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Ex-orphans Wendi, Wiva, Wema, Naserian, Galana, Gawa, Tomboi, Chaimu and Ishanga were at the stockade compound in the morning. The dependent Ithumba orphans joined them once they were let out. Naseku, Esampu and Oltaiyoni played nanny to Wema as the frisky Wiva engaged in some pushing games with the orphans. Shortly later, Sattao spotted guinea fowls ahead of him and decided to turn this into a game; he trumpeted and charged as he ran towards the guinea fowls. Other orphans joined in the race as they tried to drive away the birds. The guinea fowls didn’t wait around to be trampled by the elephants and so they flew away. 

Wendi and her group followed the orphans for some time and since she knew that the Keepers keep a wide berth from her as she can be quite naughty, she took the opportunity to split the orphans into two groups before walking off into the bush. The Keepers gathered the orphans together again after Wendi left with her group. 

At mud bath time, the orphans were joined by four wild bulls who shared water with them before parting ways. 

In the afternoon, the orphans as usual headed to the western slopes of Ithumba Hill where they settled to browse. In the evening, as the Keepers were preparing to take the orphans back home, all over sudden there was stampede and the orphans scattered. The Keepers couldn't establish the cause of panic as all they could hear was other elephants breaking branches close by. The Keepers gathered their orphans and realised that Roi, Naseku, Oltaiyoni, Siangiki, Mteto, Mundusi, Ndiwa, Malkia, Maramoja, Sapalan, Esampu, Malima, Dololo and Sattao were missing. The search began immediately. As the Keepers were searching for the missing ones, again they ran into Wendi and her herd. Wendi blocked the Keepers from passing and sent them back to use an alternative route to continue with their search. Unfortunately darkness fell before locating the missing ones but the tracks showed that they were heading towards the Ithumba Eco Lodges in the company of the ex-orphans. The Keepers were forced to return back to stockades hoping that the ex-orphans would bring them back, but by eleven o'clock at night nothing had happened and we still continued to wait.

For the first time in the history of Ithumba, fourteen orphans spent the night out all together; that’s more than any before to all go at once! We have had other incidents in the past like when Karisa, Dupotto and Kelelari all went wild for nearly three months, then six disappeared about nine years ago led by Sities and Narok who are now happily living in the wild now. 

Thankfully, the missing orphans arrived at around six thirty in the morning, all in one group. It was a big relief to everyone but one thing that caught our attention was that Dololo and Sattao were not among the arrivals. Being the youngest in the group, we expected them to be at the very front for their milk that they had missed. We are sure Dololo, who enjoys the attention of nearly all the big females, will be the reason behind Sattao not coming back with the rest too. Dololo has enjoyed so much love from the older elephants so that whenever he is with them, he never thinks of returning back to the stockade unless the Keepers intervene and escort him back to his age mates. Given the chance, Dololo would probably never think of returning back to the stockade as he always feels comfortable under the care of his older friends! 

After the arrival of the twelve missing ones, Roi, who is Dololo's friend, wasn't comfortable that Dololo wasn’t with them. Roi and Oltaiyoni kept on raising their trunks up and looked agitated. The Keepers knew that they were communicating something and gave them the freedom to leave the herd. Some Keepers followed them from a distance because they knew this was the only way they would be able to get Dololo and Sattao. Oltaiyoni and Roi headed in the direction of Imenti. After a while the Keepers lost track of them however, as they came across a wild elephant herd and had to go around them. The same thing had happened the previous day when Wendi put a roadblock between the Keepers who were tracking down the missing orphans! 

In the end, Roi and Oltaiyoni managed to find and retrieve Sattao and Dololo, and at exactly twelve thirty in the afternoon, brought them to meet with their friends close the road side mud bath. The Keepers couldn’t thank Roi and Oltaiyoni enough for bringing them back. They appreciated them so much, as only they could have found and brought Dololo and Sattao back, having maneuvered their way around the wild elephants in the area and not forgetting Wendi who can act as a road block herself, single handedly! The love that the Keepers but also that the older elephants have for the youngsters was so apparent today.

