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00:12In the wild north of Kenya,
00:16the lives of the Samburu people
00:19have been entwined with elephants for generations.
00:28Now, they're reshaping that ancient bond.
00:32Forging something new.
00:35Rescuing orphans who have lost everything.
00:40We are learning to be their mothers.
00:43We are learning the ways to heal their broken hearts.
00:49Becoming their mothers,
00:51they offer love, care and wisdom.
00:57All to prepare them for one thing.
01:00Returning to the wild.
01:09We give them a second chance in life.
01:13We teach them how to be elephants.
01:15Move.
01:44We saw the wild 20.
01:49At Riteti Elephant Sanctuary, the Samburu are reacting to the pressures of a rapidly
01:55changing world.
01:58Taking matters into their own hands, they have set up a project unlike any other in
02:04Africa.
02:07So it's a first of its kind.
02:10It's actually the only sanctuary in Africa that is being owned by the community.
02:15So it's owned and run by the local people.
02:20Baby elephants, some only weeks old, arrive here for all kinds of reasons, from poaching
02:29to falling into water holes.
02:33Because they are completely wild babies, we try to create trust with them.
02:47From tiny beginnings, Riteti is now home to 47 elephants.
02:58But learning how to survive in the wild happens beyond the sanctuary gates.
03:15The youngest of Riteti's three herds is just beginning to absorb the world around them.
03:24The youngest of Riteti's three herds is in the wild.
03:26Guiding them on this first step towards eventually rewilding is keeper Dorothy.
03:34No!
03:36Don't be jealous.
03:39No!
03:41You know elephants, they behave like human babies.
03:46We have different characters.
03:49They have unique personalities.
03:55Relaxing.
03:59Cheeky.
04:00You know everybody loves her.
04:06For me I feel like I'm a mom to these babies.
04:10I talk to them.
04:13I teach them different kind of plants that they are supposed to feed on.
04:18It's like you are watching your own kid growing.
04:21Sim Sim!
04:26This baby is very hairy.
04:29Like a puppy.
04:33Little Naya Samari is one of the newest arrivals, found abandoned and alone.
04:42We had a very rough start with her.
04:48When rescued, she was a wee old.
04:51Lost her mom.
04:53You can see tears dropping.
04:55She was crying.
04:59She's still going through a lot of emotional pain.
05:05We are learning the best way to heal their trauma.
05:28Over the years, Rattetti keepers have become experts in raising orphans and treating their ailments.
05:36Hello.
05:38That's perfect.
05:39Yeah.
05:40Well done.
05:41Let's see if he likes that.
05:42We want him to eat, but because he's so dehydrated we don't want him to be at risk of colicking.
05:47Yeah.
05:48Co-founder Katie helped the Samburu people set up Rattetti in 2016.
05:57Got to get better.
05:59Yeah.
06:00The team here are just incredible.
06:05These elephants have been raised by the community.
06:10All the keepers know elephants and they've lived, co-existed with them.
06:19So they've got this inherent knowledge of how elephants behave in the wild.
06:25So there's just ancient wisdom that exists here.
06:37See now the dunk.
06:40Assistant head keeper Naomi is looking for the second of Rattetti's three herds who roam farther
06:47afield.
06:50We are trying to find the elephants and we are following their footsteps here.
06:58Samburu people are perfect on tracking.
07:02Even when the elephants step on grass, we know how to track.
07:10They're here.
07:15Finally, we got where they are.
07:31Unlike the youngest group, these three to five-year-olds are boisterous.
07:36Like teenagers, testing their boundaries.
07:40They want to play white.
07:44Everyone is wrestling.
07:57Trying to find his way in the second group is three-year-old Longoro.
08:22Longoro lost his trunk when he was just a few weeks old.
08:28Longoro fell into a well.
08:35The mother tried her best to take the baby out, but the mother lose hope and leave Longoro
08:43inside the well.
08:47Longoro stayed there the whole night, waving the trunk, looking for support.
