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Quanza and Mwashoti did not come today, breaking their usual routine of attending the morning pellets session at the stockades. Only Sonje, Zongoloni, and Lima Lima arrived early, before six o’clock in the morning. The Keepers suspected that Lima Lima might be close to giving birth, because she was walking very slowly. Sonje seemed to be acting as her midwife, staying close and attentive, prepared for the moment when Lima Lima would bring her baby home to her Keepers.

Later in the morning, a loud commotion was heard from a group of wild elephants near the Umani Springs. The Keepers and the orphans decided to take a different route to avoid encountering them. Through the trees, Ziwa and Faraja emerged and joined the orphans. Soon after, the wild herd that had been with the boys appeared as well. Sonje quickly took action to keep Mwana away from the wild females, concerned about her possibly disappearing with the herd.

The Keepers called Murera and decided to lead the orphans toward the hills. As the group moved, a lone wild bull began to follow them briefly, but he eventually moved away, leaving the orphans in peace to browse on the hills as they waited for their midday bottles.

The Keepers tried to lead the herd to Kenzili this morning, but it wasn’t the destination the orphans had in mind. Kapei, Kiombo, and Maktao defied the order, choosing to go their own way, leaving the Keepers feeling a bit ashamed and watching in disbelief at what the boys were doing. These three seemed determined to show their independence, as if shaping their own destiny as big boys now capable of making their own choices. Meanwhile, only the head girls and younger nannies followed the Keepers along their planned path.

Mwana suddenly emerged from the thick bushes, charging playfully at one of the Keepers from an unexpected angle. She was feeling strong and happy. Lima Lima, with the help of Enkesha, rushed over to stop Mwana from pushing their beloved Keeper, who they see as a mother. Mwana, whose mother is Murera, does not always show the same respect to the keepers.

After settling the situation, the orphans continued toward their browsing destination, while the junior boys, including Kapei, continued on their chosen path.

Lima Lima arrived looking very tired, which is not her usual nature — she is normally very strong and moves fast. But today moved very slowly, with Quanza and Sonje by her side. After eating the morning pellets with everybody, Lima Lima and her two head girls moved to where Murera and the other little babies were browsing. She went to Murera and they had a little conversation. After that, she walked to a nearby anthill and lay down, rubbing her belly on the ground.

The Keepers wondered if today was the day Lima Lima would give birth. Philip jokingly told Evans, "Evans, can you please lean your head on Lima Lima’s belly and test her? We’d like to know when her big day to deliver will be." The Keepers laughed at the thought of Evans being Lima Lima’s obstetrician.

A few minutes later, Sonje and Quanza moved to Lima Lima and tried to separate her from the other orphans. The girls seemed to know what was happening, but the others were none the wiser. The Keepers began to suspect that Lima Lima might be going into labour, but they decided to leave it to nature to take its course. The Keepers also speculated on how little Mwana, who has dominated Umani as the only princess, would behave when Lima Lima’s baby arrived.

At the waterhole after the midday bottles, Kapei was on a mission to swim. As soon as he dropped his bottle, he took off to the waterhole, trying to be the first at the mud bath. He succeeded briefly, but then Kiombo arrived and blocked his swimming position. Kapei retaliated by kicking Kiombo's bottom and moving to another location, where Amali and Mwana also joined his fun.

This morning began well. Sonje, Lima Lima, and Quanza arrived, one after the other. Everyone ate lucerne together and then the orphans moved off, led by Murera.

A short distance away, Lima Lima rumbled, catching the attention of Sonje and Quanza. The Keepers continued moving with Murera and the others, but the three nightclubbers changed direction, ensuring the other babies didn’t follow them. At one point, Lima Lima lay down to stretch on a hill. When she got back up, the Keepers jokingly asked her to tell them when she would give birth, as she was heavily pregnant and her due date seemed to be drawing very close.

After the midday bottle feeding and mud bath, Quanza was spotted walking toward the stockades. Finding no one there, she continued on to the staff quarters. Those she encountered didn’t initially understand what message Quanza was trying to convey — she was charging around and rumbling with great excitement. But then, Head Keeper Philip was informed and took off in a vehicle to investigate. He was intercepted by Quanza, who followed behind him as he drove. A few meters ahead, he saw two elephants, and to his surprise, it was Sonje and Lima Lima — with a tiny baby boy!

I was taken by surprise and immediately called out to Lima Lima to let me get closer to the baby. She allowed me, and I quickly took some photos to show the other Keepers. Excited, I rushed back to share the news with everyone. The entire team was overjoyed, and everyone hurried to welcome Lima Lima and her baby boy.

After informing the other staff and the office, the news spread quickly: Lima Lima had given birth to a beautiful baby boy, who we named Lenny. She was given extra pellets as a treat after delivering her baby.

