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Today early before dawn it was time for Sana Sana, Ndiwa and Malkia to enter the lorry for their journey to Tsavo. At this special hour their loving human family all bid them farewell and wished them good luck on the next stage of their life. Sana Sana and Malkia were the first ones onto the lorry and theirs was a very smooth entry. Unfortunately Ndiwa took a little longer as the gate behind her was closed too quickly and it touched her on the bum so she tried to back out, but after another attempt she was soon loaded and safely concealed into her compartment ready for her journey. Everyone who witnessed their departure, with two Keepers to accompany them to Ithumba, wished them a successful transition back into the wild where they belong.

The orphans left behind in the Nursery spent their day altogether, with Tagwa watching over them. Sagala, who was very attached to Sana Sana and Ndiwa, spent her day close to Tagwa and Kuishi as she missed her friends who she used to go for walks with.

The absence of Sana Sana, Ndiwa and Malkia is obviously still being felt by some in the Nursery as they don’t walk to walk deep into the forest like they used to do. All the orphans are now spotted browsing close to the Keepers since Tagwa and Kuishi are not that fond of going on long walks.

Jotto and Mapia, who used to be bullied a bit by Malkia, Sana Sana and Ndiwa, are slightly happier and enjoying interacting with lovely Tagwa and Kuishi. Today out in the forest, Jotto was spotted playing with Tagwa and Mapia was playing with Kuishi too. Their new games showed how happy and comfortable they were without the presence of what must have been their disciplinary masters! Tagwa seems very happy too, to be leading the entire orphan herd without the presence of any elders to push her around, as she has always been a docile and gentle girl who does not like to fight. Usually if anyone tries to pick on her, she just walks away and does not engage them in a fight.

Today was a very chilly morning which was very rainy, which meant that little Maarifa stayed inside her stable. Dololo and Mukkoka the little elephants stayed in their stables as well, as they are not yet strong enough to endure such cold weather either. All the other orphans went out to the forest and had a fun time rolling in the mud and the streams that sprang up all around. Tagwa, Sagala and Kuishi set up the mud bathing event and then the rest joined in. The boys like Jotto, Mapia, Ambo, Emoli, Sattao, Musiara and even Maktao were all busy trying to climb on the others as they all rolled on the ground mud bathing. It was so funny to watch tiny Maktao try and climb on Tagwa, but there was no way he could and he just kept sliding down her back. When he got up and found Musiara about to try the same thing, he angrily head butted him, either jealous of him stealing his game, or for thinking he was the reason he slid down onto his back! Maktao can be such a funny little thing. They then spent a few minutes challenging each other before Tamiyoi sorted them out by sending Musiara away from Maktao.

After their 9am milk bottle as the babies walked off back into the forest to browse, some of them decided not to browse but to try and dust themselves instead. It all started with Enkesha and Musiara. They were the ones that decided to start digging at the soil to try and play, but when Tagwa saw them struggling she knew she had to come over to help them. As overall ‘mama’ to everyone, she walked over and shoved Enkesha to the side, so she could use her big tusks to help dig up the soil. As she began digging the soil, Ambo and Tamiyoi joined her. Musiara was already on the ground, taking advantage of all the loose soil that was being thrown up.

Ahead of where Musiara was lying were the warthogs who were still sleeping in their dens with their babies. The warthog thought that a predator was after them and they came running out of their holes one after the other, very quickly. Musiara got such a fright he jumped up yelling. Malima rushed down from the bush she was browsing on to help save the little boy. Jotto, Mapia and Kuishi teamed up with Malima and they all chased after the warthogs, driving them away into the thicket. Tagwa and the others used their holes as they new play site and everybody joined in dusting themselves in the loose soil. 

In the early morning the orphans walked out to the forest and most of them were in a very playful mood. Mapia seems like he is trying to weigh up Ambo’s strength whenever they are engaged in a pushing game. Ambo thinks they are playing a game at first, but Mapia seems to take their wrestling matches much more seriously and applies much more force to try and overpower Ambo. Today the two had a lengthy pushing game which we think Mapia was treating as more of a fight.

Kuishi hardly ever plays with Jotto and this is because she is a little rough when she plays games. In most cases Jotto and some of the other more gentle elephants will therefore try and avoid playing with her. This morning however, Jotto decided to try and engage Kuishi in a wrestling game. Their game was fine and the two played very well until Tagwa came over and interrupted their game.

Today during the 11am milk feed there was a little drama caused by Ambo and Jotto, as they both came in for their milk at the same time. Ambo finished his milk before Jotto, and then he tried to fight for some of Jotto’s share by snatching at the bottle. Jotto wasn’t pleased with this and when he finished his milk he approached Ambo, who knew he had done wrong and raised his ears, ready for a fight. Jotto was very angry and went ahead and challenged him, and the two boys bumped heads. Jotto pushed Ambo who started yelling for help, and Sagala and the Keepers came over to help him.

