For a minimum donation of $5/month or $60/year, you will become a foster parent to Kimani – supporting the keepers in caring for him while he’s on his journey back to the wild.
Adopt Kimani
Adopt Kimani for yourself or as a gift for a loved one.
Your donation gets you exclusive access to Kimani’s private album and stories, frequent photo, video, text, and email updates from his keepers, and will also get you automatic membership to The Herd – our global community of monthly supporters!
Adopting Kimani will contribute to…
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Feeding Reteti’s orphaned wildlife
with nourishing milk from the Milk to Market Program -
The Keepers
and their 24/7 expert care and endless love for the orphans -
Veterinary care
ensuring the orphans are healthy and strong from rescue to release -
Kimani’s release
and his journey back to the wild in Northern Kenya
Meet Kimani
Gender: Male
Age When Rescued: 3 days old
Rescue Date: 12 February 2025
Rescue Location: Kalepo Conservancy
Reason Orphaned: Fell into a well
Kimani’s Rescue Story
It was a quiet February morning when Dr. Joseph Lolngojine, Reteti’s veterinarian, received the urgent call that a little elephant had fallen into a well in a remote area near Kalepo, and the poor baby was in deep distress.
Upon hearing the news, a plan quickly fell into place, and a team was dispatched to come to the calf’s rescue. When they arrived, they found that the baby had been trapped for hours and was tired and frightened but miraculously unharmed. Working carefully and gently, they lifted him out of the well and assessed his condition and thankfully determined that he was stable.
The immediate hope was to reunite him with his mother, so the team set to work locating her and his herd. Yet despite extensive tracking and multiple attempts, there were no signs of his family. The heartbreaking reality started to set in: the little one had been orphaned.
Named Kimani – after a striking mountain peak near the site of his rescue – this courageous little calf’s story is rooted in the land that first cradled him, and as the team transported him safely to Reteti, he carried that same spirit into the next chapter of his life.
When he arrived at our doorstep soon after, our hearts melted as we welcomed him with open arms – and everyone marvelled at his incredible resilience and bravery right from the start.
It’s so heartwarming to see these females regularly checking in on Kimani, as it affirms the incredible social intelligence and nurturing nature of elephants. What’s more, we are thrilled to report that these are clear signs that he is already forming strong emotional bonds within the herd.
Kimani may be small, but he carries such a quiet strength. As a striking little bull with unusually large ears that flap with every step, his beautifully pale hide sets him apart. We also love that he has a slightly twisted little trunk, which often curls up when he’s curious or just oh-so content with ellie-life.
His personality is still blossoming as he’s discovering the world and carving out a path for himself – all on his own terms! We’re already noticing a distinct calmness in his gaze and an amazing gentleness in the way he moves among others.
As he takes slow, steady steps on his journey of rehabilitation, he is surrounded by his new elephant family and wrapped in the love and care of Reteti’s dedicated keepers. It is clear that this little calf from Mount Kimani is not just surviving – he’s truly thriving.
Kimani Today
Since arriving at Reteti, Kimani has gone from strength to strength – and we love watching him develop as he’s such a fast learner. Despite being so young, Kimani responds immediately when a keeper calls out his name, and when it’s feeding time, he’s so focused on his milk bottles that not a single drop goes to waste!
Kimani also adores taking time out during the day for little naps in-between all the fun at the sanctuary, and he is often seen scouting around for soft patches of grass in the bush to lie down. But that means he’s still full of beans by the time the sun sets – so he sometimes struggles to settle down at night!
As one of the youngest elephant orphans here at Reteti, Kimani has caught the attention of some of the older female calves – especially Sera, Naisiriria, Nosaeen, and Kalepo. Sera has been particularly nurturing, showing such strong maternal instincts that she’s even tried to breastfeed Kimani! The deep and intuitive bond between these two also points to her highly protective spirit.
Kimani & Siilai
One of the most delightful developments in Kimani’s journey was the special friendship he forged with Siilai – the little buffalo orphan who arrived at the sanctuary at the same time as him. Like two peas in a pod, they were almost inseparable.
Siilai has since been released back into the wild – but you can still read all about their heartwarming friendship…
What is included in your adoption?
A digital, sharable Adoption Certificate – making your foster parent-hood official! (Emailed to you or your gift recipient after purchase)
A regularly updated, exclusive online album with photos, behind-the-scenes stories, and videos of Kimani
Regular email and video updates about Kimani (SMS updates too, for those in the US!)
Automatic membership to The Herd – our monthly donor club that gets you invites to our livestreams, updates from the Reteti team, and more!
PLEASE NOTE
We are a US-based 501(c)(3) and therefore your monthly donation is 100% tax deductible for customers in the US. Additionally, multiple adoptions of individual orphans enable us to cover the costs of caring for all the orphans at Reteti. Your contribution will help us cover the cost of milk, keepers, veterinary cost, and other essentials your orphan needs.
Your monthly donation will support the rehabilitation and care of Kimani on his journey back to the wild.