08:52And I came at night and just grabbed the trunk.
08:57Three-quarter of the trunk has gone.
08:59The blood dripping.
09:01Feeling pain.
09:08Actually, it is very emotional.
09:12Even when Longoro arrives with a wound, it's like it makes someone, everyone cry.
09:19It's like you feel that it's your own baby suffering like that.
09:24So we were wishing Longoro can get better quickly so that he can survive with all this wound and all
09:31this pain.
09:32Oh yeah.
09:33Thursday 2nd, listen to it.ắp
09:43a bit more. MORI!
09:44MORI!
09:54After his injuries healed, Longoro, at just eight months old, had to develop his own ways
10:04to survive.
10:07When he was a very small boy, he was struggling to browse.
10:12But Longoro found good ways to adapt.
10:16When the others are using the trunk, Longoro kneels down using the mouth, like a cow.
10:32Longoro.
10:34Longoro.
10:35Longoro, Longoro.
10:36Longoro.
10:37Longoro.
10:40So, let's go.
11:03Farther out from the sanctuary more advanced lessons are taking place with
11:10Rattetti's oldest orphans the release herd in six months they could make history if they can be
11:36successfully returned to the vast unfenced landscape they came from
11:46you can see how happy they are
12:04Coleman is teaching this third group aged six to seven to navigate the terrain far beyond Canada
12:19raised on the flat plains they'll need to become mountaineers if they want to roam freely
12:34weighing in at around one ton they're not built for nimbleness
12:46the release herd also needs to learn to stay together mimicking the structure of a wild herd
12:52with a matriarch taking the lead
13:01and one female is already stepping up
13:06Kapai is the mother of this group she's acting like a matriarch
13:14so she's always ready to protect others Kapai you
13:19Kapai you
13:24Kapai you
13:25During her seven years at Rattetti Kapai has gently taken on the role of looking after the group
13:34what have you seen
13:36what have you seen
13:42what have you seen
13:45what is bothering you
13:47are you okay
13:51she's sensing something strange
13:59one of the elephants is missing
14:01one of the elephants is missing
14:02one of the elephants is missing
14:03one of the elephants is missing
14:08Kalele
14:09Kalele
14:09Kalele, the smallest and most vulnerable of the herd
14:12is nowhere to be seen
14:14Kalele
14:21Coleman's search brings him all the way back to the sanctuary.
14:45We have some branches to give him.
14:47Kelele, are you hungry?
14:50Have this.
14:55Have this.
14:57Come on, Kelele.
15:00Don't be aggressive.
15:03So, as you can see, Kelele, you don't want people to be around him.
15:09Don't be aggressive. Come on.
15:12Help this.
15:19Come on. Come on.
15:21Come on. Don't fight me.
15:24I'm your friend.
15:27Don't fight me.
15:29Six-year-old Kelele is small for his age.
15:33No, hold down.
15:35And known for throwing his weight around.
15:41But this kind of temper hints that something's not right.
15:46I think he's sick.
15:49Like this.
15:51I'm your friend. Don't fight me, please.
15:55The first step we are going to do is to take a poop sample,
15:59and we are going to analyze.
16:03Sawa-sawa.
16:06While they try to find out what's wrong,
16:10Kelele is put into sickbay.
16:14Kelele.
16:16You'll be okay.
16:38You'll be okay.
16:40You'll be okay.
16:41As the day draws to a close,
16:43everyone returns to the safety of the sanctuary.
16:49The middle herd hasn't lost any of its energy.
16:59You'll be okay.
17:03You'll be okay.
17:07You'll be okay.
17:19You'll be okay.
17:21Now they're just playing with each other.
17:23Making...
17:26Making their selves happy.
17:33Playing helps them learn how to behave,
17:36how to have good manners.
17:38That's how they create friendship.
17:54It might seem like fun in games,
17:58but the bonds that play creates,
18:01help build a tight-knit group.
18:03Crucial for survival in the wild.
