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Since the orphans in the Nursery are not being fed lucerne pellets as it seemed to be proving disadvantageous towards their condition, it is funny to see Mbegu, Ngilai, Tamiyoi, Murit, Ndotto, Godoma and Kuishi all running like crazy in the morning and afternoon when they return home. They rush towards Maxwell’s stockade where they stop to pick some of his leftover Lucerne pellets until they are cautioned by the keepers to stop. It is funny when Tamiyoi yells in protest when the keepers tell her not to have any lucerne pellets! Maxwell has his own way of deterring these naughty elephant orphans however. When he hears Mbegu and her gang trying to pick up his lucerne pellets he walks over and sprays the area with urine, marking his territory and his pellets! This quickly sees the hasty retreat of the elephant orphans as they do not like the smell of strong rhino urine.

In the morning all the orphans seemed very happy and relaxed, browsing in a very calm and peaceful way. Even little Maktao, Jotto, Enkesha and Kiasa who normally like to browse next to their keepers were seen happily browsing alongside the big girls like Mbegu, Godoma, Mteto, Malkia and Shukuru. In that respect even the older ones including Shukuru, Ndiwa, Sagala, Mundusi, Ndotto and Mapia who like to go off and browse stayed with the group this morning and they all moved and browsed together as one herd. During the public visit, after the first group had finished their milk bottles, it was lovely to watch mud bath lovers like Enkesha and Kiasa dive into the mud, accompanied by Tamiyoi, Godoma, Mapia, Emoli, Malima, Sattao and Kuishi. They were very playful in the mud and had a fun time rolling and swimming, even sliding in from the mud bath edges. Kiasa and Enkesha were too funny when they saw Emoli and Sattao trying to slide into the mud pool. They were trying to slide in on their sides and Enkesha and Kiasa were trying to push them out at the same time. It was a very funny scene and the visitors that day really enjoyed watching the orphans having fun.

The little girl Kiasa is becoming a little cheeky these days as she has taken to fighting with the other youngsters. During the public visit today she was inside the mud pool doing what she loves most. She was having fun there with Maktao when she saw Emoli walking along the pool preparing to join them in the mud. She started wading towards him with the intention of preventing him from getting in the mud. She was so fast and managed to get out and push him away from the edge of the mud pool! Emoli fought back as it was his aim to get into the mud and cool down as well. Their difference of opinion ended up in a fight. Murit and Kuishi were feeding on some green browse nearby but neither one paid any attention to the quarreling babies. Musiara had been watching them for some time but he was standing some distance away. Nevertheless he decided to intervene and bring peace between the two; he separated them and pushed them in opposite directions, although Emoli was a bit resistant at first.

Tagwa, Sagala, Ndiwa and Malkia had a plan to join the first group at the public visiting time that, unfortunately for them, was nipped in the bud! They were spotted by the keepers at the mud bath while they were still some distance away. Although they had managed to sneak away from the keepers in the forest, they had been spotted early by the ones near the mud bath. It was very hard for the keepers to turn Tagwa and Malkia away as they fought hard to be allowed access to the visiting area. They yelled loudly and complained that they wanted to join Godoma’s group. Ndiwa and Sagala knew immediately they had been naughty and complied immediately; they turned and ran back to the forest as soon as they saw the keepers coming towards them. All the shouting from Tagwa and Malkia made those enjoying the mud bath like Godoma, Kuishi, Malima, Jotto and Mapia also start shouting as they were scared, but they were not entirely sure of what! The little ones Maktao, Musiara, Sattao and Enkesha surrounded their keepers for safety. The keepers had their work cut out to reassure everyone that nothing was wrong and it was just the other two naughty orphans causing all the trouble for no reason; soon all the orphans went back to what they were doing, and Tagwa and Malkia had their milk bottles!