In the mountains of northern Kenya, a Samburu community is doing something that has never been done before: they have built an elephant sanctuary for orphaned elephants. What’s so special is that its the first indigenous owned and run elephant sanctuary that rescues and raises the orphaned elephants with the ultimate goal of reintroducing them back into the wild.
But the sanctuary isn’t just about saving elephants; it’s about breaking down stereotypes and redefining wildlife management. When people realize that they can benefit from healthy elephant populations, they’re proud to take care of wildlife.
In addition to helping elephants, Reteti is also empowering Samburu women to be the first-ever women elephant keepers in all of Africa. At first, the community didn’t think there was a place for women in the workplace. Now, the success of these women elephant keepers is unlocking new possibilities and setting a powerful example for girls hoping to pursue their dreams. It’s also changing how the community relates to elephants. Schoolchildren who have never seen an elephant before or who were afraid of elephants visit Reteti and experience these elephants up close. They then realize they can grow up to be a veterinarian or an elephant keeper.
What’s happening here, without fanfare, is nothing less than the beginnings of a transformation in the way the Samburu people relate to wild animals. This oasis where orphans grow up, learning to be wild so that one day they can rejoin their herds, is as much about the people as it is about elephants.
Since September 2016, the team at Reteti has rescued over 50 elephants and returned ten back to the wild. This is the result of a widely recognized and expanding grassroots movement of community-driven conservation across northern Kenya; a movement that is growing new economies, transforming lives and conserving natural resources.
Artist Bios
-
Ami Vitale
Ami Vitale is a National Geographic Explorer at Large, photographer, writer, documentary filmmaker, and founder of the nonprofit Vital Impacts. Her work illuminates the deep interdependence between people, wildlife, and the natural world, using storytelling to inspire empathy and action.
Over nearly three decades in more than 100 countries, Ami has documented the far-reaching consequences of environmental change. Beginning her career in conflict zones, she witnessed how resource scarcity, displacement, and climate instability shape human lives—experiences that forged her belief that social and environmental challenges cannot be separated.
Today, her work focuses on solutions: stories of resilience, collaboration, and renewal. Through both her own projects and her leadership at Vital Impacts, she is dedicated to supporting emerging voices and advancing a more hopeful, collective future for the planet.
Organizations
-
Arts Brookfield
Arts Brookfield supports innovation in music, dance, theater, film, and visual art presented for free in the public spaces of Brookfield Properties, creating vibrant and valued environments for the people who work and live there every day.
The Guardian Warriors
Featuring: Ami Vitale
Supported by:
Locations
View Location Details Winter Garden Gallery, Brookfield PlaceBrookfield Place, 230 Vesey St
New York, NY 10281
- Monday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Tuesday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Thursday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Friday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Saturday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Sunday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Featuring the community and elephants of Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
