Enkesha's pregnancy is becoming increasingly apparent. Her body is morphing and she is showing occasional mood swings — though certainly not as dramatic as Murera's! The Keepers are happy to see her progressing well and are counting down the months ahead, knowing that Murera is expected to give birth first this year, followed by Enkesha next year.
Kiasa arrived this morning with Sulwe and Zigi, walking closely with their mothers who were some distance away, and was given the important task of taking care of the two little babies while their mothers were not nearby. Kiasa proved herself to be a very dedicated and dependable nanny of the Umani orphans, although she clearly favoured Zigi above the others.
Zongoloni and Sonje later arrived to check on their babies and found that Kiasa had everything under control. Zigi and Sulwe were playing around the water trough as they waited for their mothers. Sonje then took Sulwe and headed towards where Murera was leading the group. Sonje chose to follow Murera and Mwana so that all the orphans moved in the same direction. Murera and Sonje have remained close since their time in the Nursery, with Sonje consistently respecting Murera’s leadership.
Kerrio, with her team of Latika and Kamili, tried to join the older girls but found no space as Kapei and Maktao blocked them. Amali tried to encourage Mwana to join her, but Mwana stayed behind while Kamili and Latika continued scratching on an anthill in the Kibwezi forest. Suddenly, two warthogs emerged from the bushes with their tails raised, startling Kerrio and Kamili, who ran off to find somewhere to hide.
Enkesha’s pregnancy is now becoming more apparent, and the Keepers have begun to notice clear physical and behavioural changes. Her body is changing, with her breasts becoming more pronounced, and she is showing occasional mood swings, at times appearing subdued but remaining in good health. The Keepers are encouraged to see her progressing well and are counting down the months ahead, knowing that Murera is expected to give birth first this year, followed by Enkesha next year. They continue to hope both will remain healthy and safe throughout their pregnancies.
Enkesha later appeared to approach the Keepers but changed direction and went to join Mwana, who was playing around some shrubs and chasing butterflies. Nearby, Mwashoti approached Maktao from the side. Maktao, unaware of who it was, initially thought it was a buffalo and attempted to run away, only stopping when he realised it was Mwashoti.
This morning, Lima Lima and her team of night clubbers arrived very early and stopped at the gate, waiting for Murera and Kerrio’s team to come out after their morning bottles so they could go out together. Amali stepped out and directed her eyes to where little Zigi and Sulwe were playing on the dust pile. She moved to join them, as she is always good friends with Zigi, while Sulwe remains a very private little girl who is always close to her mother Sonje.
Amali was able to convince both Zigi and Sulwe to go with her, but later Sulwe felt she was too far from her mother and abandoned Amali to return to Sonje. Enkesha looked like she would escort her, but Sulwe was very determined to go to her mother alone and breastfeed. Enkesha then left her, as her mood was not good and Sulwe only wanted to be with Sonje.
Alamaya came from behind, looking for a way to join the herd. Mwashoti walked back and welcomed him. However, today Alamaya was not the calm and friendly boy we know. He was seen charging and pushing Lima Lima and Quanza, something we had not seen before. This seemed to show a change in his behaviour, which the Keepers thought may have come from the wild friends he has been spending time with.
An eland was spotted by the Keepers walking towards the orphans, with a buffalo behind it. Kapei and Lenny did not want the eland to come into the herd. Lenny moved to chase it off, and Kapei joined him in support. As Lenny trumpeted, the eland turned back towards the buffalo, as if seeking support.
Some of the orphans joined Lenny after realising he and Kapei were calling for support, and together they pushed the eland away along with the buffalo, which had been moving closer to where Murera and Mwana were. The Keepers thought the eland may have lost direction, possibly chased by a predator from the Chyulu Hills, as it is very rare to see an eland in the Kibwezi forest.
The loud trumpeting caused the whole herd to come together. All the females grouped tightly, shielding the little babies from danger. Even little Sulwe, Lenny, and Zigi were among them, with Amali, all blowing their small trumpets with their tiny trunks.
At the time, both orphans were busy browsing within the Kibwezi forest when some baboons started making strong noise as they fought among themselves. The noise was terrifying, while the orphans were busy and none expected such a big noise coming from the bushes.
Kamili and Enkesha became suspicious and returned to the older females so that they could get some help from Zongoloni, Lima Lima, and Sonje. When they arrived, they found Sonje was also scared of the noise coming from the forest. Kamili then lost confidence after seeing Sonje raising her ears, ready to run away.
