This little calf was rescued on the 23rd of August 2020, as she had fallen into a well close to Mwiba Ranch, in the Maswa Region (roughly between the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti) and couldn’t get back out. The herd had abandoned her after fruitless efforts of retrieving her.
With the help of the wonderfully dedicated DGO (District Game Officer for Meatu District), Revocatus Meney, she was pulled out of the well and had the dirty mud from the well cleaned off with some fresh water.
Dr Chuma (TANAPA) was alerted who then together with Dr Ernest from TAWIRI (Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute) , asked Kilimanjaro Animal C.R.E.W. for help.
Since there were no aircraft available, Elisabeth and Sele (Headkeeper at Makao Farm) drove to Mwiba Ranch overnight and embarked on the long journey back to Makao Farm with the rescued young elephant on the back of a Toyota pickup.
It transpired that the little calf is about 4 to 5months old and has very similar injuries around and in her mouth as Savannah did back then from trying to climb out of the hole. It came with no surprise that this calf therefore developed difficulties with drinking her bottle due to the pain in her mouth. Additionally, from standing in water whilst trying to climb out, her front legs and feet were covered in wounds that got infected.
It always takes several days for wounds, infections and ailments to climax with baby elephants, as these only appear with the stress of the rescue subsiding.
