01 November 2009

Recent rain has brought on a fresh flush of green grass and browse so food is plentiful for the Voi orphans. At the noon mudbath Mzima and Shira were the stars with Shimba just getting a few splashes as the others flailed their trunks.

02 November 2009

The two groups of Emily and Edie came to the Stockades in the morning, just missing the Stockade dependent orphans who had already left. After enjoying some Copra cake and water, Emily led the now wild orphans in the direction taken by the Youngsters, but did not meet up with them today, instead feeding along the Eastern side of Mazinga Hill, while the Youngsters were on the Northern side.

03 November 2009

The Youngsters enjoyed chasing the baboons as soon as they emerged from their Night Stockades in the morning. They browsed extensively, with a lot to choose from, selecting the plants they preferred. It was a cool day, so none of them were interested in wallowing at noon. Lesanju led the juniors back to the Stockades in the evening.

04 November 2009

Today Kenia and Shira were due to arrive from the Nursery, so there was growing excitement amongst the Keepers. At 11 a.m. they received a phone call that the truck carrying the two was at the Voi Entrance to the Park, so the resident orphans were given their noon milk feed ahead of the new arrivals. All then lined up at the Unloading Ramp, as though aware that other elephants would soon be joining them. Wasessa, Lesanju and Lempaute immediately welcomed the small ones, escorting them to the Stockade water trough so that they could take water ahead of their milk. They then all enjoyed a mudwallow which had been prepared for them at the Stockades. Wasessa, Lesanju and Lempaute monopolized the two newcomers all afternoon, so that the boys didn’t get a look in, and escorted the new babies back to the Stockades in the evening. The two new arrivals appeared very comfortable from the start, having received the required assurance from the established members.

05 November 2009

All the orphans greeted the new day with a lot of fun around the Stockades before entering the large enclosure to feed on the soft grass that had grown there since the rains began. They were joined there by the three orphaned kudus, namely Aruba, Njia and Mkuki, whom Kenia tried to chase away, but got no support from Shira and the other orphans. Lesanju led the orphans to browse around Mazinga Hill, and then to the mudbath at noon, where Siria, Kenia, Wasessa and Mzima displayed their talents. The fed throughout the afternoon until it was time to return in the evening.

06 November 2009

The orphans were awake early to enjoy their share of Copra and milk, after which they enjoyed playing around the Stockade. Tassia and Taveta dug up some loose soil to throw over their backs. Today Lesanju escorted her group up Mazinga Hill, which was quite a challenge for the newcomers, Kenia and Shira. They all enjoyed a wonderful mudbath. Lesanju led the orphans back in the evening, where they found Emily’s group enjoying their supplements. They remained at the Stockades for about 1 hour before leaving to browse.

07 November 2009

After the usual Stockade games, it was Shimba who led the Voi orphans out this morning. Once out at the feeding area, Lesanju, Lempaute and Sinya separated from the others, while Kenia and Shira stuck together. At 8 p.m. Emily’s group arrived back at the Stockades for their supplements, and then left heading towards the western side of the hill.

08 November 2009

The Voi orphans enjoyed feeding during the morning, and were joined at the noon mudbath by Mweya and Icholta, ex orphans who are normally with Edie’s or Emily’s now wild orphans. Lesanju was not happy to share leadership of the group with the older now wild orphans. Mweya hijacked Shira and took her to Edie’s group, who were browsing some distance away, but later she was escorted back by Salama. Meanwhile Sinya introduced Tassia and Taveta to an anthill to rub against, joined later by Lempaute. Icholta returned with the Voi orphans to the Stockade, and begged for a bottle of milk!

09 November 2009

Kenia led the orphans out this morning for a considerable distance until Lesanju took over. Mzima found an erosion trench, and lay down alongside it, joined by all the others who did likewise! At noon Kenia and Shira led the way to the milk venue, and afterwards a swim in the waterhole, before resting under shade, because it was a hot day. After the afternoon browsing session, Shimba led the group back to the Stockades. Emily’s group turned up after the Youngsters were ensconced in their Night Stockade. They fed on their supplements, when Solango and Irima became involved in a fight over the Copra Cakes. Emily called them to order, and they left later.

