants. And apart from doing everything his able-bodied friends are doing, he’s also not standing back for anyone in terms of size! His growth is totally on par with his peers and he’s in fact measuring the same as Sera and Lomunyak – who were also rescued in April 2020.
In the four years we’ve known Long’uro, he’s not only grown and developed with leaps and bounds – but also taught us so many things. We are in awe of his ever-growing independence – and how calmly he’s easing into life. From browsing and kneeling down to graze and splashing water on himself, to drinking all on his own, this little guy forged a brand-new path, and he did so with positivity and joy!
Best of all – he taught himself all of these things. With no precedent or textbooks on how to cope without a trunk, he kept figuring it out every day. As a result, he’s been guiding and showing all of us a new way too! In the words of Keeper Mary Lengees: “Long’uro will lead the way.”
Long’uro may have a long journey ahead – with more challenges than most – but our belief in him is as strong as his belief in himself. We know he’ll still teach us so much about elephants and their kind spirit, intricate herd structure, and ability to care for each other. His life represents so much – to the community, to the keepers, and to conservation worldwide!
His story is only beginning and we hope you too will join us in supporting him the rest of the way.
Photo by Simon Pocock
