Edie’s family was devastated by the loss of their young calf, but they were hopeful that she would be found and rescued. Fortunately, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust team discovered Edie at the bottom of the well and immediately started a rescue mission. After hours of hard work, they were able to pull Edie out of the well, and she was rushed to the safety of the trust’s nursery in Nairobi.

From that day on, Edie’s life has been a whirlwind of adventure and challenges. She grew up in the nursery alongside other orphaned elephants, learning how to socialize, explore, and play. As she got older, she moved to the Ithumba Rehabilitation Centre in Tsavo East National Park, where she continued her journey towards becoming a wild elephant.

Throughout her journey, Edie always remained a special elephant with a unique personality. She was gentle and affectionate, but also feisty and independent. And now, she has become a mother of four, an incredible milestone for any elephant.

As we celebrate Edie’s new arrival, we can’t help but feel grateful for the work of organizations like the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, who tirelessly work to protect and care for elephants like Edie. It’s thanks to their dedication that Edie and her family can continue to thrive in the wild, and that future generations of elephants can have a chance at a bright future.

Edie’s arrival at the Nursery was a traumatic event for her, as she was consumed with grief and refused to accept her new human-elephant family. Adding to her distress, Edie’s little body was covered in bruises from her fall into the well. Some orphans struggle to adapt to their new life, leaving their caretakers concerned that they may not make it. However, Edie proved everyone wrong by blossoming into a confident and independent young elephant during her time at the Nursery and eventually finding her independence at the Voi Reintegration Unit. Today, 23 years later, she is thriving in the wild and even leads her own herd of ex-orphans.

In 2009, Edie entered motherhood with the birth of her daughter Ella, followed by another daughter named Eden in 2015. The arrival of her first son, Eco, in 2019 caused quite a stir in Tsavo. Eco and Mwitu, born around the same time to Edie’s best friend, were the most playful duo ever seen in our Voi family. During the Christmas holidays, Edie and Mweya made their annual visit to Voi with a new addition to their herd: Icholta’s newborn calf. We anticipated hearing more tiny footsteps as Edie’s noticeably round belly hinted at another upcoming birth.

Finally, the moment we’ve been waiting for has arrived! Normally, our ex orphans prefer to introduce their new babies in the morning, but Edie couldn’t wait until dawn to show off her latest addition. On the night of January 26th, she arrived at the Voi stockades with a healthy baby boy, whom we have named Enzo.
Over the years, Edie and Mweya’s ex-orphan herd has grown, so Enzo will be raised in a large and caring family. With over a decade of parenting experience, Edie is a fantastic mother. In fact, she may soon become a grandmother as her eldest daughter, Ella, is on the verge of motherhood at just 13 years old. Eden is at the perfect age to be a nanny, while Eco is thrilled to have a little brother to look after. It’s heartwarming to see how our mischievous sprites, Eco and Mwitu, have calmed down to care for Enzo. We suspect that Enzo and Izzy, who were born only a few weeks apart, will have a similar relationship.

Kihari wasted no time in taking on the role of head nanny for Izzy when she was born. Having spent a year with Edie and Mweya’s herd, Kihari felt ready to take on the responsibility. With two little ones to care for now, Kihari has enlisted Mashariki, who is part of Kenia’s semi-dependent herd, to assist her. Mashariki seems eager to learn and Kihari has been showing her the ropes by dashing between Izzy and Enzo. These wild-born babies provide an excellent opportunity for our older female elephants to develop and enhance their maternal instincts.

Edie’s family has grown to five with the addition of Enzo. Looking back at the past two decades of Edie’s life, we feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. When Edie first arrived, she was vulnerable and heartbroken. However, through our care and attention, she has become a confident matriarch and a loving mother to her four beautiful calves.