In the heart of northern Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve, something quite remarkable and extremely rare happened recently, which gained the attention of tourists and conservationists alike. During a safari drive, guides and visitors were fortunate enough to come across the birth of twin elephant calves male and a female of a mother elephant named Bora. This is quite a remarkable sighting, considering how rare twins are in elephants: only about 1% of elephant births around the world. But the event was even more special because it sparked the interest of researchers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.
Save the Elephants, a highly regarded conservation organization, said the birth of elephant twins is both a joyful and precarious time. The most recent known case of twin elephants in Samburu dates back to 2006. Unfortunately, the infants failed to survive after a week. The only problem and primary challenge that the twin elephant is facing is that of the acquisition of nutrition. A baby elephant has to drink around 13 liters of milk per day; this puts immense pressure on their mum, especially if she would cater for two infants. This usually leaves the survival of the twins in the hands of the mother, who has to produce enough milk for them. In the arid regions where vegetation and water are scanty, this turns out to be an uphill task.
The 2020 Kenya National Wildlife Census estimated that there were about 36,280 elephants in Kenya. Though considered recovered owing to increased conservation, the elephant population in Kenya continues to be threatened by poaching, habitat loss, and other climate-related factors. These twin calves do bring a ray of hope, yet a call for the need to protect elephant habitats to further guarantee the survival of such rare incidences. Organizations, like Save the Elephants, monitor the gentle giants and thus provide data necessary for any conservation initiative.
The early days in the life of an elephant calf are very critical. The calves live on their mother’s milk for the first four months. Even when they start to nibble plants, which normally happens when they are about four months old, they still stay on their mother’s milk for many years. Some may even nurse for up to ten years, which is quite a responsibility for the mother. Of course, for Bora, raising the twins will be a hell of an achievement to think about when resources such as food and water are available, besides the need for a stable environment.
This rare twin birth in Samburu reminds one of the magic of wildlife and how fragile nature’s balance could be. Besides, for the future of elephant populations in Kenya, if a matter, such continuations in conservation are needed. While the twins’ fate is not certain, their presence means hope and strength to the rest of the elephants in the region.
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