A baby elephant lost most of his trunk in a hyena attack, and the people caring for him at Kenya’s Reteti Elephant Sanctuary say he survived because he kept fighting.
About six years ago, the sanctuary received a call that an injured calf was stuck in a nearby well after the attack and had been abandoned by his mother. When vets arrived, Long’uro could barely breathe and had lost a lot of blood. For a moment, euthanasia appeared to be the only option.
Instead, the team airlifted him for treatment and named him Long’uro, which loosely translates to “he who has been cut” in Samburu.
After surgery, elephant keeper Mary Lengees was tasked with cleaning his wounds and handling follow-up vet visits. Reteti said she also gave him steady comfort and care as he adjusted to life with only a third of his trunk.
The sanctuary said Long’uro later formed bonds with other calves in the nursery, and his “joyful, boisterous” personality began to emerge.
Six years on, Reteti said Long’uro can feed and clean himself, has grown strong, and is accepted by his herd.
Reteti credited the calf himself for that progress.
“His unrivalled resilience in his fight for survival pulled him through…His life represents so much…but ultimately, Long’uro’s story is one of courage.”
More recently, Nature on PBS posted a video in which Lengees recalled Long’uro’s rescue and became emotional. The response online was immediate.
“I’m so glad that the baby was saved and there are caring people looking out for him. You can tell the woman is very emotional about it. She’s an angel! I might be on the other side of the world, but my heart breaks, and my tears fall just the same.”
“He saw she was crying and sad, remembering his story, and came over to give her snuggles. What a sweet pair.”
“What a compassionate young woman. It’s evident that she cares deeply for the elephant and his plight.”
Reteti is now marking Long’uro’s “6-year rescueversary” with a fundraiser seeking $60,000 to support his care as the sanctuary works toward returning him to the wild with his herd.
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