Lima Lima then came to join them and took them away, because everyone trusted her warnings. They knew when Lima Lima arrived it was time to move out from the bushes, and they headed to where Murera was, who was not aware and was still pulling branches. Murera then had to stop and leave the place with Mwana.
Even the big boys, who we thought were courageous enough to take care of the girls, were fearful and took off, with Mwashoti and Jasiri leading. The little babies were screaming as everyone looked for space to hide. The Keepers followed the elephants while calling them by name, but Kerrio was the most called, because Kerrio and Murera remained loyal to the Keepers since Lima Lima and her team left the herd under Murera and Kerrio.
When the sunshine cooled down and it was time for everyone to walk back home, the orphans began forming a line, but Kapei and his friends did not follow. Mwana and Latika stepped forward and led the team all the way to the stockades, while Murera, whose mood did not allow her to lead, chose to stay at the back.
Today Murera and her team woke up and came out of the gates, getting ready for the new day. Kerrio and Amali moved towards Mwana, and the three girls agreed to stay together and go in one direction rather than splitting up. They went against Murera, who did not want to follow them and rumbled, trying to call Mwana back.
As Mwana began to turn back, Lima Lima and her team joined them. With Amali nearby, Mwana became distracted and forgot her mother’s call, choosing instead to follow Lima Lima and Lenny. Mwana appeared relaxed and welcomed Lenny as they moved towards the hills for browsing.
Kerrio, with Latika and Kamili, moved away as the Nairobi girls followed her direction closely. Kerrio continued to guide them firmly, ensuring they did not go separate ways. This has seen her take on a leadership role, especially as Lima Lima now spends more time away. With support from Enkesha and Kiasa, Kerrio is growing in influence within the Umani herd.
At midday bottle time, Latika came running behind Kapei and the others. Sulwe and Lenny also arrived running, as if eager for bottles. Lenny demanded a bottle from the Keeper and pulled at it until he was given one, after which he relaxed. Sulwe was also allowed to taste, and both little babies then left for the waterhole to play around the mud bath.
Alamaya joined the orphans at the waterhole, but Mwashoti tried to prevent him from entering the mud bath. Alamaya, remaining calm, approached Mwashoti and appeared to communicate quietly with him. Shortly afterwards, the Keepers observed Mwashoti step away into the bushes, allowing Alamaya time at the mud bath.
Wild elephants have now begun visiting the orphans again, as many waterholes in the Chyulu Hills have dried up. This has made the Kibwezi forest, particularly the Umani Springs, a key permanent water source, attracting a wide range of wildlife due to its reliable fresh water.
As the Keepers headed out with the orphans, they first spotted an eland drinking water, and further ahead were wild elephants wallowing, clearly not wanting to be disturbed. This prompted the Keepers to call the orphans to cross over and change direction towards Kenzili.
However, Mwashoti, Kapei, and Maktao wanted to stay near the wild bulls at the waterhole. Mwashoti appeared to recognise them and seemed to be introducing Kapei and Maktao to his companions. Kapei looked very small beside the large bulls, but he was not afraid, even when one of the older bulls reached out his trunk towards him.
Lima Lima came with Quanza but had to turn back when Lenny failed to follow. Lenny was rumbling in protest, and she returned to stay with him. While Lenny was eager to remain near the bulls, Lima Lima maintained her usual awareness of the surroundings and remained attentive to the Keepers, continuing her role as a vigilant presence. The Keepers always feel more at ease when Lima Lima is nearby.
In the evening, when all the elephants returned, the Keepers prepared to spray them with anti-tick treatment. This is never a popular exercise with Faraja, who once again avoided it by slipping away before the spraying began.
Maktao found his own place to run to immediately the Keepers opened the gate. For the third time, he did not stay with his friends but ran all the way towards the staff quarters, where he found some good branches that had been pulled down by wild bulls and left without being fully eaten. It seemed Mwashoti and Alamaya had shown him this place. Maktao did not welcome even his close friend Kapei to share.
The Keepers, together with Murera, did not look for him at that time, as all the orphans were getting ready to go browsing towards Kenzili. Maktao was still missing, but it was interesting to see him later come and join them. It was not clear how he knew the herd had gone to Kenzili.
Kapei moved to meet him and seemed to ask why he had not gone with him, but Maktao grabbed his tail and chewed it, making Kapei scream and run towards Sonje for help.
