A moment we’ve all been waiting for…!
Everyone at Reteti is bursting with excitement, as we’ve got some incredible news… This year, we are celebrating our 7th anniversary with a very special announcement – one we’ve been waiting to share for so long, and finally the time is right!
Head Keeper Amos Leleruk with Reteti’s big herd on a bush walk. Photo by Simon Pocock
Thirteen of Reteti’s biggest elephants have been selected to be released back into the wild in the coming months!
This will be our fourth release in the seven years since we started.
To get to this moment is such an immense achievement for our keepers and these brave young orphans – who arrived with considerable odds stacked against them, and so much to overcome. Reaching a great many milestones over time, they have steadily been preparing for their release in the past year. From being weaned from their bottles to extended explorations of the landscape on longer walks, they also increased their encounters with other wild animals and sourced more of their own food.
Over the next few months, various role players will pull out all the stops to make it possible for the 13 elephants to walk out into the two carefully selected, Kenya Wildlife Service-approved release sites – both located within Namunyak Conservancy – where Reteti is located too.
In addition to the release sites, we’re setting up makeshift accommodations for keepers to look after the ellies as they adjust to being wild once again. Of course, they’ll be closely monitored and tracked with the help of our partners, Save the Elephants.
Keeper Talone Lechalote keeping an eye on Reteti’s big herd during a bush walk. Photo by Simon Pocock
We know the burning question is: “When will they be released?’
A project of this scale involves many moving parts that will affect the timing of the release – from rainfall to drilling boreholes and finding sustainable water supplies at the two release sites. Here in Northern Kenya, we’ve also learned how to adapt to the rhythms of nature, and know that the ever-changing weather will also play its part.
One of the most important parts of a release and rewilding is to connect with wild elephants. Inadequate rains will prevent our release candidates from learning from wild elephants where natural water points are, as the wild ones will be far more concerned about taking care of their own herds. Excessive rains could also prevent our release candidates from interacting with the wild elephants, as there will be no need to engage and learn from them if water and browse are plentiful.
With many elements forming part of this release, we will break down all the various aspects in a series of blog posts in the coming weeks. Some of these topics include:
Who are the 13 elephants who are about to return to the wild (read the blog here)
How the release sites were assessed and selected
The factors we consider before deciding whether an elephant is ready to be rewilded
The various phases of a release
The most important conditions for a smooth return to their natural habitat.
Lorian happily browsing! Photo by Simon Pocock
