NAIROBI, Kenya – A dramatic wildlife rescue has turned into a delicate rehabilitation effort after an orphaned baby hippo was saved and transferred to a sanctuary for specialised care.
The calf, now named Bumpy, is being hand-reared at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust after being rescued by the Kenya Wildlife Service.
Officials said the young hippo was “just days old” when it was found clinging to its dead mother at a lake in Oloiden Resort, Naivasha.
Rescuers described the operation as emotionally and logistically complex.
KWS said retrieving the calf from the water posed a “logistical challenge,” noting it had to make a “painful decision” to use the decomposing body of the mother “as the only anchor to safely reach the calf,” which had refused to leave her side.
While the exact cause of death remains unclear, KWS indicated the mother may have died from natural causes.
However, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust suggested it was also possible she died in a “territorial fight… protecting her calf, as infanticide is common in hippo society.”
Following the rescue, Bumpy was taken to a nursery in Nairobi, where he spent his first night being bottle-fed and kept warm.
Caretakers said the calf “was clearly desperate for comfort and connection” and has since formed a close bond with his human handlers.
He was later airlifted to the organisation’s Kaluku sanctuary near Tsavo East National Park, where he is now under round-the-clock care.
Keepers say Bumpy is rarely alone, spending much of his time in water alongside a dedicated handler.
“[Bumpy] spends a lot of the day submerged – but never alone. A rather waterlogged keeper is by his side throughout the day, in the water or on the ground,” the sanctuary said. It added that “he is a very snuggly creature and is happiest when nestled on or against someone.”
The calf is expected to remain at the facility until he is strong enough to be reintroduced into the wild, joining other hippos in their natural habitat.