When the other orphans were brought to meet the newborn, Murera and Mwana were in disbelief. Instead of getting close to the baby, Mwana ran away in surprise. However, Kiasa, Enkesha, and Amali were much braver, happily receiving and accepting the new baby. As the day progressed, Murera left with Mwana, who was not happy about the arrival of the new baby and even tried to kick him. Kapei also aimed several kicks at Lenny.

At the stockades that evening, Kiasa refused to enter her stockade, choosing instead to remain outside with the new baby. She and Enkesha both spent the night outside, but the Keepers left the gate open, allowing them to come and go as they pleased. Early in the morning, Lima Lima, Sonje, and Quanza brought Kiasa and the baby back home for the morning feeding session.

Lenny began breastfeeding yesterday evening, and we are united in wishing him well as he embarks on his journey in this challenging world. Now, all eyes are on Sonje and Zongoloni, as we wait for their babies. With Lima Lima now finished with her maternity period, she is free to enjoy motherhood.

Since Lima Lima surprised the Umani herd with her new baby boy, Lenny, Murera and others have had mixed reactions. Murera, in particular, has been keeping her distance from the new baby. When Lenny ran towards her, Murera and Mwana were not comfortable letting him get too close. Mwana even kicked him away before running back to her mother.

Kiasa, Enkesha, Sonje, and Quanza have been giving Lima Lima moral support. Today, they noticed Mwana’s behaviour and quickly stepped in to warn her not to kick Lenny again. Mwana, who still thinks of herself as the only ‘princess’ of the group, seemed unsure about accepting the new arrival. However, as of 3rd December, when Lenny the ‘prince’ was born, Mwana will need to adjust and share the spotlight. Now, the Umani family has two darlings: baby boy Lenny, the prince, and baby girl Mwana, the princess.

Since Lenny’s birth just a few days ago, the Keepers have been wondering about Mwashoti and Zongoloni, who have been absent since the day Lima Lima went into labour. Perhaps they just decided to give Lima Lima space and trusted Sonje and Quanza to assist her. We also wonder if Zongoloni, who is heavily pregnant, might give birth soon herself.

Sonje, in particular, has been an exceptional midwife and continues to provide much-needed support to Lima Lima. Whenever Lenny trips or gets stuck in the grass, Sonje is quick to pull him back up. On one occasion, a Keeper stepped in to help Lenny stand after he got caught in some tall grass. Lima Lima watched closely but remained calm, trusting her Keeper to do what was best for her baby.

Today was a turning point. Princess Mwana is done sulking and appears to have fully accepted Lenny into the herd. Murera, who was unsure of him at first, looked relaxed and even tried to stay close to Lenny. Meanwhile, Amali seemed to shift her attention from Mwana to the new baby, disrupting the comfort zone that Mwana had enjoyed. With Zongoloni and Sonje expected to deliver their own babies soon, Mwana’s privileged position will change as more newborns join the group.

In the afternoon, the orphans decided it was too hot and branched off to another waterhole inside the Kibwezi Forest. Mwana was the first to jump into the water, followed by Amali, who took it upon herself to help little Lenny enjoy a gentle shower at the shallow end. Lenny tried rolling in the mud while the older orphans splashed water on him to cool him down — almost like how humans bathe their babies.

Mwana became annoyed when she noticed Kapei trying to challenge Amali. When she realised it was Amali and Kapei tussling, Mwana felt protective of her ‘big sister.’ She stepped in from behind and pushed Kapei on his rear. Enkesha quickly moved in to help calm little Mwana and prevent her from fighting with the older orphans.

Lenny is proving himself to be a young boy destined to grow into a real bull in the days to come. At the waterhole, the Keepers initially thought Lenny might struggle to navigate the wallowing area. Sonje, Kiasa, and Quanza stood close by, watching with their eyes wide open, ready to intervene if anything went wrong.

Mwana, after coming to terms with Lenny as her new “brother,” has calmed down and now tries to assist whenever something seems wrong with him. As Lenny entered the water, Lima Lima remained on standby, carefully observing while the other girls helped Lenny swim. However, he was only allowed in the shallow side of the waterhole for safety, where he could paddle and enjoy splashes from the trunks of the older babies.

Kiasa is now fully committed to looking after Lenny and has left Mwana. Enkesha remains neutral, attending to both little ones without showing favouritism. The boys — Kapei, Maktao, and Kiombo — are not allowed near Lenny due to their rowdy behaviour, as they might unintentionally harm him. Always wary, Murera and the others are particularly protective of the little prince.

