Here at Call For The Wild, we are proud to say that we are partnered with the most amazing Elephant Organization, the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, a special place nestled in Northern Kenya. Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is the first Indigenous, community-owned non-profit elephant sanctuary in the world, and it’s run entirely by the Samburu people who have lived alongside elephants for generations. Reteti is a unique and incredible organization that has an even more unique and amazing resident, a 5 year old Elephant named Long’uro, an Elephant without a trunk.
In April of 2020 the Reteti team, with the help of the Loisaba Rangers and the Kenya WIldlife Service, rescued a month old Elephant calf who had been abandoned and found stuck in a well. This small Elephant was in terrible shape, and the worst part was that Hyenas had already taken 2 thirds of this little Elephant’s trunk while he was trapped. With lots of help, the team was able to rescue this Elephant, and take him to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary for treatment.
This Elephant was given the name “Long’uro” which loosey translates to “he who has been cut” in Samburu. Long’uro struggled after his rescue, and the Reteti team was uncertain if he would survive, but, with a lot of care and love from the sanctuary team and one particular person, Mary Lengees, Long’uro began to heal. Mary Lengees, a Reteti keeper, stepped in and filled the role of mother for Long’uro, caring for him day after day, helping to not only heal his physical wounds but help him emotionally recover from his trauma as well.
Along with missing much of his trunk Long’uro was also blind in his left eye, and although he struggled at first, he learned to adapt to life without his trunk. An Elephant’s trunk is not just their nose, it is an important appendage that helps them navigate the world around them, grab things, drink, communicate, and much more. But even without this important appendage, Long’uro has learned to adapt and thrive with his special features, he even knows to keep his friends on his right side, where he can see them.
Although Long’uro’s journey began as a heartbreaking struggle, he has learned how to thrive even with his disabilities and he continues to grow everyday. He has adapted in many ways, learning how to feed himself, drink, and communicate with other Elephants. Keepers even say that Long’uro has an excellent sense of smell that helps him to traverse the world around him! Long’uro’s story is not over, and he continues to grow every day! He is an inspiration, and we are excited to see how he continues to grow and learn as he gets older with his amazing family (Elephant and Human) at Reteti.