Mwashoti later arrived from the bushes with Faraja and Alamaya. Alamaya was not as friendly as we know him. He did not want to be with Lima Lima and Zongoloni. This was unusual, and the Keepers thought he may have picked up this behaviour from wild friends. He only showed respect to Murera and Sonje, but not to the other females. At the waterhole and midday bottle feeding, Murera and Sonje did not allow him to come close after seeing his behaviour.
This afternoon, a young wild bull of Jasiri and Ziwa’s age came into the herd before the Keepers noticed. Kerrio and Latika went towards him, and Mwana followed. Mwana suddenly trumpeted loudly and ran back, charging trees and shrubs.
Her trumpeting attracted Amali and Enkesha, who came to support her. When the Keepers looked up, they saw the wild bull trying to chase Mwana. Mwana kept trumpeting, alerting Murera to keep away.
Lenny and Sulwe were nearby, raising their trunks and trumpeting as they ran towards Murera. As the forest became tense and the Keepers called out, the wild bull chose to run away. Kapei briefly followed him before he disappeared into the bushes.
The Keepers then gathered the orphans and moved them towards the Chyulu Hills to change browsing area away from where the bull had been.
Quanza and Kiasa returned to the herd and took hold of little Zigi, while Zongoloni was not aware. This caused some confusion, with Latika and Kerrio also trying to guide Zigi. In the end, Zigi stayed with Kiasa, whom he trusts more than anyone else.
Rain during the night made the morning cool and wet. The orphans did not want to walk through the wet grass, as they did not want their feet to get too wet. Kapei and Maktao avoided the wet grass, and Murera and Mwana did the same.
A bushbuck stopped and watched as the elephants approached. Shortly after, a baboon came down from a tree and faced Kapei. Kapei, Amali, and Enkesha did not fear it. Instead, the baboon got confused as Kiasa and Enkesha blocked its way. The only option left was for it to jump through the trees as it tried to escape.
As the baboon ran away, the orphans charged and trumpeted loudly in the bushes. The Keepers called the babies to come out and follow them. Murera, with Mwana, was reluctant to move towards the Keepers, as she was in a bad mood. The Keepers left her to follow at her own pace, and she later joined the herd at the waterhole.
At the waterhole, elephants and some buffaloes were having a mud bath. Mwana and Amali joined Kapei and Maktao in the water. Murera waited for the young ones to finish before she went in, as she did not want to share the waterhole with them.
Later, Kapei picked up a stick, and Maktao wanted it. When Maktao tried to take it, Kapei refused to drop it. It turned into a tug-of-war, with neither wanting to let go.
Maktao and Kapei continued to show their adventurous nature. As the Keepers were gathering the orphans to return home, they focused on calling Kerrio, Latika, Kamili, and Murera first, as these were the most important to keep close and safe from wild herds.
While the Keepers were focused on them, no one noticed when Kapei and Maktao slipped away. Murera returned with Mwana and Amali, but Lima Lima and her group were not present.
It was later understood that Mwashoti had encouraged Kapei and Maktao to go off adventuring instead of returning home. The Keepers allowed it, knowing they would return when ready, likely escorted by Mwashoti or Alamaya.
At the stockade, Murera and the Nairobi girls received extra food that had been meant for the missing boys. Their bottles and greens were shared among those present.
Meanwhile, Lenny waited near the pellet area and, when he saw no one bringing pellets, walked towards the store. He found a Keeper pushing a wheelbarrow full of pellets and returned to eat with Sulwe and Zigi.
Sulwe tried to dominate the feeding space, but Lenny pushed back. Their mothers did not intervene, allowing them to work it out. Sulwe eventually won the space, while Kiasa stayed close to Zigi, keeping him away from the commotion.
The two boys returned this morning after spending the night with Mwashoti, Alamaya, and a wild bull. They arrived early and were found waiting at the gate after missing their evening bottles.
Kapei and Maktao were eager for milk, and the Keepers did not disappoint them. They were given bottles and decided to stay with the herd that day, appearing to regret missing their feeds.
Mwana, with Kerrio, led the babies towards the Umani Hills for browsing. Murera was calm and in a good mood, showing tolerance towards Latika and Kamili. She remained peaceful throughout.
Mwana showed affection to her mother by kneeling and suckling. Murera stood still and allowed her to feed comfortably, showing care and patience.
Amali watched closely as Mwana fed. Afterwards, Murera led the herd forward again.