The orphans behaved themselves for the rest of the day and they all returned back safely to the stockades for a good safe rest after failing to have much sleep the previous night.

Sapalan headed straight to the water trough when the orphans were let out today. He was joined shortly later by Ndiwa. No single wild elephant or ex-orphan showed up at the stockade compound. Dololo did some stretching exercises before following his friends. 

The orphans browsed peacefully until Lenana, baby Lapa, Ukame, Kalama and Lemoyian joined them shortly before mud bath time. The attention now shifted to Lapa as the dependent orphans tried to say hello and play with him. Ukame, who joined up with the ex-orphans two months ago to become one of Lapa’s nannies, tried to control the orphans to make sure that they didn’t hurt him. The rascal Lapa felt very happy being surrounded by so many grown babies and this got him excited and he started trumpeting and running around with joy. Ukame followed to make sure that he didn’t wander off too far. 

Lenana’s small group attended mud bath together with the dependent orphans and later headed out with them to browse together in the afternoon. The orphans enjoyed interacting with Lapa the entire afternoon. Later in the evening, Lenana’s herd escorted the orphans back to the stockades for the night, before wandering off into the bush. 

Lemoyian was at the stockade compound in the morning. It appears his group stopped in overnight to drink and later left, but Lemoyian decided to stay and greet the dependent orphans in the morning. Within the dependent herd he has friends like Barsilinga, Tusuja and Olsekki who he likes to play with whenever he comes around. When the dependent orphans were let out in the morning, Lemoyian joined them to feed on Lucerne pellets. 

On the way out to browse Dololo walked side by side with Lemoyian and seemed to be asking him all sorts of questions. Lemoyian was very friendly with the little bull and didn’t seem to mind his questions. Naseku climbed up onto a rock and was followed by Sana Sana, where they found a nice green shrub that they shared. 

Mundusi was limping in the morning and upon closer inspection we couldn't see anything and thought it might be a sprain as a result of running, slipping or playing with his friends. We will continue to monitor him to see how things go for him. 

Olsekki and Kamok took some time off from feeding to have a game of pushing each other that lasted for quite some time before Olsekki quit the game to go for Enkikwe who was ready for him. Enkikwe expected this to happen because he was browsing just close by. 

At mud bath time the orphans had their milk and some water before proceeding straight back to the browsing field. The temperature was moderate and the orphans browsed calmly until later in the evening when they decided to pass by the roadside mud bath to have fun. Lemoyian escorted the orphans back to the stockades when it was time to go back for the night. 

The orphans settled for pellets as soon as they were let out. As the orphans prepared to leave after finishing the pellets, they were joined by ex-orphans Lualeni, Lulu, Galana, Gawa, Naserian, Ishanga, Kibo, Wendi, Wema, Wiva, Mutara, Suguta and Sities. Dololo was happy to have the older girls back in Mutara’s herd, who adore him. Shortly later, Wendi and her group left, leaving Mutara, Suguta and Sities enjoying the company of the orphans. 

Dololo walked side by side with Suguta as if enquiring where they had been and why they had been gone for so long. The Keepers remained alert throughout the day with the presence of Suguta, Sities and Mutara, because they know given the opportunity that Suguta would certainly leave with her favourite Dololo. Mundusi, who still has a slight limp, took advantage of Ndiwa who was rolling around on the ground, and climbed on her back. Enkikwe took time off from feeding to have a strength testing exercise with Galla. 

At the mud bath it wasn’t very hot and the orphans skipped the wallowing exercise and headed straight back out to the bush to browse after their milk bottles. The afternoon was quiet as the orphans concentrated on browsing until Karisa and Musiara decided to have fun by enjoying a light pushing game. Late in the evening, Barsilinga, who left with Kithaka, Tusuja, Lemoyian, Garzi, Turkwel and Orwa yesterday, returned and was happy to be reunited with his friends back in the stockades. 

