News from Reteti
FEATURED STORY
Unveiled by President Ruto – Reteti’s brand-new, fully immersive Visitor Centre!
We’re thrilled to have had the President of Kenya, His Excellency Dr. William Ruto officially open the Reteti Visitor Centre this month, as part of the 2024 Maa Cultural Week Festival!
Going neck and neck!
While it may seem as if these young giraffes are fighting, it’s actually just hi-jinks and horseplay! Having said that, they are getting in some good practice for later in life, when the stakes will be higher and they’ll have to spar for dominance.
Pole patrol!
Ever wondered why there are wooden poles between the keepers and the baby elephants during feeding time at Reteti? This blog will tell (and show) you the answer!
How Karen Laurence-Rowe’s paintings portray the essence of Reteti’s orphans
Her passion for nature comes to life in each of her paintings – and it’s no wonder that Karen is at her happiest when she’s immersed in wild open spaces!
Meet Karen Laurence-Rowe, the award-winning artist capturing the heart & soul of Reteti’s orphans
We caught up with this celebrated artist to learn more about her lifelong devotion to Africa’s wildlife and wilderness – and her passion for painting elephants and other endangered species.
Forever in our hearts – the emotional journey of releasing elephants.
It's been three months since we said goodbye to our release herd. It was such an incredible milestone and we couldn't be more proud. But there’s a part of this story that we haven’t shared much about – the emotional impact of letting go.
A heartwarming update on our release herd thriving in the wild!
Since rewilding our fourth release herd, it's been amazing to watch them thrive in their natural habitat! Over the past three months, they've continually surprised us. Read the blog for the latest update on their journey.
How we are monitoring our release herd’s wellbeing – 24/7!
While keeping a respectful distance and celebrating their freedom to get on with life in the wild, we’re continuously monitoring the release herd. From community-based observation to tech-supported strategies, we keep an eye on them – day and night! Read more about it in our blog.
Progress update on our open-air Visitor Centre at Reteti!
Construction of our Visitor Centre is well underway and we couldn’t be more excited to watch it take shape! Take a sneak peek at the progress!
Rescuing Leitemu, a five-day-old baby giraffe
When Leitemu was rescued at just five days old, still with his umbilical cord attached, he was calm and trusting, as if he knew we were there to help.
Multiple ripple effects – from just 1 bottle of milk!
Donations to the Milk to Market program are about so much more than feeding elephant orphans! Every bottle of milk Reteti receives provides the elephant orphans with superior nutrition – AND helps Namunyak’s indigenous community, wilderness, and other wildlife to thrive!
Celebrating Namunyak’s ‘ecosystem engineers’ this World Elephant Day!
Here at Reteti, we feel like celebrating World Elephant Day all the time! And since this year’s theme honours their critical role in healthy ecosystems, they deserve a tribute every day!
An exciting glimpse of the release herd in the wild!
After days without cellphone signal, one of our dedicated Elephant Guardians shared a video of the release herd enjoying their new life in the wild. Watch the video clip in the blog!
A day we’ll never forget: our release herd’s permanent return to the wild!
Born and rescued from this ancient landscape – which is as much part of them as they are of it – our release herd was not only being rewilded; they returned home! Tears filled our eyes as we said our goodbyes, but we could also not be more proud. Read all about it here.
Moment-by-moment – the magical lead-up to our fourth release
It seems like only yesterday that the release herd spent their last day at Reteti – but also like a lifetime ago when we witnessed the start of their final steps into the wild! We still get goosebumps remembering the highlights of the past week – if you missed anything, catch up on all the excitement in our blog!
Introducing – the release herd’s boma in the bush!
The release boma will serve as their temporary wilderness retreat for the next few nights. Unlike their previous, more controlled environment at Reteti, this release boma is set in an uncleared area abundant with bushes and trees.
United for conservation – the Samburu warriors guarding the release herd
We are proud to have recruited 12 morans (Samburu Warriors) to be Reteti’s additional eyes and ears on the ground. As Elephant Guardians, they will support us in monitoring the movements of the release herd in Namunayk Conservancy.
How Reteti’s fourth release will work: a step by step explanation
We’d love for you to experience this release in as much detail as possible – so to give you an idea of what’s about to happen, and what you’ll be seeing on our social media profiles in the coming week, here’s how things will unfold.
How the best possible release site for Reteti’s orphans was selected
The process of finding the best possible release site for Reteti's orphaned elephants has been a collaborative and meticulous effort. his blog details how the joint committee evaluated multiple sites and made their final decision.
(Safe)keepers of those we love!
Father figures come in many forms, and whether they are present every day or working tirelessly away from home to provide, they teach us invaluable lessons about dedication and going the extra mile for our loved ones.