Reteti's 2019–2020 Release Herd: A Homecoming Through Kenya's Mathews Range
There are moments in conservation that feel almost impossible to believe. This is one of them.
From rescue to release, to wild freedom, and a breathtaking journey back home, the story of Reteti’s 2019–2020 Release Herd is one that leaves us in awe.
After years of care, healing, and rehabilitation at Reteti, Shaba, Sosian, Warges, Lingwezi, Mpala, Mpapa, Nchurai, and Nadasoit were gently released into Sera Rhino Conservancy in 2019 and 2020. Released in three carefully planned cohorts and supported through gradual release protocols, these brave elephants began their journey back to the wild together.
Located just a few hours from Reteti, Sera Rhino Sanctuary offered a protected space for these elephants to return to the wilderness. With vast natural habitat, existing elephant populations, and dedicated protection on the ground, Sera provided the ideal environment for the orphans to slowly rebuild their independence while remaining safe and supported.
What followed was extraordinary – the orphans integrated with wild elephants, formed social bonds, explored the landscape confidently, and truly embraced life in the wild.
A Collaborative Relocation Across Northern Kenya
As they became more confident navigating the landscape, and as the population of wild elephants within Sera outgrew the area’s carrying capacity, it became clear that the next step in their journey was greater freedom beyond the fenced sanctuary.
To ensure both elephants and rhinos could continue to thrive, the decision was made to relocate the orphans out of Sera Rhino Sanctuary so they could access wider migratory routes, more browse, and the northern wilderness they were born to roam.
In an extraordinary collaborative effort between Save The Elephants (STE), the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Sera Wildlife Conservancy, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and Reteti, the orphans, alongside ten wild elephants, were successfully relocated beyond the sanctuary – a powerful reminder that conservation is built on shared responsibility and working together to protect wildlife and the landscapes they call home.
The operation began at first light following extensive monitoring by research teams using data gathered from tracking collars to guide the relocation. Vehicles encouraged the elephants in the right direction throughout the day, and later, a helicopter carefully assisted in guiding the herd through an opening in the fence and toward their new territory.
Coming Home to the Mathews Range
But the most beautiful twist to this entire chapter is that these orphans are now making their way back to their one true home – the Mathews Range Mountains surrounding Reteti, where so much of their story began.
It’s the most heartwarming full-circle moment – a homecoming that is bringing them steadily westward, with moments that leave us in tears, including when Warges passed right through Sarara Camp – pausing briefly as if to acknowledge something, before pressing on. Crossing rivers and climbing escarpments, Shaba’s group followed in his footsteps, coming closer and closer.
Almost home…
This World Elephant Day,
Become Part of What Comes Next
Expanding Reteti's proven model of elephant conservation in Kenya through a second sanctuary will enable the next decade of elephant conservation – expanding rewilding efforts, reaching new communities through the Milk to Market Program, and restoring healthier rangelands for elephants and people alike.
