Long’uro: From Tragedy to Triumph – An Extraordinary Tale of Courage and Transformation
.
On this day, exactly two years ago, Long’uro was rescued from a well where he had spent the night trapped and was attacked by hyenas, resulting in the loss of two-thirds of his trunk. His story is one of hope, courage, and resilience, but it is also a groundbreaking, unprecedented, and extraordinary tale. Against all odds, Long’uro has adapted to life as a special-needs elephant, constantly redefining our understanding of conservation and animal behavior with each milestone he achieves.
.
.
.
.
However, the true essence of his story is yet to unfold. His journey towards becoming a wild elephant bull lies ahead, and if there is one thing we have learned over the past 24 months, it is that Long’uro will lead the way. We invite you to join us on his remarkable journey by showing your support.
To commemorate his incredible progress, let us revisit Long’uro’s remarkable life story.
.
.
.
The Rescue of Long’uro
Every rescue mission presents its challenges, but the events of April 18, 2020, were unlike anything we had encountered before.
Late in the night, our team received a distress call about a severely injured and abandoned calf, approximately 1.5 months old, who had fallen into a well in Loisaba Conservancy. When found, he was in critical condition, crying out for his mother, in pain and in need of care. The calf had lost two-thirds of his trunk to a hyena attack the previous night.
.
.
Veterinarians from the Kenya Wildlife Service and Reteti were swiftly dispatched to the scene to prevent further bleeding and save the calf from potential death. An elephant’s trunk is its most versatile tool, used for various tasks, and our little baby was fighting for his life.
Amidst the struggle for breath, the possibility of euthanasia was considered. However, we couldn’t bear the thought of giving up on him. We were filled with hope and believed he deserved a chance at life, considering the ordeal he had already survived. The Reteti team stands for bravery!
Long’uro was flown directly to Reteti and placed in a specially prepared stable, where the team and other elephants eagerly awaited his arrival. He was named Long’uro, meaning “something that has been cut” in Samburu.
Long’uro’s First Days at Reteti
Within 24 hours, Mary Lengees, one of the first female keepers at Reteti, had formed a powerful bond with Long’uro. Despite his deep trauma, he remarkably never fell into depression, which is often observed in baby elephants who have experienced similar trauma. He displayed a willingness to thrive.
As Long’uro’s brain had not yet adjusted to the absence of his trunk, he would often bump into objects or reach up to scratch where his trunk had once been. Even the slightest impact would elicit yelps of pain. Mary faced a tremendous challenge. Long’uro desperately needed love and tenderness, but he was afraid of physical contact due to the resulting pain. They developed a special bond that persists to this day.
Over the following months, Mary dedicated herself entirely to Long’uro, caring for him as if he were her own son. She became his mother and an integral part of his journey.
Long’uro’s Surgery
Despite the belief that an elephant calf rescued from a well, separated from its herd, and with its trunk torn off by hyenas during the night would not survive, the community at Reteti in northern Kenya disagreed.
Soon after Long’uro’s arrival, the veterinary team from the Kenya Wildlife Service performed surgery. The vet surgeon carefully cleaned his wounds, removed loose and torn skin, and skillfully closed the wounds and gashes on his shortened trunk.
In the days following