Earlier this year, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, Kenya, welcomed a tiny, wounded newcomer — an orphaned zebra named Bombi.
She had survived what no baby should ever face: her mother was killed by lions, and Bombi herself escaped the attack with only her life.
When she arrived at the sanctuary, Bombi was frightened, injured and utterly alone. Rescuers immediately began treating her wounds, but they also knew she needed something just as important as medical care: comfort.
So they came up with a wonderfully clever solution.
Because zebra foals naturally imprint on their mother’s unique stripe pattern, Bombi’s caretakers began wearing coats covered in bold, zebra-like stripes whenever they were around her.
“Zebras are visual creatures, and foals imprint on their mother’s striped pattern,” the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust shared on Facebook. “This coat allows Bombi to imprint on her Keepers as nature intended, without becoming overly attached to any one individual.”
Bombi grew to love the familiar “zebra coat” so much that staff now leave one in her stall when she’s alone. It soothes her — a quiet reminder that she’s safe.
Over time, Bombi has bonded with her whole care team. But despite their effort to keep things neutral, she still picked a favorite: a gentle keeper named Peter.
Whenever Peter approaches, Bombi rushes to him, pressing her face against him and soaking up every scratch and cuddle he offers.
“Bombi would crawl into Keeper Peter’s coat if she could — in fact, she’s giving it her best shot,” the sanctuary wrote. “She absolutely adores him.”
She’s also made plenty of animal friends. Staff introduced her to a small “herd” of other orphaned youngsters — each one a different species, but all in need of family. They accepted Bombi immediately, and she now spends her days playing, exploring, and rolling happily in the dirt beside her new buddies.
Six months after her rescue, Bombi is hardly recognizable. The terrified, injured foal has blossomed into a confident, joyful young zebra.
Thanks to round-the-clock love and a little bit of creative thinking, Bombi is healing beautifully — and building the kind of life she almost never got the chance to live.
