Every morning, Kimani the elephant and Siilai the buffalo go for a walk together in central Kenya. They wrestle and nap on each other. In fact, they’ve developed a daily routine that ensures they get to spend as much time together as possible.
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
Back in February, Kimani fell into a well and got stuck. Rescuers successfully pulled him out, unscathed, but were unable to track his mother or herd. They brought him to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary for care, food and shelter.
Two weeks later, Siilai turned up in the Kirisia Forest, just east of the sanctuary. Only a week old, locals worried he wouldn’t make it in the wild alone and called the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary for help.
When Siilai arrived at the facility, he and Kimani clicked immediately.
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
“At that time, we didn’t have any other baby elephants the same age as Kimani,” Katie Rowe, cofounder of Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, told The Dodo. “So, these two babies found each other at Reteti. Suddenly there was someone else to play with.”
After months of friendship, the pair’s routine includes sunrise strolls, mud baths from their favorite caretakers — who are all Indigenous Samburu warriors — and giant bottles of milk every three hours.
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
Rowe said more often than not, Kimani will initiate playtime with Siilai, nudging his friend with his trunk. The two roll around in the dirt, wrestling between meals and naps.
“They lovingly play together,” Rowe said. “Then they’ll go into a deep sleep knowing that they have each other.”
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
The goal at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is always to release residents back into the wild. Though elephants and buffaloes don’t typically eat, sleep and play together outside of rescue settings, there’s always the possibility that Kimani and Siilai will continue their friendship beyond the sanctuary’s borders.
“They seek each other’s love and friendship,” Rowe said. “They’re real beacons of co-existence.”
If you’d like to support Kimani and Siilai’s recovery journey, you can donate via Reteti Elephant Sanctuary’s website.
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