10 November 2009

Having enjoyed their Copra and milk, Tassia and Siria led the way out into the bush until Lempaute pushed Siria out of the way, leaving Kenia confused about which way to go. All enjoyed feeding on the Ipomoea creeper which is all over the hill now. Kenia and Shira took their milk followed by Tassia and Taveta and all then enjoyed a mudbath. In the evening, all went in single file back to the Stockades. In the evening Edie and her calf, along with Thoma, Ndara, Solango, Salama, Icholta, Morani, Lolokwe and a wild boy slightly bigger than all the others, came to the Stockades. After they had enjoyed their Dairy Cubes, it was play time. Salama tried his luck trying to mount Mweya, while Ndara and Lolokwe enjoyed a wrestling match. They spent an hour at the Stockades and then left.

11 November 2009

Mweya arrived at the Stockades first thing in the morning to collect the babies. She shared the Dairy Cubes with them, and would have liked a bottle of milk as well. She then played with Siria, watched by Wasessa and Tassia, before leaving heading towards the Pipeline. At the mudbath the orphans were joined by some local school children, and Head Keeper, Joseph Sauni, gave them a talk about elephants. The children left, better educated about elephants.

12 November 2009

The orphans spent the day seriously feeding around Mazinga Hill. At noon they had a wonderful mudbath, Mzima and Siria competing with one another, until Lempaute decided it was time to quit. In the evening Tassia led the group back to the Stockades.

13 November 2009

After taking their Dairy Cubes, the orphans went to the eastern side of Mazinga Hill to feed. It was a hot day, so they gradually browsed their way towards the mudbath, where Tassia had a wonderful swim. Lesanju went to investigate a small abrasion on Shira’s flank, opening it up further, so we had to apply some medication. In the evening Shimba and Lesanju led the group back to the Stockades.

14 November 2009

On a clear day the orphans went out to browse in the morning when Wasessa, Tassia, Mzima and Siria climbed up the hill. The Keepers had to climb up and fetch them to take them to the northern side. On the way the orphans met up with Lissa and her family who were on their way to the Stockades. Lissa greeted the orphans warmly. Kenia and Shira were amazed by the size of Lissa, who, along with her three calves, joined them to browse throughout the day and joined them at the mudbath. After mudbath, Kenia and Shira went off with Lissa, and the Keepers had to go and retrieve them.

15 November 2009

It was a hot day, as the orphans browsed their way slowly to the big waterhole. There they had a lot of fun, submerging themselves in the water. Shimba, who usually doesn’t like water, went in and put on a display showing that he can wallow equally as well as all the others! Meanwhile Seraa turned up at the Stockades, with a wound on her back, which the Vet came to treat. She was immobilized, and broken pieces of rib bone were removed, because what was obviously a spear had penetrated deep. She was not, however, in bad condition, and once her wound had been cleaned and treated, she was woken up and moved off, obviously reunite with Emily’s unit.

16 November 2009

Having feasted on Copra cake, the orphans followed their usual daily routine, with Mzima and Shimba pushing each other in the mudbath, watched by Siria, who was scratching his belly on a nearby log. Emily’s group visited the Stockades, along with Laikipia, and enjoyed Copra Cake. Lolokwe and Salama were seen trying to mount Mweya.

17 November 2009

The day went on as usual, except at the mudbath when Kenia jumped in ahead of all the others, waiting for them to join her. When they returned in the evening they found Emily’s group, in amongst whom was Laikipia, busy feasting on the Copra cakes. Lolokwe and Salama had a go at trying to mount onto Mweya.

18 November 2009

It was a cool morning so the orphans could do some serious browsing. At the mudbath, Shimba was first out and waited for the others to join him so that they could resume foraging. In the afternoon rain fell, which pleased the orphans, who enjoyed wallowing in fresh mud and playing in the rain puddles. A warthog emerged from nowhere which scared Shira, who charged it. That evening all the orphans were the colour of the red earth of Tsavo.

19 November 2009

The orphans browsed calmly throughout the morning, and enjoyed time at an erosion trench, dusting themselves and lying against the banks before moving to the mudbath. There was a lot of fun in the mudbath, when Mzima found himself last one out, and ran to catch up with the others who were beginning to move off. Solango came to the Stockades in the evening on his own, fed on the Copra Cake and then left before the Youngsters had returned.

20 November 2009

The day was fairly warm as the orphans moved off in single file to browse throughout the morning. At the mudbath Siria and Mzima were having fun until Siria tried to mount onto Mzima which made him bellow. The Keepers had to intervene, so all the orphans came out, and returned to browse for the rest of the afternoon.