The group later positioned Lenny safely in the middle as they moved. He stopped to scratch himself on some small twigs, with Amali halting alongside him. In the afternoon, all the elephants were peaceful until a group of buffalo approached where Murera and her friends were browsing in the Kibwezi Forest.

Amali avoided the buffalo's path, sensing danger, and returned to join Mwana, who was trying to nap on an anthill. However, Kapei moved Mwana aside as he wanted to use the anthill himself, rubbing his belly on it. Soon after, Kiombo arrived and pushed Kapei aside, repeating what had just been done to Amali.

Most of the nightclubbers returned home this morning after their long night away. The orphans, led by Murera, came out together and found Lima Lima, Lenny, Sonje, Kiasa, and Quanza. The Keepers heard a very loud commotion of elephants trumpeting as they expressed their joyful moment meeting Lenny.

Mwana went right over to Kiasa because, before Lenny was born, Kiasa was her good friend and nanny. At the time, Mwana dominated the Umani unit as the only princess, but the birth of Lenny changed everything. All the nannies shifted their focus to Lenny, which led to Kiasa sleeping outside with other nightclubbers at her early age. We have noticed that she treats Lenny as her own baby.

Although he is just six days old, Lenny is proving to be a very good swimmer. He jumped into the swimming pool today after seeing his mother and Kiasa going into the water. Lima Lima and Sonje kept him in the shallow end. Sonje used her trunk to splash muddy water on Lenny, who then rolled down to show he was a full elephant and couldn’t be ignored, even as a baby.

Inside the waterhole, Mwana and Kapei did something that caused Lenny to rumble. They had been trying to shove him to get more room for herself, and Lenny made noise to defend his space, showing the youngsters that he wasn’t an easy pushover. All the nannies moved in to save Lenny. Kapei and Mwana, the two culprits, were shown the door and hurried off after realising they had done wrong. Kapei hid behind Kiombo and Maktao, who were already outside the mud bath.

It is now good that Mwana has accepted and acknowledged that Lenny is her little brother in the herd. While she still occasionally kicks, Enkesha, Amali, and Kiasa intervene, warning her and making her understand that it is wrong to play rough with little Lenny.

It was a very good morning for all the babies. After the longest night, they finally got to see little baby Lenny again. Lima Lima returned to the Umani Unit with her young and cutest baby boy, having spent the night away from the orphans. Mwana and Amali were overjoyed to receive him.

As soon as the orphans met outside the gate, there was a very loud commotion of celebration, as the dependents and nightclubbers asked elephant questions about the previous night and clustered around tiny Lenny. Mwana rushed over, rolling her little trunk in an attempt to hold the baby, but she found she couldn’t manage and had to be helped by the older nannies. Amali and Kiasa stepped in, gently lifting Lenny off the ground where he had been rolling, as he too was showing how happy he was this morning to be so warmly received.

Lima Lima, Sonje, and Quanza led the way into the bushes, with Murera following behind to keep an eye on everyone. This time, every baby stayed close to their mother. Little Lenny remained with his mother, Lima Lima, while Mwana returned to her mother, Murera.

The other nannies moved away from Mwana, recognising that she was no longer a baby but more of a little nanny herself. Everyone focused their attention on Lenny, escorting him like a prince.

Kapei found himself in big trouble after attempting to get closer to the little baby, which was not allowed. The nannies gave Lenny full protection, not permitting any of the older boys to approach him. They knew boys could be rough with babies as young as Lenny. Maktao, Kiombo, and Kapei were all kept away from the little one, while the girls took charge of protecting and caring for baby Lenny.

Kiasa-turned-nanny-to-little-Lenny is even more determined than Lima Lima, his own mother. Kiasa stays very close to Lenny, following him and watching every step he makes. She is always there with him. This morning, Lima Lima and Sonje decided to walk the baby to the shade so he could have a nap. When they reached a big tree with ample shade for all, Lima Lima stopped. Lenny lay down on the grass and immediately fell asleep in the cool shade.

Kiasa then found herself in a tussle with Enkesha and Amali over who could stay closest to Lenny. Enkesha, always a humble girl, did not fight much for the baby. She gave way to Kiasa and walked over to Mwana with Amali, having noticed that Kiasa did not want to share the little baby. At just eight days old, Lenny is already growing stronger each day. He shows signs of being a true bull elephant despite his tiny size.

All the orphans gave Lenny space so he could nap peacefully. After a two-hour sleep, he got up to nurse and went directly to his mother, Lima Lima. Spotting her among the other elephants, he ran to her and eagerly began breastfeeding.

It was also Lenny’s first day experiencing coconut oil, which the Keepers applied to help remove ticks from his skin. As soon as the oil streamed down his body, Lenny went to the ground, rubbing himself in the dust. His mother stayed by his side as the Keepers did their work, along with Sonje and Quanza. Lenny kept scratching himself because the coconut oil made his skin itchy, but he seemed to enjoy the ritual. 