18:08The trunk is key to all of this.
18:10It's used to touch,
18:12comfort,
18:14and build connections.
18:29You can see Longro is isolated from mothers.
18:37Sometimes we can see him.
18:39Becoming desperate.
18:57He's struggling to find friends.
19:05So I think that's why Longro
19:07isolate himself from the others.
19:10Because he knows that he's a disabled boy.
19:17To have any chance of thriving as an adult,
19:21Longro needs to step out of his shell
19:24and join in the play.
19:30He needs to depend on himself,
19:32away from people.
19:36That's why we stop giving him too much attention.
19:40It's encouraging Longro to interact with other elephants.
20:06at night,
20:07the babies sleep safely within the sanctuary.
20:16and the youngest babies get some extra love from their keepers
20:24you sing for the baby you hug them you kiss them that's how we'll bond together
20:33this young one zero to six months need a lot of tension they're innocent
20:39and being an innocent baby all you need is just to have your mom around
21:18each day in Samburu begins as it has for generations
21:26with rhythms shaped by nature and tradition
21:55at Rattetti they have a ritual of their own
22:10in the absence of their mothers this bottle feed offers comfort and nourishment while strengthening
22:18bonds with the keepers
22:25each orphan needs half a gallon of milk every three hours day and night
22:46so feeding the 47 elephants of Rattetti is no small feat
23:00instead of using expensive formula like other sanctuaries the team has pioneered a sustainable
23:07solution that involves the whole community a thousand local women known as the milk mamas sell their fresh
23:21goat milk to Rattetti with drop-off points across the region
23:27this is the milk we are using to feed elephants they require a lot of nutrients protein but
23:35that need to feed them by using the amount of nutrients
23:37having the unique formula to give all our babies higher chances of survival
23:42also
23:45And at the same time, the community are benefiting yourself, you get income.
23:59It is a good way to create a good relationship between the community and the elephants.
24:25Come here, little boy.
24:34Back in the sickbay, the physical signs of Kalele's illness are now painfully apparent,
24:40with infections breaking out on his body.
24:44You'll get well.
24:47You'll get well, don't worry.
24:54Okay.
25:00At the sanctuary's lab, Coleman is processing a sample of Kalele's dung with Vet Joseph.
25:07600.
25:09Okay.
25:11So, Coleman, so this animal has a lot of parasites.
25:17600 eggs per gram is a relatively high number.
25:21It's really bad.
25:22It is quite concerning separating from the other group.
25:26Yes.
25:28Quarantine.
25:32The large number of parasites could be fatal.
25:37Kalele immediately begins a course of anti-parasite medication, alone in quarantine.
25:46Don't worry.
25:48You will be with your friends soon.
25:56I feel sad.
25:59He's so weak.
26:02Exhausted because of the conditions he has.
26:09Falling ill now is a cruel blow to his chances for release.
26:16If we at least get it now, then they will not stop it for sure.
26:50Everyone is at a different stage.
26:52of their rewilding journey.
27:04Dorothy's group is just starting theirs.
27:17Are you happy?
27:20And today's lesson is exploring new terrain.
27:24Hop.
27:25Hop.
27:31You know I'm happy.
27:32You're a queen!
27:48Good girl, you know you are a nice girl.
27:58Over the last few weeks, furry Nayasamari has fully accepted Dorothy as her surrogate mother.
28:08And the bond is making all the difference.
28:13She is getting very strong, getting very energetic.
28:25Dorothy is teaching them a crucial survival skill they need to learn, how to cope with
28:32the intense heat of Northern Kenya.
28:34They like sun, because it cools their body temperature.
28:40If they were in the bush, their moms are leading them to cool their body temperature.
28:51Happy, happy sound.
28:54The dust forms a protective layer over their sensitive skin, shielding them from the sun's
29:00rays and helping to keep biting insects at bay.
29:04Gis, gis.
29:08You know mama is playing the role.
29:12Coo-coo-lay.
