Samburu, Kenya

Humans and wildlife alike depend on the Uaso Nyiro in this drought-prone region, which makes it a great place for a wildlife research project. 

STE established the camp in 1997, and the organization has been conducting research on elephants and their environment ever since. 

Next to the main research centre building are jaw bones of elephants that have died. Elephants go through 6 sets of molars throughout their lives in a predictable manner, which means researchers can pinpoint age by examining their teeth. 

In 2010, there was a flash flood that resulted in rains from higher elevations flowing down the Uaso. Researchers climbed the hill beside camp to wait out the flood. 

We now move over to the visitor centre that was officially opened by Chelsea Clinton during a recent visit by the Clinton Global Initiative. The visitor center provides tourists and school groups with information about elephants and elephant research. 

This Toyota truck was being used by 2 researchers when it was attacked by a bull elephant in musth. The researchers, George and Daniel, were able to escape and run to safety.

We’re now about to jump into the Save the Elephants' Toyota Landcruiser to head out to see some elephants! 

This particular truck is incredibly tough and has spent years in the bush, helping researchers to observe elephants. It was donated by Toyota Kenya after the organization’s previous truck was destroyed. 

Save the Elephants’ other vehicle is used for anti-poaching patrols, which you can tell from its camouflaged colors and ranger benches.

Take a look at the weaver bird nests that adorn the giant Acacia tortilis tree, which provides vital shade to our camp.

We’re going to stay close to the river. That’s because, during the heat of the day, elephants are likely to be riverside, where they spend time feeding, drinking, and resting under trees. 

Elephants become vital to the ecosystem during hot, dry periods because they can dig holes down to reach subsurface water which, in turn, other animals can benefit from.

One of the first things we encounter is a dead zebra surrounded by vultures. The Uaso River has dried completely and the animals are struggling with the intense heat and lack of water, which probably killed this rare Grevy's zebra. 

As we continue along the track following the Uaso River, we come across the Spices family standing in the late afternoon shade of a Salvadora persica tree.  As the temperature cools a little, this family will start to browse again and possibly look for water in the river. 

African elephant ears have evolved to increase their available surface area. Elephants flap their ears constantly as a form of mechanical radiator.  The difference in blood temperature entering and exiting their ears can be as much as 9.8 degrees! 

Elephants are known as ecosystem engineers because they alter their environments with their activities. Next to the Spices, you can see a dead tree that didn’t survive bark stripping by elephants, and more stripped trees lie across the river. 

The matriarch of the Spices is the large tuskless female on the right called Cinnamon. The STE, which names elephant families according to themes, has individually identified over 900 elephants that frequent Samburu Reserve. 

Driving east along the main road through Samburu Reserve, we happen upon a leopard. Leopards are typically reclusive, nocturnal, and difficult to see, yet here’s one in broad daylight. 

This young female probably lives up in the rocks of Koitogor mountain. Incredibly relaxed, she walked within feet of our vehicle across the road, a very lucky sighting! 

Leopards, lions and cheetahs are the top felid predators in this semiarid savannah ecosystem. Colloquially, leopards are nicknamed “spots above” because they can be seen lounging or caching their kills in trees.  

This young bull called Upendo has just started to disperse from his family group. Save the Elephants researchers have not seen him venture too far from other families, but here he’s spending the afternoon alone before rejoining his female cousins. 

Researchers use these interactions to understand who runs the show in elephant society. Larger, older elephants usually get the best fruit. When they’re big enough in size, elephants may place their heads on tree trunks and shake the fruit off. 

Elephants are sometimes found under palm trees, where they forage for fruit, often facilitated by baboon troops pulling fruits off the tall branches. Because fruit is highly nutritious and is uncommon, elephants can sometimes be seen fighting over it.