Written by: Badr Ahmed

In the early hours of dawn inside Okomo National Park in southern Nigeria, wildlife rangers begin their day with the extraordinary task of caring for an orphaned forest elephant that is only a few months old, in a story that reflects the challenges facing efforts to protect endangered species in the country.

The young elephant, named Agbaypur after the ranger who helped rescue him, was found late last year near a palm oil plantation bordering the protected forest after he became separated from his herd and wandered alone outside his natural habitat.

Nigeria is struggling to save an endangered orphaned forest elephant.

Joshua Aribaswe, one of the keepers responsible for his care, says the elephant needs round-the-clock care, including regular feedings of up to two liters of artificial milk at a time.

The elephant is currently staying in a temporary enclosure inside a guard center in the park, where it is receiving the necessary medical and nutritional care.

Forest elephants are among the most endangered species in Africa, with their numbers having declined sharply in recent decades due to habitat loss and poaching. Conservationists estimate that only about 200 elephants remain in Nigeria, including approximately 40 in and around the Okomo region.

Conservation teams attempted to return Agbaybor to his herd within the forest, but he became lost again, prompting authorities and the African Nature Investors organization to launch an emergency program for his care and rehabilitation. The program included bringing in experts from Zambia and assigning a team of rangers to monitor his condition.

The organization spends between four and five million naira a month on the elephant's care, including milk, nutritional supplements, and veterinary care. Experts expect its rehabilitation to take between three and five years before it can be released back into its natural habitat.

The project organizers emphasize that rescuing the orphaned elephant is not just about protecting one animal, but symbolizes broader efforts to preserve what remains of Nigeria's wildlife, under increasing pressure from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and poaching.

As Agbaybor frolics in the mud and takes his first steps toward recovery, his keepers believe his future could be a symbol of greater hope for the survival of Nigerian forest elephants for generations to come.