29:14Coo-lay.
29:21Happy moment.
29:33Back at camp.
29:36Stop it.
29:38It's playtime again.
30:00And with Naomi stepping back, Longoro is finally starting to get involved.
30:12Longoro just disturbing.
30:14Let's play, let's play, boy.
30:30Yeah, he's throwing.
30:32Lotto say that I have tasks like you.
30:35He can spear you.
30:39He can spear you.
30:44Lotto say trying to teach him.
30:47Even if you don't have a trunk, we can wrestle together.
30:51You can push me.
30:52I can push you.
30:53We can play together.
30:57Just as Longoro is getting the hang of play fighting, the group is raising the bar.
31:15Mounting is a critical skill males must master.
31:19Not just for future mating.
31:21It's about holding their place in the group's hierarchy.
31:30The trunk provides support to help balance during this tricky maneuver.
31:44Without it, Longoro is at a clear disadvantage.
32:13You can see Longoro wants to climb.
32:16But you don't have the trunk that can support him.
32:35You'll have to practice more than others.
32:40Find ways to just do better.
33:11You'll have to do better.
33:14animals in need but the latest arrivals are a first for the sanctuary
33:48these seven somali ostrich chicks are just weeks old
33:59we never had them before
34:02so we're still running from them
34:08in the morning they play around
34:10i just love all of them
34:21despite their gangly appearance these chicks will grow into one of the fastest animals
34:27on the savannah clocking up speeds of almost 45 miles per hour
34:47but the youngest has a way to go
34:53she came here like five days ago
35:00i was worried she was not able to stand
35:14somali ostrich chicks usually walk a few days after hatching
35:25but this chick has been struggling for the last week
35:37the keepers are always there to lend a helping hand
35:57and their patience is starting to pay off
36:04it will be a while before this chick can reach its potential
36:12while some animals are finding their feet
36:19others can't seem to say goodbye
36:26these giraffes were successfully rewilded two years ago
36:31people yet they regularly returned to visit
36:40this one is is very friendly
36:44my favorite giraffe
36:46and i decided to give him my name pita
36:50pita loves me so much that's why he's come back
36:57i want to do nicking with me
37:01my plane
37:05i love him so much
37:21call me
37:22call me
37:39A huge wild bull has broken into Kalele's quarantine pen.
37:56Oh my god! How did he get inside? There's no broken holes or wires.
38:16Kalele never came across a big elephant like this inside the enclosure.
38:23How could this happen? Wow, wow, wow.
38:47Oh my god.
39:01Four to five turns over the fence. Just going over with all this weight.
39:15He didn't break any wire, any pole. Wow.
39:33Wow.
39:37We have never encountered a wild elephant inside the enclosure.
39:42You can see how this fence smashed a lot on me.
39:46It was something like just to pass over like it is something very easy for him.
39:58Hey, my friend, what happened to you? You encountered with a huge elephant today?
40:08In the wild, mature bulls act as mentors to younger males, passing on survival skills as well as social and
40:17cultural knowledge.
40:20Maybe we are seeing elephants coming here, maybe to introduce them back to the world, to create a friendship.
40:40It's now four months until the oldest herd is released into the vast landscape.
40:51Free to roam among the nomadic Samburu people herding livestock.
41:01It's not an easy coexistence. Elephants can be dangerous.
41:08Samburu sometimes will lose their loved one because of the elephants. It's part of our life in northern Kenya.
41:19For the release to succeed, manager Peter needs the community's backing.
41:26Today we are going to meet the warriors, talk to the warriors.
41:30We expect more than 200 warriors from the community.
41:37Our warriors, you know, the young generation, the hot blood. Some of them might not agree.
41:44But what we do as Samburu is talk.
41:50I don't know what is going to happen. So, if they say yes to this elephant, wow, that would be
41:57amazing.
42:14Our first place is to love the Thuja.
42:19I want to know something about sawditch.
42:20We are going to kill people, right?