Alamaya later visited with a wild bull that had long twisted tusks. He brought the bull to meet the herd. Murera observed calmly and did not react with fear, possibly recognising the bull was not a threat. The bull eventually moved off when it sensed the presence of the Keepers.
Amali came out of her room this morning not in a happy mood, as she could not see the little babies she is very fond of. Lenny and Zigi are her favourites, and their absence affected her.
She tried calling out and looking around, hoping to see them and Lima Lima returning, but when that failed, she went back to where Kamili, Kerrio, Latika, and Mwana were playing at an anthill and joined them.
Mwana later pulled Amali’s tail, making her turn back. Amali followed Mwana, leaving Kerrio, Latika, and Kamili behind. When Kerrio saw this, she brought Latika and Kamili back to join them so the herd would remain together instead of being scattered.
Two warthogs appeared in the tall grass with their young. Kamili noticed them first and began charging towards the grass. Soon, a small tail was seen moving, confirming it was a warthog. The warthogs ran out, and the elephants chased them away, leaving the orphans alert and ready, with Latika especially charged.
Maktao and Kapei are now on their second day without showing up since they went on an adventure with Lima Lima and her team. We hope they are enjoying their time, but the Keepers know they must be missing their milk bottles.
Amali kept looking in both directions, hoping to see the little babies, but they did not return. She later came back to the herd and joined Mwana and Kerrio as they adjusted to being without Lima Lima and her team. This was difficult for Amali, as she is very attached to Zigi and Lenny.
As the day went on without seeing them, Amali became unsettled. In the evening, she calmed down beside Mwana, although Mwana still preferred to stay close to her mother. This left Amali with no option but to spend time with Kerrio and Kamili.
Kamili, however, was not always comfortable with Amali, as Amali tends to bully her. This has created tension between them, especially since both are drawn to the younger babies. Kamili is gentle by nature, but she keeps her distance from Amali.
When Murera later joined Kerrio and Kamili, they were comfortable, and Mwana accepted her mother’s choice to stay with them.
This morning all the babies woke up ready for the long day ahead. Immediately after their morning bottles, Murera led the herd into the Kibwezi forest, first passing by Umani Springs to see if they might find some friends there.
At the springs, crocodiles were seen lying on dry land enjoying the morning sunshine. As soon as they sensed the elephants approaching, they quickly slipped back into the water, leaving Murera and the others alert and uncertain of what had caused the movement.
Latika and Amali began charging and trumpeting around the bushes, and loud trumpets were heard across the forest and even towards the Chyulu side as the orphans ran. Murera could also be heard trumpeting from behind the herd. The Keepers followed closely, calling out names to calm them and prevent them from getting lost, especially Kerrio, Latika, and Kamili, who they were concerned might stray or be taken by a wild herd.
The Keepers made every effort to ensure Kerrio, Kamili, Latika, and Murera remained safe and were guided back home in the evening. On the way back, Latika first tried to lead, but Kerrio and Mwana later took over and guided the herd back to the stockades.
Once back, Mwana moved from room to room as if checking for her mother. When she reached Amali’s room, she grabbed some food that had been left there. The Keepers shouted, and she realised she had done something wrong and dropped the sticks she had taken.
Lima Lima and her team took off with Kapei and Maktao for more adventures into the Chyulu Hills, far away from Umani Springs, and even today they had not come back since they left. This made Amali unhappy, as she had not seen the little babies. However, we hope Kapei and Maktao remained happy as they explored away from home, and that in time Lima Lima would bring them back.
Latika went close to Kerrio, and the two were seen consulting frequently, though the Keepers could not tell why. Some minutes later, Kerrio was seen bringing Kamili and Mwana to join them before heading into the Kibwezi forest to browse on acacia that had been pulled down by passing wild elephants and left uneaten. This was why Latika had been consulting with Kerrio, as she wanted them to go alone, but Kerrio preferred to have Mwana and Amali join them.
Murera rumbled to express her displeasure at Mwana not being near her. Mwana responded with a soft rumble and backed off, returning to her mother. When she reached Murera, who was waiting under a tree, Mwana went straight to her mother’s belly to suckle. The Keepers understood that Murera wanted her to come back and feed. After nursing, Mwana later left again to play with Amali.
Mwana tried to bully Kamili this morning at the pellet feeding area, but she got her own medicine. Kamili, being older, turned against Mwana and chased her all the way back to her mother. Kamili then moved away after seeing Murera looking to see who was chasing Mwana.
