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Around 10am this morning the commotion caused by two lions fighting scared the orphans who were browsing nearby in the forest. The sudden and expected noise prompted the orphans to run about in fear with little Maktao, Kiasa, Musiara, Sattao, Emoli, Tamiyoi, Malima, Enkesha and even some of the older ones like Mapia, Sagala, Maisha, Jotto, Esampu trumpeting and yelling out trying to gather around the keepers who were calling them altogether. Some of the orphans like Maisha, Mapia, Sagala and Ndiwa lost their way in all the commotion and ran in the wrong direction, making it hard for the keepers to find them and gather them altogether again. The keepers cautiously looked everywhere and eventually managed to get the group together again. They were found with Ndiwa slowly leading the group back towards home, as Ndiwa knows the forest the best from all her foraging deep into the woods.

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.

Kiko was very brave today in the morning when he behaved just like a grown up wild giraffe. He went out to browse with the elephant orphans which he had not done for the past three days as lions had been seen in the area. Having not seen or heard the lions last night it was decided he should be able to enjoy some freedom out in the forest. When the elephants moved off deeper into the forest to browse, he stayed close to the keepers and browse around that area. No one knew that there was a lioness near the same thicket he was browsing from. When he saw the lion he stood up to her and made himself very tall. The keepers called Kiko to come back towards them but instead of Kiko running away he confronted the lion even more. The keepers called him some more as they could see he was ready to take on the lioness and the lioness got scared, and ran away to join her pride in the forest. Although he was very brave we couldn’t risk another encounter and he was taken back to browse in the stockade area for the rest of the day. The little girl Kiasa had a lot of fun playing in the mud during the public visit today despite the weather. It took the others a long time to decide to join her in there as well. Malima was in the mud bath playing a pushing game with Tamiyoi who was standing outside on the edge of the mud pool. The two polite boys Murit and Jotto were also happily enjoying a wrestling game.

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!

Out in the bush it is very green and lush, and muddy too, giving the orphans a lovely environment to walk around in. They were walking around browsing this morning and some were playing too, rolling around in the wet sludgy mud. After their 9am milk feed, Maisha, Kiasa, Maktao, Musiara, Tamiyoi and Malima were spotted enjoying a very fun game running about the bushes and crossing back and forth a little stream, splashing the water with their trunks and legs and having a lot of fun. They were very excitable and eventually poor little Maktao slipped as his legs splayed out to either side in the slippery mud. He obviously cried out and this made the others run away. Mbegu, Godoma and Tagwa came running over to make sure he was okay, but they found him already standing up. They surrounded him and patted him all over with their trunks just to make sure he was okay.

After the orphans in the first group had finished their milk bottles during the public visit today, it seemed like they all wanted to play together. Musiara, Sattao, Maktao, Kiasa, Malima, Ambo, Jotto and Murit were all seen happily playing some pushing games, which the visitors really enjoyed watching too. The orphans seemed so happy. Musiara played with Sattao, and of course there was Jotto playing with Murit. They have become such good play mates recently and Jotto learns so much from Murit, who is older and has more experience. Malima took on Ambo as well! In fact this was the one that captured most people’s attention as neither one was ready to surrender the game. They pushed each other along the rope cordon with Ambo trying to push Malima into the mud pool, an act which Malima was firmly resisting! Unfortunately eventually Ambo succeeded in his task and poor Malima ended up in the mud. When she tried to climb out Ambo was there making sure she was unable, pushing her back in with his head. The visitors were amazing to see how clever the orphans are and how well they play.

Esampu has picked up Mbegu’s habit of sucking up every drop of spilt milk from the ground with her trunk. This combined with how naughty she is at feeding times and she is a little terror! Today she wouldn’t move away from the feeding area as she was trying to suck up all the milk, and when she had finished there she tried to push her way through to the wheelbarrow holding the bottles in order to get the spilt milk there. Mundusi was having his milk bottle and getting very frustrated with Esampu’s behaviour. He started throwing back kicks trying to get her away and when he was done with his bottle he decided to discipline her properly and chased her away. Ambo and Malima are becoming great play mates, especially during the public visiting time. When the public applaud and are happy to see them playing Malima doesn’t like the noise however, and charges at them to be quiet!