42:23We are going to kill people.
42:24Here we are taking nemathe, we are going to kill them.
42:25Buy people to kill them.
42:25We are going to kill them.
42:27We will kill them in the village of Samburu.
42:27We are going to kill them, as many of them.
42:27We'll kill them and kill them.
42:27because it was like a livestock or a dog.
42:31It was like a cow.
42:35A cow is like one of the animals that are known.
42:38It was like a cow that was not a cow that was in a cow.
42:45It was the same.
42:47The land has to be in the house to be on the road.
42:50There are only the people who are in the house.
42:55They are so good.
42:57If they have a man, they are so good.
43:01So, you can see the people who are here.
43:02And they are so good.
43:06They are so good.
43:09And if they understand what they are,
43:10then they will have to do.
43:28The meeting went very well, the warriors are very excited and ready to help out.
43:36Really happy to get the elephant released here.
43:40So, yeah, every day as we are rolling towards the release, we are really getting excited.
43:45We really want to see our elephants feel happy again in the wild.
44:12Longoro's friendship with herd mate Lodosoi has been going from strength to strength.
44:21The pair regularly engage in play, but Longoro still can't mount.
44:30Longoro wants to actually climb over the back of Lodosoi and training himself to try many
44:39different ways, like putting the front feet on top of rocks.
45:04By taking advantage of elevated positions, Longoro is training his core muscles and honing
45:12his balance.
45:42Longoro's friendship with the
45:44Longoro's persistence has finally paid off.
45:59Longoro is a very clever boy.
46:02Yeah, actually this is amazing.
46:07Overcoming his disability, Longoro has found his place in the herd.
46:13And will continue to learn and grow.
46:31The keepers give every animal here the space to adapt, no matter their challenge.
46:55With gentle coaching, the young ostrich chick, who could not stand, is now walking tall, fully fledged at six weeks
47:05old.
47:06She's now very strong.
47:10She's no longer fall.
47:14I'm very proud to see her just depending on herself.
47:36Her progress has been so strong, she's even become the leader of the flock.
47:46I'm just like, I feel so happy.
48:04This time has been healing for other animals too.
48:12Come on.
48:14Kalele has fully recovered from his infection.
48:19Let's go.
48:20And has been given the all clear to rejoin his herd.
48:23Kalele.
48:27Kalele.
48:29Kalele.
48:40Kalele.
48:45Kalele.
48:56Kalele.
48:57Kalele is very happy.
48:58Their friends have not forgotten Kalele.
49:02They are giving some comfort.
49:07Kalele.
49:08Kalele's return to his herd is just in time.
49:14There are only 40 days until their release.
49:17Kalele.
49:18Kalele.
49:30Kalele.
49:31Kalele.
49:31They are looking so healthy.
49:35Those tusks are pretty impressive.
49:37So they're well prepared, you know, they've got everything in their favour.
49:43Co-founder Katie has every confidence they'll thrive in their natural habitat.
49:50It's taken a few years, but in a few weeks' time, to see elephants walking out of here, back out
49:56in the wild.
49:57It's a pretty big milestone.
50:00In the wild, without human guidance, they'll need to find natural resources for themselves.
50:12Especially water.
50:30Elephants love a butterfly.
50:40They are learning wild behaviors, so they are happy.
50:49They are ready to be rewilded.
50:55As their time at Rattetti comes to a close, they're proving they've learned the skills to make it in the
51:03wild together.
51:05We had been with them for six years.
51:10So, these are the calves that we bonded with.
51:15It is hard to let go, but we need them to be wild again.
51:26I'm so proud, because this is our effort.
51:30So, I'm happy.
51:47Next time at Rattetti.
51:52The dry season brings new arrivals to care for.
52:03And goodbyes that won't be easy.
52:09While Longoro and his herd
52:12still need to show.
52:14They've learned what it takes to become elephant.
52:38up and when you railed it.
52:42I've been terrified.
52:46nak and I was jocerten
52:47One
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