Long’uro’s Incredible Tale
Long’uro was rescued from a well two years ago, where he was attacked by hyenas and lost two-thirds of his trunk. Despite the odds against him, Long’uro has adapted to life as a special-needs elephant and continues to show the world what is possible. His journey to becoming a wild elephant bull lies ahead, and we are excited to see how he will lead the way in changing how we think about conservation and animal behavior. Join us in celebrating Long’uro’s remarkable journey by supporting him.
Long’uro’s Rescue Mission Rescues are never easy, but the events of April 18th, 2020 were especially challenging. Late at night, our team received a report of a young calf who had fallen into a well in Loisaba Conservancy. The little one was only about one and a half months old and had been abandoned and seriously injured. He cried out for his mother and was in immense pain. In fact, he had lost a third of his trunk to a hyena the previous night. We knew we had to act fast. Vets from Kenya Wildlife Service and Reteti rushed to the scene to help stop the calf’s excessive bleeding and prevent him from dying. The trunk is an elephant’s most important tool, and losing a third of it meant that this baby was fighting for survival. Despite the difficulties, there was never any question of euthanasia. We had hope and faith that this brave little calf deserved a chance at life. After all, he had already survived a hyena attack! Long’uro was flown directly to Reteti and placed in a specially prepared stable to recover. The team and other elephants eagerly awaited his arrival. He was given his name, Long’uro, which means “something that has been cut” in Samburu. This rescue was one of the most challenging and emotional experiences we have faced, but it was also one of the most rewarding. We are grateful for the opportunity to save Long’uro’s life and give him a second chance.
Within a single day, Mary Lengees formed a remarkable connection with Long’uro at Reteti as one of the first female keepers. With ample experience in caring for baby elephants, Mary exhibited patience and nurturing towards Long’uro who was deeply traumatized but never fell into depression unlike other elephants. However, Long’uro’s brain had yet to adapt to his missing trunk, often causing him to bump into things or reach up to scratch where his trunk used to be, leading to painful yelps. Mary faced an immense challenge in providing love and tenderness to Long’uro while navigating his fear of physical contact. Nonetheless, they developed a unique bond that continues to this day. Mary devoted her life to caring for Long’uro as if he were her own son and became an indispensable part of his journey.
The elephant calf that had fallen into a well and had its trunk ripped off by hyenas was believed to have no chance of survival. However, the community at Reteti in northern Kenya disagreed with this logic. After arriving at the sanctuary, the veterinary team from Kenya Wildlife Services performed surgery on the calf, cleaning his wounds, removing loose skin, and closing the injuries on his trunk. Mary ensured that the wounds were kept clean, and the vet regularly monitored Long’uro’s progress. Today, it is a miracle that despite the damage to his trunk, face, and ears, Long’uro did not contract a bacterial infection.
In his initial year at Reteti, Long’uro welcomed two new elephant companions – Lomunyak and Sera. The trio quickly became inseparable friends, engaging in playful activities each day. Despite his warrior spirit, Long’uro demonstrated a buoyant and lively personality. Although the scars of his past trauma were slowly fading, he still struggled with forgetting that he no longer had a trunk and would often bump his nose, causing himself pain. However, we knew that Long’uro’s perseverance and tenacity would help him overcome this challenge. Along with Lomunyak and Sera, he was among the first elephants to try our unique goat milk, which proved incredibly effective in their rehabilitation and continued to be a staple in their diets, even for the 15 other elephants in our care.
Long’uro, the special-needs elephant, has made tremendous progress in his healing and adaptation to life in the wild. He is growing and developing his ability to feed himself while on bush walks with the keepers and other orphaned elephants. Long’uro has also learned to splash water on himself and eat seed pods off the ground. Despite his deformity, he has a keen sense of smell and has been growing at the same rate as his counterparts. We recognize that Long’uro has a challenging journey ahead, but he has already demonstrated his adaptability and willingness to learn from others. We look forward to learning more about elephants and their kind spirits through Long’uro’s example. His courage, optimistic personality, and representation of conservation efforts make him a true inspiration.