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Daily Read: Wildlife

Giraffe Rescued as Baby, Returns After Five Years

In late November 2021, rangers from Kenya’s Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rescued a one‑week‑old giraffe named Twiggy from Tsavo East National Park. The baby, having mistaken herself for a zebra, had been left alone in the bush and was at risk of predation by lions. Rangers paused an anti‑poaching patrol, tracked Twiggy through the scrub, and with a careful restraint, brought her to safety. At the sanctuary, she was fed a bottle of milk and then placed in the Kaluku Neonate Nursery, where she grew alongside other orphaned animals. Over the next four years, Twiggy lived among a diverse menagerie, including an elephant, a buffalo, and a warthog, learning to navigate the reserve. In November 2025, she was released into the wild and joined a herd, but the trust noted she remained loyal to her former home. On July 5, 2026, Twiggy returned to Kaluku, strolling in as if she had never left, re‑acquainting with her keepers and the sanctuary. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust shared the reunion on YouTube, celebrating the giraffe’s trust and the sanctuary’s role in her recovery.

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The essential points

  1. 01Twiggy, a one‑week‑old giraffe, was rescued from Tsavo East National Park after mistaking herself for a zebra.
  2. 02Rangers paused an anti‑poaching patrol, tracked her through the bush, and safely restrained her despite her kicking power.
  3. 03She was nurtured at Kaluku Neonate Nursery, living with other orphaned animals like an elephant, buffalo, and warthog for four years.
  4. 04In July 2026, Twiggy returned to the sanctuary, re‑acquainting with keepers and proving her lasting bond with Kaluku.
The full brief

In late November 2021, rangers from Kenya’s Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rescued a one‑week‑old giraffe named Twiggy from Tsavo East National Park. The baby, having mistaken herself for a zebra, had been left alone in the bush and was at risk of predation by lions. Rangers paused an anti‑poaching patrol, tracked Twiggy through the scrub, and with a careful restraint, brought her to safety.

At the sanctuary, she was fed a bottle of milk and then placed in the Kaluku Neonate Nursery, where she grew alongside other orphaned animals. Over the next four years, Twiggy lived among a diverse menagerie, including an elephant, a buffalo, and a warthog, learning to navigate the reserve. In November 2025, she was released into the wild and joined a herd, but the trust noted she remained loyal to her former home.

On July 5, 2026, Twiggy returned to Kaluku, strolling in as if she had never left, re‑acquainting with her keepers and the sanctuary. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust shared the reunion on YouTube, celebrating the giraffe’s trust and the sanctuary’s role in her recovery.