Nannapa Community Conservancy Rescue Elephant Trapped in Mud

It could have been a different tale if the community in Nannapa Conservancy hadn’t heard the loud cry of a distressed elephant caught in thick mud for hours at the edge of Nantudu dam on January 19.

The mama elephant had probably gone to take water and enjoy a mud bath with her family herd- as usual, but never got to come out before dawn. The rest had left, with her baby wandering around in agony from the foot tracks we gathered, but eventually followed the moving herd.

She must have been sad watching her baby leave, she got exhausted, but kept on trying to free herself.

Community members who heard the cry alerted the conservancy manager Jackson Lekumoisa who informed the rangers for response and reported the incident to the Joint Operations and Communications Centre (JOCC) at the NRT headquarters, who linked with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for further assistance.

“Sadly, this is the second time an elephant has been stuck at the dam,” says Lekumoisa, “but we managed to rescue the first one too!”

This dam supports communities, livestock and wildlife. With increased use, silt continues to build up hence trapping both wildlife and livestock.

“A number of camels have been stuck, causing some serious losses,” Jackson adds.

If the community hadn’t raised an alarm and with the combined effort of the rangers, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) and Loisaba conservancy, the elephant would have died.

Using a 4WD tractor and heavy-duty straps donated by Zurich Zoo, the team was able to free the elephant from the death trap. Luckily, she was in great condition and had no injuries.

Desperate to be reunited with the herd, she ran in the direction they had headed the night before.

Given the elephant ability to communicate over large distances, we’re sure that she was re-united with her family shortly after the rescue, since there was no sign of any abandoned calf when the rangers conducted patrols for follow up.

“We’re aware that the water dam is a problem since its heavily silted and this is the second elephant we have removed from the same dam over the passed 12 months., and we are in discussion on how to mitigate this in future,” says Kieran Avery, Natural Resource Management Director, NRT.

With thanks as ever to our core programme funders, USAID, The Nature Conservancy, DANIDA, and the European Union, who support member conservancies to strengthen governance, build peace, link sustainable livelihoods to conservation, and conserve natural resources. Without these foundations, rescues like this would not be possible.