Late Daily

Orphaned Elephants Kadiki and Bumi: A Fight for Survival and Hope 🐘💛

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by

Thuy
in

In the sun-scorched savannah of Zimbabwe, life began with peril for two baby elephants. Kadiki, only a day old, suffered a brutal lion attack, leaving deep claw wounds on her trunk and serious damage to her tail. Meanwhile, one-month-old Bumi got trapped among rocks, suffering severe sunburn, too young to fend for himself. Both were alone, orphaned, and facing a dire future.

One-month-old Bumi had somehow got stuck among rocks and suffered severe sunburn before he was taken in by veteran animal rescuer Roxy Danckwerts, 53. Pictured: Bumi on board a rescue plane

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Labour of love: Ms Danckwerts tends stricken Kadiki. Kadiki had been attacked by a lion when only a day old, suffering deep claw wounds to her trunk and terrible damage to her tail

Enter Roxy Danckwerts, 53, a veteran animal rescuer and founder of the Wild Is Life-ZEN elephant sanctuary. With a team of dedicated caretakers, she airlifted Kadiki and Bumi to the sanctuary near Harare, giving them a second chance at life. Kadiki underwent surgery to amputate part of her tail and received intensive care for her trunk, while Bumi, once weak and burned, gradually transformed into a playful, mischievous calf with an unrecognizable spark of life.

On the mend: A helper holds the drip as Kadiki, whose name means ‘the little one’ in the local Shona language, takes a stroll

At the sanctuary, love became their lifeline. Caretakers stayed by their side, monitoring drips, feeding, and offering the constant reassurance of human touch. Slowly, the calves learned trust, companionship, and the joy of simple elephant play — chasing tyres, exploring safely, and interacting with the gentle presence of older elephants like Moyo, the first orphan rescued by the team, who may act as their surrogate mother.

Ms Danckwerts (pictured with Kadiki), who has rescued more than 20 elephants in the past five years, said: ‘Elephants are highly intelligent, with physical and emotional needs unparalleled in other mammals'

This remarkable recovery highlights the profound bonds between humans and elephants. As Jimmiel Mandima from IFAW notes, “The progress of these traumatized and damaged elephants shows the incredible relationships between animals and humans and why it is important to give them a chance to thrive.”

It is not known what happened to their mothers. As well as drought, calves can end up alone or injured due to poaching, falling into ditches, getting separated from herds or predator attacks, the IFAW says. Pictured: Kadiki (left) and Bumi (right)

Thanks to the groundbreaking collaboration between Wild Is Life-ZEN and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Kadiki, Bumi, and other rescued elephants have hope for a full life. They will eventually join the Panda-Masuie forest reserve near Victoria Falls, a safe corridor where they can integrate with wild herds, protected from poachers and human threats.

From trauma to triumph, Kadiki and Bumi’s journey is a testament to resilience, compassion, and the power of care. 🌿🐘

Since the calves were airlifted to the International Fund for Animal Welfare-supported nursery near Harare, Ms Danckwerts and her team have stayed by their side. Pictured: Bumi

Witness their transformation and support elephant rescues — because every orphan deserves a second chance. ❤️