21 November 2009

The three little orphaned kudus turned up to feed on the grass in the large Stockade. When the orphans realized they were there, they moved in to chase them out, and began feeding on the grass themselves before moving off to browse out in the field. Shimba took the lead in the evening when it was time to return.

22 November 2009

It was another cool day, so the orphans concentrated on feeding throughout the day, with a short break for the mudbath when Mzima initiated a rolling game, but the others refused to join in. Shira led the column back in the evening. Meanwhile at the Stockades, Makonge, the eland calf, came back from having fed in the bush with a huge swelling on his body, and his temperature rising rapidly. We suspect that he had been bitten by a snake. The Vet was called, who injected him with anti venom, but his condition deteriorated further and he died the next morning.

23 November 2009

Sinya and Lesanju led the Voi orphans out this morning after they had taken their milk. Lempaute took Siria and Taveta to a lush place at the base of the hill where they fed. At the mudbath Mzima and Siria bathed together, but Kenia and Shira enjoyed wallowing some distance from the two boys. In the evening the orphans were very playful as they made their way back to the Stockades. Emily brought l7 ex orphans to the Stockades today, where they enjoyed drinking clean water and wallowing at the Stockade mudbath.

24 November 2009

Having taken their milk, the orphans fed along the slopes of Mazinga Hill. At the mudbath, Shira was the first to plunge in followed by Siria and Kenia. Later Lempaute gave a demonstration of how to dust themselves. In the evening they slowly made their way back to the Stockades.

25 November 2009

The orphans enjoyed browsing on all the creepers during the morning. Sinya led them to the mudbath. A large wild group of elephants, amongst whom was Lissa and her calves, came to join the orphans in the mudbath, and all had a lot of fun. Lissa’s first-born, Lara, had a soft spot for both Tassia and Kenia, keeping them close and playing with them in the water. Siria picked on a slightly bigger wild boy for a wrestling match. Tassia moved off with the wild herd and Lissa, and had to be enticed back with a bottle of milk before heading back to the Stockade later on.

26 November 2009

Having feasted on Dairy cubes and taken their milk, the orphans were satisfied and spent time playing at the erosion gulley, extracting warm soil to throw over their bodies. At the mudbath, they had fun until two warthogs came to drink, when all the orphans gave chase. The elephants then browsed around the mudbath waterhole until it was time to return in the evening, when they were joined by Edie’s group, namely Thoma, Ndara, Solango, Salama, Icholta, Morani and Lolokwe. Siria remained with them as they browsed close to the Stockade until Salama escorted the small ones back to the Stockade for their milk. Siria wanted to go off with them for the night, but the Keepers called him back to join his Stockade group for the night.

27 November 2009

Emily’s and Edie’s groups came to the Stockades at 8.30 a.m. when the small orphans had already left. Today, the wild boy who is usually with them was missing from their group. Seraa’s spear wound was healing well. Emily and Edie plus their entourage like it around the Stockades where they get their supplements, clean water, and a lot of browse after recent rain. Laikipia went down on his legs and slid down the bank, giving the Keepers a free display as a “than you” for the Dairy cubes. He was known for his liking of the supplements during the time that he was a dependent boy. The ex orphans all browsed around the Stockades, until they left heading towards the Pipeline later on in the morning.

28 November 2009

The orphans enjoyed browsing around the rocks on the slopes of Mazinga Hill, and enjoyed rain showers that fell throughout the day. They never came down for either water or milk, but instead concentrated on browsing until 3 p.m. when they came down and took their milk. They then returned to browse around the hill for the rest of the day.

29 November 2009

Edie’s group came to the Stockades during the morning to drink water, and amongst the usual group, were some members of Emily’s group, indicating that the two groups are often together, with Edie taking a Splinter Group off from time to time, as did Natumi. Edie’s group had a wonderful feast at the Stockades, but did not meet up with the Youngsters, having left by the time the Stockade dependent orphans returned in the evening.

30 November 2009

Having taken their milk, and had some Dairy cubes, the orphans went to feed along the Southern side of the hill. Wasessa’s love of Tassia was very evident, because she fed very close to him throughout the morning, using her buttocks to block Siria from coming to play with the little chap. When they began to return in the evening, Shimba found himself left way behind, so he bellowed and came running a fast as his legs could carry him to join the others and return to the Stockades for a good night’s rest.