By Usman Aliyu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
In the misty dawn of November 30th, a routine patrol at the Okomu Oil Palm Plantation in Edo State stumbled upon a sight that would rewrite Nigerian conservation history. What workers initially dismissed as a stray farm calf was, upon closer inspection, a revelation: a critically dehydrated and emaciated forest elephant calf, approximately two months old, its ears drooping with exhaustion. This discovery did more than send shockwaves through local conservation circles—it presented a challenge never before met in Nigeria. No one had ever successfully rescued and rehabilitated a forest elephant calf here. The nation’s capacity for such a high-stakes wildlife intervention was about to be tested.
Mr. Osaze Lawrence, Conservator of Park at the adjacent Okomu National Park, recounts the critical first hours. “The company acted swiftly, providing immediate hydration and alerting us,” he said. Partnering with the African Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation, a key ally in reviving the park’s integrity through a community-led model, the team’s first priority was reunification. Rangers ventured deep into the elephant’s known range, guided by distant sounds, and placed the calf on the forest floor. For two hours, hope lingered. But when a motorcycle rider reported the baby wandering onto a main road, the heartbreaking truth was clear: the herd had moved on, and the mother was gone. “Leaving it meant a death sentence—from predators, starvation, or poachers. Our only humane path was a full rescue and rehabilitation,” Lawrence explained.
The calf was moved to ANI’s R1 Base Camp, but its condition nosedived within 48 hours. Dr. Faith Amune, a veterinarian with Okomu Oil Palm, described the razor-thin margin for error. “The line between life and death was vanishingly thin. That first Tuesday, we thought we were losing him.” This crisis triggered an unprecedented digital mobilization. ANI created an emergency WhatsApp group, connecting Nigerian experts with a global network of wildlife specialists. Photos, symptoms, and pleas for advice flew across continents, revealing a stark gap in local hands-on expertise for elephant neonatal care.
The SOS call reached Liz O’Brien, a UK-born elephant rehabilitation specialist with 15 years of experience across Africa, based in Zambia. Understanding the profound significance—both for the calf and for building African capacity—she boarded the next flight. “When a baby elephant needs help, I go,” O’Brien stated. “But my mission was dual: to save this calf and to transfer knowledge. Africa cannot perpetually rely on outsiders. The real victory is equipping local teams to handle the next crisis themselves.”
Upon arrival, O’Brien’s impact was immediate. She recalibrated the milk formula, corrected hydration protocols, and began imparting specialized care techniques that typically require years of field apprenticeship. Dr. Adedolapo Oke, another Okomu veterinarian, emphasized the value: “For vets like us who may see an elephant once in a career, this hands-on training was priceless.” The stakes are astronomically high. As O’Brien notes, “Globally, nearly 45% of rescued calves die. Their digestive systems are incredibly complex, and the psychological trauma of separation is severe.” The roadmap for this calf is a marathon, not a sprint: specialized milk for 2-3 years, constant health monitoring, and meticulous management to prevent human imprinting, with full reintroduction to the wild possible only after 4-5 years.
This rescue is set against a dire historical backdrop. Nigeria’s elephant population has collapsed from tens of thousands a century ago to small, fragmented groups today. The Okomu–Omo–Osse forest complex now shelters one of the last viable populations of critically endangered African forest elephants in southern Nigeria. Peter Abanyam, ANI’s Project Manager, sees the calf’s very presence as a sign of ecological progress. “Elephants had abandoned this eastern corridor due to human pressure. Their return signals that our protection efforts are working.”
More importantly, the event highlights a seismic shift in community relations. Abanyam notes a transformative sense of local ownership. “Communities now see the park and its wildlife as their own to protect. They don’t call me by my name; they call me ‘ANI,’ because the organization is seen as part of the community fabric.” This shift is the bedrock of sustainable conservation. In response, stakeholders are accelerating plans to formally demarcate the park’s southern boundary, a collaborative effort with communities, the Edo State Forestry Commission, and GIS experts to preempt human-elephant conflict as populations stabilize.
The implications for Nigerian conservation are profound. Dr. Abdulrahman Adam, a wildlife veterinarian who traveled from Bauchi to participate, called it a historic first. “The practical knowledge gained here is unattainable in any classroom.” The rescue has galvanized institutional support from the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Park Service, underscoring a growing national priority. Nigeria’s expansion from 7 to 17 national parks reflects this rising consciousness. As Conservator Lawrence points out, “Any community with valuable forest can now approach the Park Service for upgrade consideration—the benefits for tourism, research, and ecology are immense.”
Standing by the calf’s shelter, watching it gain strength, Liz O’Brien reflected on the broader lesson. “We are not there yet, but we are on the path.” For all involved, this calf has transcended its identity as an animal; it has become a living symbol of a new, collaborative paradigm. Lawrence summarizes it best: “This first-ever success proves that when community, NGOs, government, and experts unite, wildlife can survive and thrive.” In the end, O’Brien’s closing words resonate with timeless truth, adapted for a new context: “It takes a village to raise a child. And as we are learning, it takes a village to raise an elephant.” (NANFeatures)
***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.
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