As soon as Kamili spotted Murera with her ears raised, she returned to where Kerrio and Latika were feeding. Amali was also calm and kind today and did not push the Nairobi girls as she sometimes does. It was only Mwana who tried, but she found it difficult to push Kamili and ended up being chased back to her mother in the bushes, where Murera was browsing while the Keepers watched closely.
Mwana was lucky that Murera had already noticed her. When Kamili saw Murera moving towards them, she stopped and returned to Kerrio and Latika, leaving Mwana with her mother. Mwana then went down on her knees and suckled. This has become her way of approaching her mother, especially when Murera is in a bad mood. When Murera saw Mwana kneeling, she allowed her to breastfeed.
The day became hot, and the orphans grew thirsty. Kerrio moved to Latika and seemed to signal her, and the two, together with Kamili, walked as one group to Amali. They then moved towards a nearby waterhole for drinking and cooling off, led by Amali.
After some time, Murera arrived at the waterhole and found the babies there. As soon as they saw her, they stood up and gave her space, allowing her to enter and swim on her own, without the younger ones around her.
Many buffaloes passed the stockade this morning just as the orphans were getting ready to start their day and head out into the Kibwezi forest. The group was big and stopped everyone from moving out. Even the Keepers stood by the gate watching as Latika and Amali tried hard to push through the buffaloes, but everyone was fearful, and the buffaloes were also watching them.
The brave Mwana broke the fear when she charged at the buffaloes. A group of them got scared and ran away. Kamili and Latika joined Mwana to give more support, and this is how the orphans managed to push the buffaloes away until they disappeared and gave space for the elephants to move towards Chyulu to browse. Murera then joined and led all the babies towards the Chyulu side of Kenzili.
Murera and her team found fresh vegetation in a quiet place, which was enough for all the babies. Kerrio, with Kamili, went deeper into the forest and found branches that had been pulled down by wild elephants and left uneaten, and they took the opportunity to feed before Murera joined them.
Amali moved to where Kerrio and Latika were playing. After watching Kerrio and Kamili, Mwana joined them, but when Latika saw Mwana join, she excused herself and left. Mwana then played with Kamili and Kerrio, as Latika did not want to associate with her because Mwana sometimes bullies them when she is around Murera.
Before it was time to head home, the orphans went to the waterhole and had a mud bath to cool off from the hot day before returning to the stockade.
Most of the Umani orphans joined Murera and her team this morning. Both the night clubbers and Ziwa with his wild herd visited very briefly and left in a hurry back to Chyulu, leaving Murera with Mwana, Kerrio, and her friends.
Amali, Kapei, and Maktao decided to team up and left together. The Keepers then called Lima Lima and Sonje to come back and be with Murera, which Lima Lima did, and they stayed with her. In the past days, Lima Lima and her team had not been with Murera, and it seemed Murera had missed them, so it was good for Lima Lima and Sonje to stay close to her.
Murera received her long-time friend Sonje with hugs. Mwana went to Sulwe to play, while Lima Lima stayed nearby pulling tall branches. Two crane birds flew onto a tree where Lima Lima and the others were resting in the shade. The noise from the cranes made Lima Lima move out of the shade in fear. She later came back but advised everyone to move away, as the noise was too much for the little babies. Lenny, Sulwe, and Zigi were disturbed by the screaming cranes.
Warthogs came out of their holes and found Lenny and Latika playing in the open. This scared Lenny and Sulwe, as the warthogs appeared suddenly and ran past. The two young babies ran straight to their mothers and nannies, who were nearby and protected them.
The elephants came together, shielding the babies and remaining alert for any approaching warthogs. Later, they walked back towards the Kibwezi forest as the Keepers called them.
Kibwezi forest is in full glory. It has turned green, and the forest cover has grown, helping more animals around the area and making it very suitable for elephants. The orphans went into the forest today, and the Keepers could not see them, but they could hear and feel their presence as they enjoyed feeding.
At some point, someone pushed Mwana, and she screamed loudly, alerting her mother Murera to come and help her. Murera came and found nothing serious, as Mwana had only been pushed aside by Amali as a form of discipline. Mwana had shouted as if something serious had happened. Murera looked at her and returned to browsing, leaving her to continue with her friends, as she is growing and needs to relate well with others like Kerrio and Amali.
Sometimes Mwana seems proud of being with her biological mother Murera, while the others do not have their mothers. When something happens, she screams loudly and Murera comes to check on her. This shows how much she depends on her mother.
