Chamilandu welcomes a wild-born elephant calf

This is no ordinary birth. Chamilandu’s firstborn, Mutaanzi David, arrived in 2019 within the protective enclosure of the release boma. But this time, she calved on her own, in open habitat, supported only by her wild and released herd. That change speaks volumes. It tells us she feels secure. She is confident, thriving, and fully integrated into a functional elephant society. 

The moment was witnessed by chance during a routine patrol. Chamilandu was calm, encouraging her newborn to stand. No signs of stress—just a mother in her element, surrounded by a small but significant circle: her first calf, trusted companions from her orphan herd, and even two wild elephants, silently witnessing her transformation. 

Chamilandu’s journey from orphan to wild mother is a story of resilience—and of what’s possible when long-term care meets committed protection. She lost her mother to poaching at just 18 months old. For weeks, she cried through the night. Now, 18 years later, she is raising her own calf in the wild, offering the next generation a future her own mother never had. 

This birth matters—for Chamilandu, for the released herd, and for elephant conservation as a whole. It shows that rewilded elephants are reproducing independently, forming natural herds, and rebuilding the future of a population once devastated by poaching. 

It's a powerful reflection of IFAW’s Room to Roam vision, which seeks to secure and reconnect vast landscapes so that elephants can live, breed, and move freely across their natural ranges. Her successful reintegration into a wild herd—and her ability to raise calves in open habitat—demonstrates exactly what becomes possible when elephants have the space, safety, and social structure they need to thrive. From the forests of Kafue to the connected ecosystems we aim to restore across East and southern Africa, her journey shows how protecting movement, habitat, and community coexistence can rebuild populations from the ground up.  

But with every wild-born calf comes responsibility. Continued monitoring, anti-poaching efforts, and community engagement are all essential to ensuring these fragile gains are protected. With your support, we can ensure that calves like Chamilandu’s grow up safe, wild, and free. 

Stay tuned: we’ll soon be inviting you to help name Chamilandu’s newborn daughter.