Chemi Chemi and Orwa playng
It was still raining in the morning when the orphans were let out. The rain had started early before dawn. Kuishi was fine and in a very happy mood.
Out in the bush the orphans met with Orwa, Bomani and Chemi Chemi. Orwa and Chemi Chemi enjoyed rolling on the ground as Bomani teamed up with the junior orphans to browse. The ex-orphan three boys stayed with the orphans throughout the day. The orphans felt wet enough from the rain, so at mud bath time they had their milk bottles then headed for a wet soil bath, bypassing the mud bath. Roi caused drama when she managed to grab a bottle of milk and ran away faster than the Keepers as she emptied its contents. The Keepers watched her unbelievably as she happily downed the milk.
Tusuja engaged Mundusi in a pushing game then later played with Orwa. In the afternoon it started to warm up and the orphans concentrated on browsing. Orwa, Bomani and Chemi Chemi escorted the junior orphans back to the stockades in the evening.
Orwa, Bomani and Chemi Chemi appeared to have spent their night just close by to the stockades as they were there to join the orphans early in the morning. Mundusi tried to challenge Chemi Chemi but was overpowered by the much larger bull! Later Chemi Chemi moved to play with Bomani. An hour later, Bomani Orwa and Chemi Chemi snatched Barsilinga and he walked off with them into the bush. By the 11am milk feeding time the Keepers had still not seen Barsilinga; perhaps this is why the ex-orphans came by – to see if Barsilinga was ready to join them. After having their milk the orphans headed back out to browse and walked through the thick bushes which helped to get rid of the flies which were bothering them.
In the afternoon, the orphans had a roadside mud bath and shortly later resumed browsing. In the evening when the other orphans returned home for the night, Barsilinga and his three friends had still not returned, but shortly before mid-night, Barsilinga in the company of Orwa, Bomani and Chemi Chemi reported back to the stockades. They went inside one of the stockades for the night.
Orwa, Bomani and Chemi Chemi reported early at the stockades and waited for the orphans. Amazingly enough the three ex-orphans lined up along the wall as the junior orphans did with their trunks up, expecting to get each a bottle of milk as well! They were disappointed when the orphans were fed and they failed to get any, but we think they knew they were trying their luck – they have not had any milk bottles for quite some time! Shortly later, the three boys accompanied the orphans and Barsilinga out to browse again.
The temperature was moderate and the orphans concentrated on browsing. Malkia settled to browse with Malima and had a brief chat before parting ways. Malima proceeded to scratch on a nearby rock and later gave way to Roi, Mteto, Orwa and Chemi Chemi who used the same rock to scratch. After mud bath time, the orphans settled to browse east of the stockades. Barsilinga didn't attend the mud bath as he dodged the Keepers again, but joined up with them later in the day. The orphans had a quiet afternoon. Olsekki settled to browse with Enkikwe as they seemingly engaged in a lengthy chat. In the evening, Orwa Bomani and Chemi Chemi escorted the orphans back to the stockades again.
Orwa, Chemi Chemi and Bomani welcomed the orphans out of the stockades again in the morning. The three boys evidently spent their night just outside the compound again. Karisa led the junior orphans out to the Park to browse and they settled east of the stockade. It was a quiet morning as the orphans in the company of Orwa’s group browsed calmly throughout the morning.
At eleven o'clock in the morning, the orphans walked to the Kalovoto mud bath for their milk bottles. The orphans decided only to wash their feet in the waterhole and not swim, and thereafter went back to browsing. Only Orwa decided to have some fun playing in the water. Mapia, Jotto and Ambo briefly had a soil dusting exercise before following their friends. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the upper Kalovoto area up to five o'clock in the evening when Orwa, Bomani and Chemi Chemi escorted them back to the stockades again.
Sapalan settled to scratch against the only remaining acacia tree in the stockade compound soon after leaving the stockades this morning. Mapia stood close by waiting for Sapalan to finish so that he could do the same. Ambo had stomach problems and frequently lay down to ease pain. He was treated by the Keepers shortly later started feeling better. Mundusi engaged Tusuja in a pushing game that lasted for a short time because Olsekki intervened and interrupted their game; he seems to get jealous when other orphans play with Tusuja as he likes to have him as his own wrestling partner. Tusuja declined to play with Olsekki though so he moved away.
Orwa Bomani and Chemi Chemi, who have become part of the Ithumba herd for the time being, joined the junior orphans and headed to the mud bath together with them. The weather was chilly and none of the orphans dared to step into the mud bathing water. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in the upper Kalovoto area, and later in the evening they returned back to the stockades for yet another night.
Ambo woke up feeling better this morning. Esampu and Jotto exchanged morning greetings by entwining their trunks shortly before leaving the stockades. It seemed all the orphans this morning were in a jovial mood. Mundusi played with Tusuja while Sapalan played with Rapa. Kauro had his own game of rolling on the ground.
Later in the morning the orphans were joined by ex-orphans Zurura, Bomani, Orwa and Chemi Chemi who had spent the night just close by. Zurura didn't stay long since he didn't have an age-mate in the group to chat or play with. Orwa, Bomani and Chemi Chemi as usual stayed with the dependent orphans throughout the day. Chemi Chemi enjoyed a game of pushing Orwa who was relaxing on the ground, and later decided to climb on him. Shortly before mud bath time, Olsekki took some time off from feeding to play with Orwa too. Ambo settled for soil dusting while Tusuja, Karisa and Kauro settled for scratching.
At mud bath time the sun was very hot, and the majority of the orphans participated in wallowing which was followed by soil bathing. In the afternoon, the orphans settled west of Ithumba Hill where they browsed until evening when it was time for heading back to the stockades.
Soon after having their morning milk feed, the orphans left the stockades and headed straight out to browse. Sana Sana held a brief talk with Ambo to find out if he was fully recovered. Orwa, Bomani and Chemi Chemi reported later in the morning. Upon arrival, Orwa exchanged morning greetings with Namalok while Bomani exchanged morning greetings with Olsekki. Later, Bomani climbed on Olsekki’s back.
At mud bath time, the orphans were joined by Challa and a wild friend. Namalok walked over to Challa and exchanged midday greetings and held a brief chat before getting into the water for a swim. After mud bath time, Olsekki and Bomani had a strength testing exercise that lasted for quite some time, while Challa and his friend disappeared into the bush. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill. Tusuja took a break from feeding to have a game of rolling on the ground, but his game was disrupted by Bomani who came over and attempted to climb on him. In the evening, the three graduate orphans escorted the dependent herd back to the stockades.
Soon after leaving the stockade, the orphans were joined by Kainuk and a junior wild boy. Namalok was the first one to challenge the wild boy who was in a playful mood. Later, the wild boy exchanged morning greetings with Orwa who had just arrived with his team, bringing the number of ex-orphans in the compound to four, plus one wild elephant. Orwa then had a pushing game with the wild boy for quite some time.
The orphans settled to browse close to the Kone dam and had a quiet morning. On the way to the mud bath, the orphans were joined by Zurura again. Namalok, who is proving to be courageous by interacting with the older big boys, took time to challenge Zurura at the mud bath. Zurura played safe with Namalok, then walked away. Naseku followed Zurura but when she realized that none of her friends were following she returned to join the rest of the herd.
After mud bath time, Mundusi played with Roi while Chemi Chemi tackled Olsekki. In the afternoon, the sun was still hot and the orphans took a break from feeding to relax under some trees, and resumed browsing later when the temperature dropped to a more favourable level.