It is also interesting to see Mwana still going under her mother to breastfeed, even though she is now tall. Murera, despite being pregnant, still allows her to nurse. Since Lenny was stopped from nursing, Mwana is the one who still goes for her mother’s breast, even at her age of three years.
This often makes the Keepers laugh and say that a baby is always a baby in front of her mother, no matter how old she is. Mwana is still a baby to Murera, and Murera continues to give her the comfort she needs.
At midday bottle feeding time, the elephants came along but were not in a hurry. Everyone was walking slowly. Kerrio and Kamili reached a place and found a group of buffalo sleeping on their way. Kerrio slowed down and tried to touch a buffalo’s tail, as it had not seen her, but just as she was about to grab it, the buffalo got up and ran away. Kerrio and Kamili then took off at speed towards the bottles.
Murera was slow today and not in a good mood for bottles. The Keepers saw she was not ready for her milk and gave the extra bottle to Amali. After Amali was given the extra bottle meant for Murera, Murera came to the milk truck demanding her bottle. The Keepers had to bring another bottle for her, as she insisted. She seemed aware of what had happened and wanted her share. Mwana stood by her mother as they waited together. When the Keepers returned with the bottle and gave it to Murera, she left and rumbled, as if to say thank you.
Latika then teamed up with Mwana as they walked to the bushes to browse. On the way, Mwana spotted butterflies and began chasing them. She tried to catch them with her trunk, but they kept changing direction, and she fell on her knees while trying. She could not catch them and later returned to join her friends.
Amali joined her together with Kerrio and Kamili. Kerrio pushed Latika aside to create space and picked a stick that Latika was also trying to take. This led to a pushing and pulling match between the two girls. It became a matter of strength, and Latika lost the stick to Kamili, who won the contest.
A rock hyrax crossed in front of Murera and Mwana, which made Mwana panic and run back to her mother for safety.
Following the success and expansion of the night clubbers, a team that started with four boys — Ziwa, Jasiri, Faraja, and Ngasha — a few months later girls led by Lima Lima joined them, and now it has grown into a very big group of orphans forming the night clubbers family.
Since Lima Lima, Zongoloni, and Sonje gave birth to the newborns about one year ago, the group has remained strong under the leadership of Lima Lima and Sonje, with Lenny, Sulwe, and Zigi also growing within the group. The orphans have been staying away from the home base, and it is now about one and a half weeks since Maktao and Kapei joined the night clubbers. Up to now, Kapei and Maktao have not been seen.
It is only Murera and Kerrio who are taking care of the little girls and the few babies who are still under Murera. The Keepers suspect that when Maktao and Kapei return, it may be difficult for them to come back into the stockades after staying away for this long and enjoying the freedom outside. However, we hope and trust they will return with Lima Lima and her team.
If they choose to return, the Keepers will still have to manage the situation, as there are consequences for staying away, including missing their bottles. The bottles are currently being given to Murera and Kerrio, who have remained loyal and continue to return with their groups. Mwana, now three and a half years old, still demands to breastfeed, and if Murera denies her, she screams loudly until she is allowed.
Mwashoti is likely a happy boy now that Maktao and Kapei have joined the group. For many years he has been the only boy among the girls. But now, with Kapei and Maktao adding to the number of boys in the nightclubbers, he has more companions to move with instead of being mostly among females.
Since Lima Lima and her team came a few days ago and walked away with Kapei and Maktao, Murera has remained with Mwana, Amali, Latika, Kamili, and Kerrio, taking care of those left behind. We now find that Kerrio has continued to act as second in command after Murera, as there is no strong competitor to challenge her when Murera is not around.
In the span of about ten days since Lima Lima left, Kerrio has stepped into the gap and taken on a deputy role to Murera, and Murera has allowed her to take on more responsibility. Latika, Amali, and Mwana have recognised this, although at times Mwana still sees herself as more important because of the privilege she has from her mother. Even so, the Keepers have seen that Mwana gives Kerrio the respect she needs, and listens when Kerrio gives direction to the group.
Amali walked to Mwana and the two seemed to discuss Kerrio. They then walked away into the bushes, where they found more food. Latika heard them rumbling and followed. She found Amali holding a big bunch of food and not sharing, which led to some pushing. Mwana did not drop the food but ran away with it, with Amali following behind.
They later changed direction to where Murera was waiting under a tree. When Mwana saw her mother, she went straight under her for breastfeeding. Murera ignored her at first, but Mwana insisted and screamed loudly until she was allowed a quick feed.
