How Reteti sanctuary is using Samburu songs to save orphaned elephants

• The sanctuary’s community-led conservation model comes as the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) targets the untapped potential of the Northern Kenya tourism circuit to boost domestic travel and promote lesser-known destinations.

Rescued baby elephants at the Reteti Elephant Sancuary, Samburu County. PHOTO | COURTESY

In the rugged, drought-prone landscapes of Northern Kenya, singing has become an unusual tool for nurturing orphaned elephants at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, where traditional Samburu songs help strengthen the bond between keepers and the animals.

The sanctuary’s community-led conservation model comes as the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) targets the untapped potential of the Northern Kenya tourism circuit to boost domestic travel and promote lesser-known destinations.

Through its Hapa Ni Wapi Sales Conversion Campaign, KTB is bringing together tour operators, county governments and tourism partners to develop ready-to-book travel packages as it targets 5.6 million bed nights by 2027.

Established in 2016 through an initiative of the local Samburu community, Reteti rescues, rehabilitates and prepares orphaned elephants for release back into the wild.

The sanctuary currently cares for 52 young elephants and has released 23 into the wild, according to Russia Lananyokie, an elephant keeper at the facility.

The elephants are rescued from across Northern Kenya after losing their mothers through drought-related incidents, human-wildlife conflict and accidents involving traditional water wells.

Known as singing wells, the man-made pits are dug along seasonal riverbeds to access water during prolonged dry spells. Young elephants sometimes fall into the wells while searching for water, sustaining injuries as they struggle to escape.

“Each elephant has a different story, how they were rescued and how they lost their mothers,” said Patricia Parkeri, an operations officer at the sanctuary.

Some arrive with injuries sustained in wells, while others have survived attacks by crocodiles or lions. Where a calf cannot be reunited with its mother within 72 hours, it is brought to Reteti for rehabilitation.

The sanctuary provides medical care and emotional support before gradually integrating the elephants into groups in preparation for their eventual return to the wild.

Beyond wildlife protection, Reteti has created economic opportunities for the local community through its demand for goat milk, which is used to feed the orphaned elephants.

The sanctuary purchases more than 1,000 litres of goat milk daily from local suppliers, supporting approximately 1,250 women who sell milk to the facility.

Lenanyoike said the sanctuary pays local vendors about Ksh.6.4 million, although the period covered by the figure was not specified.

The facility also employs 140 keepers and generates revenue through tourism, with 60% of its tourism revenue allocated to the local community and 40% retained for operations. The community share helps finance school bursaries and hospital bills.

Reteti receives an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 visitors annually, mostly international tourists. Other animals under its care include giraffes, zebras, kudu, gerenuk and a young buffalo.

However, poor roads, the sanctuary’s remote location and inadequate airstrips remain major challenges to attracting more visitors.

Improved accessibility and the packaging of northern Kenya’s attractions into bookable tourism experiences could help the region attract more domestic travellers, supporting KTB’s wider push to increase bookings and bed nights.

For the keepers, singing remains an important part of caring for the animals, reflecting Samburu culture and the community’s commitment to conservation.

Reteti offers a distinctive experience for travellers seeking to explore destinations beyond Kenya’s established tourism circuits, while demonstrating how wildlife conservation can deliver economic benefits to local communities.