At milk feeding times, Musiara is always more relaxed than the others and is always just sure that his share will be waiting for him at the other end. He always walks in slowly, whereas the others don’t delay or hesitate to run in for their share. Today we watched a race between Maisha, Emoli, Tamiyoi and Maktao as they all came in to go to bed. Tamiyoi is known for her speed as she always out runs everyone, especially to the stockades – she wants to try and grab some of Maxwell’s pellets on the way past as well! Today things were slightly different however, as Tamiyoi was ahead of the group for the morning feed, but as soon as they reached the open area before the stockades, everyone else gained pace and Emoli who was right at the back, ended up over taking them all. Tamiyoi and Maisha tried their best to catch him up but all in vain. They got to the feeding point with Emoli first, then Maktao, Tamiyoi and Maisha last to arrive.

When the second group of seven elephants were on their way down for the same milk feed, a male impala jumped out of a bush and scared the group. They split up and Tagwa, Sagala, Kuishi and Jotto arrived at the milk feeding point first with their ears still raised and still slightly scared. They finished their milk and were still in the same jittery mood when a warthog tried to join them at the mud bath area. Tagwa wasn’t in the mood and chased the poor chap away from the scene!

The weather was cloudy and windy today as the orphans started to make their way out to the forest this morning. Dololo and Mukkoka wore blankets as usual in the colder weather. Sattao, Musiara, Maktao and the playful boy Emoli made sure they were sandwiched between the bigger orphans for warmth. Emoli was trying to keep close to Jotto but Jotto wasn’t in a good mood and didn’t want the babies around him and he ended up pushing poor Emoli. This irritated Sagala who was standing close by and she fought back for Emoli.

The orphans were all browsing from nearby bushes as the Keepers were having their tea and breakfast. Ambo, Tamiyoi and Mapia browsed a short distance away from the others and the Keepers were unaware of their motive, which was actually to sneak off. The sneaked behind the Keepers’ backs and disappeared into the thicket, only to emerge some time shortly before the 9am milk feed. As the babies were enjoying their milk, Kuishi, who had already finished hers, was spotted looking around for any milk that had spilled into the wheelbarrow or that was left in the empty bottles, and was sucking up any that she found as she finds her milk formula so delicious. 

The day began as usual and was just like any other day. The orphans moved through the forest in the company of their Keepers and because it was a sunny day all the orphans were happy and seemed to enjoy the morning. The weather was so nice and the temperature so favourable, that the newest arrivals Dololo and Mukkoka did not even need to wear blankets. Musiara was enjoying the sunshine the most, and stood basking in an open area. He then decided to roll on the ground and lie with his feet in the air, making the most of the warmth. Maktao, who is always close to his beloved Keepers, was busy dusting his body with loose soil. Tagwa, Kuishi, Tamiyoi, Sagala and Jotto were not as interested in warming themselves, and chose instead to browse from the nearby leafy trees. Enkesha joined Maktao to dust as well. Soon, Kiko decided to join the follow the elephants and he was browsing from every tree he came across. Malima, who is always so playful, was mock-charging a group of impalas who were close by, and Emoli and Sattao were busy chasing some warthogs who were passing by – it was a very jovial and happy festive day.

The day started as usual with the orphans leaving their stockades just after 6am. It was a chilly day so the latest arrivals in the Nursery Mukkoka and Dololo wore their blankets to ensure they were kept warm. As it is her role in the Nursery as matriarch, Tagwa led the orphans out to browse in the nearby bushes. She had Mukkoka on one side of her and Maktao on the other. Kuishi, who is becoming more motherly recently, kept the skinny Dololo by her side too. Luggard and his next door neighbor and friend Musiara were trailing behind, slowly following the others while Luggard took little breaks to give his bad leg a rest. Musiara just used the opportunity of a break to stop and browse from the nearby bushes. Neither the Keepers nor the other orphans seemed to notice that Tamiyoi had dodged the group and had made her way back to the stockades! She went to try her luck finding some of Maxwell’s leftover pellets, she loves these so much! Her joy at stealing these from Maxwell was short lived however as a Keeper bumped into her on his way back out to the forest. She trumpeted loudly in protest at being caught, as she was escorted back out to the forest.

It’s the last day of the year and it was another sunny day. The babies were engaged in all different activities. Some, like Sattao, Kiasa, Musiara, Maisha and Maktao were playing push and pull games. Some of the big girls like Kuishi, Sagala and Tagwa were pulling and picking branches from the tops of some small trees. The biggest Nursery boys, Jotto and Ambo, were basking in the sun. Kiko was enjoying as usual from the tops of the trees nearby. The playful girls Malima and Tamiyoi were play-chasing him around as he tried to browse. He was enjoying all the different leaves, and at once stage bent low so he could sample some of the tasty ones from a smaller shrub as well. Tiny Maarifa was warming her little body in the sun as well, as her Keepers stood by her and watched for her safety as she took a little nap. The year of 2018 ended well for all the little orphans in the Nairobi Nursery.