A group of buffaloes slept by the roadside, blocking movement along the road. The elephants, together with the Keepers, were heading out into the Kibwezi forest when Amali and Kerrio spotted the buffaloes lying in the middle of the road.
Amali trumpeted and charged at them, with Kerrio and Kamili joining to support her. The buffaloes became alarmed, stood up, and ran away, clearing the road. Murera and Mwana joined the others in chasing them as they scattered into the bushes. Kapei and his friend Maktao also joined in, and the orphans continued chasing until they felt safe to proceed towards the Chyulu side for browsing.
Loud trumpeting was later heard from the valleys of the Umani Hills. The Keepers thought it might be Lima Lima and her team returning after being away for some days. However, as midday approached, it was not Lima Lima but Ziwa with his adopted wild family who arrived to join the orphans.
As soon as Murera spotted them, she stepped back with Mwana, as she did not trust Ziwa and his group. Mwana did not listen and walked with Amali towards the wild herd, while the Keepers called the Nairobi girls back to prevent them from joining the wild elephants.
Ziwa arrived back to the orphans after much time away, and this time he came with his wild family. He walked straight to where Murera was with Kerrio and Latika, but Murera was not in a good mood and did not want to associate with him. She moved away and left Ziwa with Latika.
Some minutes later, the Keepers identified the problem with Ziwa. He was seen pushing away Kerrio and Amali, making the orphans afraid of him. The Keepers had a hard time trying to calm the herd, as many were running away from Ziwa. It became clear that Murera was right to keep away from him, as his behaviour was not good around the babies.
The Keepers changed direction for Murera and her team so they could browse peacefully and avoid Ziwa. However, Ziwa did not leave as expected. He followed the Keepers and the orphans everywhere, into the bushes and even to the waterholes.
At the waterhole, where the orphans were having a mud bath to cool off, Ziwa was still present. A few minutes before the Keepers called Murera to lead the babies away, the wild family that had come with Ziwa returned for him and left with him. This brought relief, as Murera was now at ease and the orphans were left in peace.
In the early morning today, Ziwa was the first big boy to be seen waiting by the gate for Murera and the other milk dependents to come out after a long night in the stockades. Lima Lima and her team were nowhere to be seen at these early hours. The Keepers first thought it was Mwashoti, but it was Ziwa, waiting for his orphan friends. His long wait was not welcomed by Murera, who had not liked him since he arrived with his wild friends.
Murera’s moods this week have not been friendly to the other babies. She only welcomes Mwana, and at times Amali, because Amali is good to Mwana and looks after her when Enkesha, Kiasa, and the little babies are not around.
Browsing time was decided by Amali, Latika, and Kerrio, and they headed towards the Chyulu Hills to try and search the bushes for Lima Lima, Sonje, Zongoloni, Quanza, and their friends. They only found fresh dung from wild elephants around Chyulu and did not find Lima Lima and her team.
From the far side of the Chyulu hills, Ziwa was later spotted with Alamaya and Mwashoti. Only Mwashoti was accepted into the herd by Murera, who as matriarch decided who to welcome and who not to accept. Ziwa was not welcomed. He tried different ways to make Murera change her mind, but she remained firm in her decision because of his behaviour towards Mwana. He had tried to mount Mwana earlier, which made her scream for help, and this left Murera unhappy with him.
At midday, just as the Keepers were preparing the orphans for bottle feeding, the hills and valleys were quiet. Suddenly, echoes of trumpeting came down from the Umani Hills. The Keepers listened carefully, as the smaller trumpets sounded like those of young babies, and they suspected it might be the return of Lima Lima and her team.
As the sound grew clearer, Sulwe was seen leading, followed by Lenny, who was trying to climb on her but could not get enough space. Soon, it became clear that Lima Lima, Zongoloni, Sonje, and Kiasa were returning with their group, arriving just in time for the midday bottle feeds.
The Keepers began to count the returning nightclubbers to ensure all were back safely. Mwashoti, who often stays with Sonje and Lima Lima, was not among them. Instead, Ziwa had come back with the group. The Keepers were happy to see the rest of the group return safely.
The elephants were very thirsty on arrival. The little babies — Zigi, Lenny, and Sulwe — went straight into the waterhole to drink, alongside their mothers. After drinking, Quanza and Kiasa went with Kerrio and Lenny into the water to cool off.
