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She was the baby elephant who was found guarding her mother's butchered body after they were viciously attacked by poachers.

But, after time convalescing in Kenya's only elephant orphanage, Zongaloni is ready to take her first steps to freedom and life back in the wild.

After months of care, Zongaloni has been moved to a reintegration centre in a protected area of southern Kenya, where she will learn new skills to survive in the wild at 'elephant school'.

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She was the little elephant who was found guarding her mother's butchered body after they were viciously attacked by poachers. But, after time convalescing in the Kenya's only elephant orphanage, Zongaloni (pictured right) is ready to take her first steps to freedom and life back in the wild, alongside fellow orphan Quanza (left)

Zongaloni was orphaned in September, when she was just 18 months old, after ivory poachers attacked her mother.

While a mobile veterinary unit tried to remove shattered bone and treat her mother's wounds, they could not rule out the possibility of a bullet still being embedded within the bone.

Two weeks after the attack, the large elephant collapsed and could not stand, leaving milk-dependent Zongoloni to guard her.

After her mother died, Zongoloni joined a herd at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's centre in Umani, where she was taught new survival skills such as sleeping alone and finding edible plants.

She is 'progressing well', and has since been moved to a reintegration centre near Chyulu Hills National Park.

Over time, she is expected to become less dependent on her human keepers, who will remain with her until she joins wild herds. 

Camera traps have found wild elephants visiting the new arrivals from the nearby National Park,  coming to drink from the new trough erected for the orphans' use.

In September, poachers shot at Zongolini's mother in Kenya. Two weeks after the attack, the large elephant collapsed and could not stand, leaving milk-dependent Zongoloni to guard her (pictured). Her mother died shortly after and Zongoloni joined a herd at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's centre in Umani

The move took place in late June when Zongaloni (pictured left) made the journey with two other orphaned elephants in Southern Kenya. There are four other orphans now living in the reintegration centre called Sonje, Murera, Quanza (pictured centre), and Lima Lima (right)

The centre stretches across the Kibwezi Forest at Umani Springs to Chyulu Hills National Park (pictured)

These interactions will hopefully help the orphans integrate into existing herds. 

Benjamin Kyalo, a keeper at the sanctuary, told MailOnline: 'When the elephants first come in they are very traumatised, so we show them a lot of care, 24 hours a day.

We start to see a change after one month, when they start to play and swing their trunks.'

All five of the orphans are pictured with their keepers at the reintegration centre. Benjamin Kyalo, a keeper at the sanctuary, told MailOnline: 'When the elephants first come in they are very traumatised, so we show them a lot of care, 24 hours a day'

The orphans are led through the Kibwezi Forest by their keepers. The keepers gradually break the close bond they form with the baby elephants by leaving them alone for longer periods, or letting them find food and explore without help

The keepers gradually break the close bond they form with the baby elephants by leaving them alone for longer periods, or letting them find food and explore without help.

'The elephants make the decision to go into the wild when they are confident…[but] the gate is always open,' he said.

Camera traps have found wild elephants visiting the new arrivals from the nearby National Park, (pictured) coming to drink from the new trough erected for the orphans' use. These interactions will hopefully help the orphans integrate into existing herds

Once on site, the orphans were given milk bottles before heading to play in a dust bath, (Lima Lima is pictured) and then exploring the surrounding forest. The keepers said the orphans are gradually adapting to their new environment, and as the days pass, are confident they'll be in the wild before the end of the year

Orphan Quanza is picutred in the foreground dusting herself off in the Kibwezi Forest, surrounded by her fellow orphans and keeper

The move took place in late June when Zongaloni made the journey with two other orphaned elephants in southern Kenya.

There are four other orphans in total living with Zongaloni in the reintegration centre, called Sonje, Murera, Quanza, and Lima Lima.

The centre stretches across the Kibwezi Forest at Umani Springs to Chyulu Hills National Park.

Once on site, the orphans were given milk bottles before heading to play in a dust bath, and then heading off to explore the surrounding forest.

The keepers said the orphans are gradually adapting to their new environment, and as the days pass, are confident they'll be in the wild before the end of the year.

Over time, the elephant orphans are expected to become less dependent on their human keepers for food (pictured), but the keepers will remain on hand until they join the wild herds

The orphaned elephants had to be enticed into, and out of, the transportation truck with bottles of milk (pictured)