Karisa and Dololo woke up in a playful mood today. The two boys locked trunks soon after they were let out and continued to push one another until Dololo surrendered. Naseku picked Ambo up and walked out with him to browse, as Galla teamed up with Enkikwe. The two boys later settled for a soil dusting exercise before resuming browsing. Naseku decided to spend the entire morning with Ambo and later Siangiki took over. Ambo usually enjoys being looked after by the three girls, Siangiki, Naseku and Kamok. The girls always take it in turns being with Ambo and looking after him, although sometimes they do come together as a little female group as well. 

Sattao led the first group to the mud bath just before noon. The orphans had their milk and some water before heading back out to browse. 

In the afternoon, Siangiki took over the duty of taking care of Ambo from Naseku, and Naseku was now free to have fun as she joined Mapia, Rapa, Kuishi, Galla and Jotto rolling on the ground while enjoying a soil bath. Latter in the evening Sattao led the way back to stockades. Wendi, Wema, Wiva, Galena, Gawa, Lualeni, Lulu and Naserian showed up at the stockade compound later in the evening and left when it started to rain. The rain wasn't much but the short shower managed to settle the dust and cool down the overheated ground, whilst we pray for more. 

Soon after arriving in the place they wanted to settle to browse, Barsilinga, Tusuja, Siangiki and Galla rumbled as they turned to face east. The four appeared to have been responding to, what is to us, an unknown caller, but for them, it was certainly a friend they were communicating with. After a while, Kilaguni emerged from the bushes and left with the four orphans. The Keepers tried to encourage them back to head west but they didn’t hear; the four boldly followed their older friend Kilaguni. The Keepers had to allow them to continue as per their wish, and just hoped that they would be back in the evening after their day’s adventure. 

Sattao took some time off from feeding to play with Pare and when he lost, he decided to try his luck on Mapia. Sattao still ended up disappointed when Mapia fought him without mercy. Sattao had no option but to go back to his own league that consists of equals like Dololo, Musiara and Ambo. He will only get better with time by challenging the big boys however, so at least he was trying!

At mud bath time it was cool and none of the orphans dared to touch the mud bathing water. Ndiwa tried to test the water with her trunk but found it to be too cold so she never went in.

In the afternoon the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill close to their roadside mud bath. Challa made a brief stop at the stockade water trough to announce his presence in the area. He later left after having enough water and ensuring that his human family is still around and maintaining the water troughs. 

In the evening Siangiki and Galla returned back to the stockades to join their friends. Barsilinga and Tusuja decided to spend the night out with Kilaguni. 

Mapia, who apparently had some pending issues with Dololo, accosted him in the morning on the way out from the stockade and there was a brief scuffle. Dololo realised that he was no match for Mapia and so surrendered hoping to challenge him another day. 

Outside the stockade compound, Suguta, Sities and Mutara were waiting. After having been accosted by Mapia, Dololo now felt secure; now that his big sisters were around, no one would think to mess with him. Barsilinga and Tusuja, who had spent the night out, arrived and joined the orphans to feed on Lucerne. 

Out in the bush, Barsilinga had a pushing game with Sities and later left with Tusuja and Galla again. At mud bath time, Esampu led few of her friends to wade through the water. Afterwards, the orphans had a soil bathing exercise before heading back out to browse. 

The afternoon was quiet as the orphans concentrated on browsing without any major distractions. Galla, Barsilinga and Tusuja, who now consider themselves ‘grownups’ who don’t need the oversight of the Keepers anymore, arrived later in the evening. 

It was a quiet morning again. The orphans briefly settled for Lucerne before Ndiwa led the way out to browse. Without the presence of the ex-orphans, the orphans behaved themselves. They concentrated mostly on browsing without any major distractions. 

Olsekki, Siangiki, Tusuja and Barsilinga split from the main herd and left, only to show up later again at mud bath time. The temperature was moderate and only Esampu managed to get into the water and have some fun. Sapalan decided to keep himself busy by playing with Jotto as Dololo played with Karisa. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse in one of their favourite areas west of the Ithumba Hill. Later in the evening, Ambo, the cheerful and strong boy these days, swung his trunk from side to side in happiness as he led the way back to the stockades for the night.