Murera kept her distance from Ziwa and did not want to associate with him. Her mood did not allow her to accept his presence. This was linked to an earlier disagreement, when Ziwa tried to touch her tail and Murera did not tolerate it. As the matriarch, she expects respect from the younger boys, and she remained firm in keeping her distance from him.
Zigi found himself in a disagreement with his rival friend Lenny. Zigi remains a fearless little boy who, when touched in any way by Lenny, will always push back to defend himself. This time, however, he found Lenny ready for him. When Zigi tried to grab Lenny’s tail, he found Lenny standing firm next to Amali. Zigi stopped what he was planning after seeing the tough stance Lenny showed him and instead went for help from Kiasa. He found Kiasa with Amali, and the two nannies led him away into the bushes, leaving Lenny to continue browsing.
Mwana was given some discipline by Kerrio and Enkesha when she tried to cross in front of Kerrio and grab branches that Kerrio and Enkesha were reaching for. This led to Mwana being corrected by the two nannies. She went to report them to her mother Murera, but Murera handled the situation silently and did not take any action. The Keepers later saw Mwana being allowed some time to feed so that she settled down.
Kerrio and Enkesha later walked away to be with Amali, leaving Mwana after her behaviour. Mwana often feels more privileged than the other babies because of her mother, but Murera seems to understand her behaviour and handles it in her own way.
Mwashoti returned this afternoon after being away for some days with Alamaya. He came back with marks on his face, showing that he had likely been involved in fights with other bulls during his time away. It appeared he had been fighting to hold his space, as young bulls often do while growing and establishing themselves away from the big girls.
Zongoloni arrived in style with her baby boy Zigi right next to her, not giving him even a little space. This made Kiasa, who is always his nanny, keep some distance today, as Zigi decided to stay very close to his mother. It was not something Zongoloni had planned, but Zigi chose to be without his nanny for a while.
Zigi acted as if he was not concerned with Kiasa today, although he is very fond of her. His assumption did not last long, and after some time he returned to his good friend Kiasa. Kiasa gave him some time to be with his mother, knowing he would come back. Amali walked over to be with him, but he ignored her, and she moved away to join Sulwe and Lenny at the waterhole, where most of the babies were enjoying themselves.
Lenny was inside the waterhole and was completely covered in mud, making it difficult to recognise him. Kapei went back and found his friend Maktao still wallowing. He climbed onto Maktao’s back when Maktao was not ready, and both of them fell into the water. Maktao quickly turned back to chase Kapei, who ran away knowing Maktao would retaliate.
Lima Lima later returned with Lenny, while Amali was still playing with him. Lenny chose to follow his mother instead of staying behind. Amali is fond of all three little babies, but with Zigi staying close to his mother, she chose to spend more time with Lenny. Mwana followed with Sulwe.
Enkesha later moved to have a conversation with Kerrio, who seemed to have something to share. Latika joined them, but Enkesha and Kerrio moved away, leaving her behind, as they wanted to talk privately. Latika then went to join Kamili so she could have some company.
The playful little boy Zigi and Sulwe combined with Lenny, the three boys becoming naughty with each other, but today Zigi was not happy and overreacted when fighting back with Lenny and Sulwe. Zigi found much energy that surprised many of the Keepers when he pushed Lenny down, and even Sulwe could not match the power he applied. It forced the Keepers to intervene because Zigi came with such big power and pushed Lenny and Sulwe, forcing them to move back to their mothers.
Kiasa was around him, and she was the one who made Zigi have more confidence as he fought his friends like never before in front of the Keepers. Amali and Mwana sympathised with Lenny because he was the one Zigi was targeting most. The Keepers could not tell why the little brothers fought so hard like today, but it could be because of a grudge between the boys. Sometimes they are good friends like brothers, but Zigi is now slowly developing into a no-nonsense young boy who, when angered, can fight strongly. He has a high-tempered character and, when something angers him, he can overreact, like he did today.
Murera took off with her baby Mwana for a walk to the bushes. Mwana did not stop after seeing buffalo on her way and continued with Kerrio, Latika, and Amali. While far into the bushes, Murera heard a loud scream that she knew was Mwana. This made Murera hurry back to see why Mwana was screaming for help.
Murera found Mwashoti standing next to Mwana, and this made her push Mwashoti away, thinking he was blocking her. Mwana then joined Kerrio, who was not far. Murera thought it was Mwashoti who had blocked her daughter’s way. Kapei and Maktao, who were close to Mwashoti, had to move away quickly to avoid Murera, who was very angry and looking for whoever had disturbed Mwana.