How we are monitoring our release herd’s wellbeing – 24/7!
The release herd has adapted wonderfully to life in the wild – but just because they aren’t at Reteti anymore doesn’t mean we’re not keeping a close eye on their wellbeing. In fact, they’re never out of our sight!
Colman Lesowapir (left) and other Reteti Keepers monitor the release herd's movements through their GPS collars. Photo by Ami Vitale.
While keeping a respectful distance and celebrating their freedom to get on with life in the wilderness, we’ve developed a multipronged strategy to monitor their welfare and health, and make sure that they’re always safe and sound.
This historic release was the result of meticulous preparation – built on years of trust between Reteti and The Sarara Foundation, and endorsed by Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS). Extensive research on rewilding elephant orphans also enabled us to streamline everything from community-based observation to tech-supported strategies, without ever infringing on their comfort or ease of movement out in the bush.
Apart from checking the herd’s progress, we also work continuously towards ensuring a healthy and secure conservancy and landscape in which they can thrive! Through our approach, we are tracking a variety of elements, including their:
Health and wellbeing From noting down their body condition and weight to being alerted of any injuries if they arise, our tracking allows us to respond to issues in real-time.
Feeding patterns Since weight is a key indicator of the elephants’ wellbeing, we closely monitor their feeding behaviours, and where they prefer to browse. It’s a time of great exploration, and we hope they’ll use the skills they’ve acquired during their rehabilitation to make the best use of the release site’s natural resources.
Social integration Elephants are highly social beings who share deep and intimate bonds. Their mutual respect and recognition create a spirit of safety, stability, and harmony that is crucial for survival. The release herd’s integration with free-roaming elephants is fundamental for their successful rewilding, and we’re observing this closely to see how the process is getting along!
Interactions with humans & livestock From time to time, the herd will encounter members of the indigenous Samburu Community as well as their livestock – just like they did on their wilderness walks at Reteti. It’s invaluable to monitor these encounters within our community conservancy as we keep building on the research of this harmonious human-wildlife relationship that has existed for generations!
Elephant Guardians spend long days hiking to where the release herd is currently roaming in a remote part of the Mathews Mountain Range to keep an eye on them. Photo by Ami Vitale.
A multipronged approach
Combining everything from active participation from the community and citizen scientists to the use of tech that is ideally suited to monitor the movement of wildlife in their natural habitat, we are keeping a close eye on the release herd in a variety of harmless and unobtrusive ways:
FULL-TIME KEEPERS
Living out in the bush close to the release herd in specially constructed field accommodation, this dedicated team works in shifts to ensure 24/7 monitoring. They’re always in contact with Reteti, as well as stand-by services ranging from aerial services to vets – and their work includes data collection on the development and wellbeing of each of the 13 elephants.
FIELD RESEARCHERS FROM RETETI
Trained by STE and SDZWA, the researchers monitor the orphans daily in support of ongoing research.
12 SAMBURU MORANS (WARRIORS)
Recruited from each manyatta (homestead) In the Sarara Valley, they are our eyes and ears on the ground! These Elephant Guardians provide us with situational reports if they encounter the release herd while they’re out tending to their livestock during the day, and they also observe interactions between the elephants and the Samburu community. Read more about their valuable input in this inspiring blog!
GPS TRACKING COLLARS
Thanks to the incredible work of STE, these collars have been tried, tested, and carefully developed over many years to offer the best possible design. They enable us to track elephant movements in real-time through EarthRanger, a platform that gathers, integrates, and displays both historical and live data, complemented by on-the-ground reports. This technology not only to tracks but also records invaluable data to help us further understand the process of rewilding – and gain even more insight into the rewilding of rehabilitated elephants.
A tremendous amount of research went into ensuring that the elephants will get used to them quickly, and while the collars might look strange to the human eye, they’re not heavy and equivalent to the weight of a small pendant necklace around your neck. Fitting comfortably like loose belts, they can be adjusted as the elephants grow. You can read all about the collars and how they were fitted here.
CAMERA TRAPS
We don’t want to get too close – but we can still get a closer look at how they are doing and what they’re up to! Researchers worldwide rely on camera traps to study wild animals in their natural habitats. With the ability to accurately collect and categorise large volumes of data, camera traps help us understand everything from changing behaviours to potential threats.
GEO-FENCING
Using tech to benefit both the community and the release herd, various GPS points were plotted around manyattas, major trade centres, towns, and more. Set up in advance of the release by Samburu men who crisscrossed the area on their motorbikes, the points offer a 2km buffer area, and trigger responses to let everyone know when elephants are in the area.
CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
The grassroots conservation movement at the heart of both Reteti Sanctuary and Namunyak Conservancy is driven by the local Samburu Community – and we’ve always been privileged to receive regular updates and insights from the ground! The calls we receive from men, women, and herders who see elephants during their daily lives continue to be one of our most valuable and reliable sources of information!
Reteti's researcher, Colman Lesowapir, coordinating with our Elephant Guardians to adjust the camera traps as the release herd moves. Photo by Ami Vitale.
Join us in safeguarding a healthy, thriving landscape for elephants, today and for generations to come.
Your continued support helps preserve not just healthy landscapes, but also the age-old coexistence between people and wildlife. This is only the beginning of a greater journey – together, we can make a lasting impact on the land, its wildlife, and the communities that depend on it.
The release herd, thriving in the wild – a beautiful example of what your support makes possible. Photo by Ami Vitale
