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Nyika is still a very unhappy little elephant, choosing to remain apart from the others when out in the field, and not playful. Orwa, Bomani and Naipoki look out for him. Tano has been moved to a Stockade, her stable now occupied by Kwale. Every morning she rushes back to her former Stable to check it out!

The arrival of Kinango necessitated another change in the sleeping arrangements, Sities and Naipoki being moved into the Stockade next door to Tano, with Bomani in Naipoki’s former stable, and Kinango in that previously occupied by Sities and Orwa next door. Sities and Naipoki complained a lot during the night. The new baby was out amongst the other Nursery elephants at dawn, welcomed very enthusiastically, especially by the Big Girls and all the Keepers in a celebration reminiscent of a newborn human baby. At the Public Viewing the crowd found him adorable since he is smaller than Kithaka, hitherto the darling of the herd!

Today, we have split the Nursery elephants into 3 groups, mainly because Kinango won’t take his milk properly when with the Big Girls and is not yet used to the Hanging Blanket. Now Kinango is with Barsilinga, Kithaka and Nyika with Naipoki, Balguda, Bomani, Orwa, Kwale and Ishaq-B in the second group and Sonje and Kihari upgraded to the Big Group, Sonje in that group because she is inclined to be pushy towards the smaller elephants. The separation worked well with Kinango feeding as he should again. When the entire herd came together at 3 p.m. for the private viewing, Mutara was wildly excited at seeing Kinango and insisted upon making a fuss of him before taking her own milk.

Because it was a drizzly morning, Kinango was kept inside his stable. Mutara tried to push the door open, and Kinango tried to climb the door in order to get out. We had a hard time moving Mutara away. In the end Kinango, Barsilinga and Kithaka were moved into a Big Stable to await the weather improving and by l0 a.m. they were allowed out, accompanied by Nyika. At the mudbath Kwale knocked Barsilinga down as he was playing in the dust, which made him scream. With lots of fingers pointing at him Kwale sneaked off quietly to join Orwa who was further away. At the 3 p.m. viewing Mutara took hold of her bottle and went in search of Kinango who was shielded by Naipoki. She dropped her bottle still half full, pushed Naipoki away and urged Kinango underneath her body so that he could suckle. What a loving mother she is! We feel bad separating Kinango from her, but it is for his own good.