Lima Lima and Lenny, together with nanny Kiasa, Quanza, and Sonje, spent the night in a new sleeping spot just behind the stockades, not far from the orphans. In the middle of the night, Lenny was trying to breastfeed but something caused him to complain. When he rumbled, Kiasa also screamed back, which then made all the elephants inside the stockades very upset.

Amali was the most upset. She pushed at her gate and tried to get out to go to Lima Lima and Lenny, thinking her friends needed help. The Keepers had to use their tricks to calm her down. When they came with pellets, she relaxed immediately. All the orphans were given some lucerne to quiet them down, and outside, the nightclubbers were quiet, too.

In the morning, Murera and other orphans went straight to check on Lenny. Mwana was very well behaved when Lenny moved his tiny trunk to her head; she received him very calmly without kickbacks like she was doing a few days ago. Mwana is slowly accepting Lenny. Knowing that she is no longer the baby girl, she is starting to treat him as her little stepbrother.

The orphans had a very good afternoon. It started very peacefully and the babies turned out to be much more playful throughout the day. Kiombo and his close friend, Maktao, could not hide their joy and energy as they wrestled with one another as they always do. Kiombo got himself into a tight corner when Maktao pushed him and he fell on the loose ground. But when he got up, Kiombo was determined to keep up the fight so that Maktao wouldn’t say he had won.

Kapei saw that things were getting heated between the two boys. He moved to Enkesha to see if she would help Kiombo with Maktao to stop fighting, which was now turning into a real fight. But Enkesha ignored what Kapei was trying to tell her because she knew the young boys would not listen to her. Kapei then got Quanza to intervene. When Maktao saw Quanza approaching, he ran away in fear that things would not go his way.

Murera moved all the babies to the waterhole so that both the babies and orphans could clean themselves in the water. Mwana was the first to go into the water. Then Kiasa arrived and began splashing mud all over little Lenny to cool him off, leaving Mwana alone in the centre of the waterhole, swimming and rolling in all styles. Mwana is now playing the big role of a nanny, because with Lenny’s birth she is no longer the baby of the herd.

It is now about ten days since our baby boy Lenny was born. Lenny keeps proving himself to be a strong boy, as playful as an elephant bull, keeping all the nannies on their toes. Kiasa is very keen and behaves as if she is Lenny's mother. Brave Kiasa, who took great care of Mwana when she was little, now has Lenny to look after, and this has made her so devoted that she refuses to return to her usual stable at night. Instead, she sacrifices her nights to stay out in the Kibwezi Forest with Lenny, keeping vigil alongside Lima Lima, Sonje, and Quanza.

Today, Lenny ran strongly and fast, taking off to where Kiasa and Enkesha were, but Enkesha was elbowed out so Kiasa could be the one to stay with Lenny. Lenny played around and eventually went to scratch on Amali, who was using a scratching rock at the time. Lenny forced Amali to walk away and give him the space he wanted. Mwana also joined little Lenny, hugged him, and later walked to the hills, with Lenny following her to the top. A whole crowd followed behind, giving Lenny a VIP security escort to ensure he was safe and at peace.

Lenny was later spotted looking for Lima Lima to nurse. He found Kiasa nearby and attempted to suckle her, but no milk came his way. Kiasa then took him to his mother so he could nurse. Afterward, Kiasa moved away with her baby, leaving the area where Kapei and Kiombo were taking a daytime rest under big trees.

The Keepers of Umami Springs are now trying to relate Lenny with his mother, Lima Lima, and have found that Lenny is just as strong as his mother. When she was still milk-dependent, no one could win the race during bottle-feeding time, as Lima Lima was always number one. Now Lenny is beginning to show similar speed and charm, playing around with lots of energy, trying to charge and blow his trumpet — though it’s still too early for the trumpet sound to come out. 

Today, Mwana walked over and hugged Lenny. Later, Kiasa, Quanza, and Sonje grouped together to cover the baby, ensuring he wouldn’t get injured and was well protected. Elephants truly love their babies more than humans, as shown by the way they provide full protection to little Lenny. Mwana, who once received the same level of care when she was little, has now graduated from being the "little princess" to a nanny princess for Prince Lenny. 

At the waterhole today, Lenny showed just how tactical and talented he might become as a swimmer when he grows up. It was amazing to see the little baby navigating the mud bath without getting stuck, closely followed by the older nannies — Sonje, Quanza, Kiasa, and Enkesha — who stayed nearby to ensure Lenny was well and safe. The boys, Kapei, Kiombo, and Maktao, were not allowed to get too close to Lenny but were permitted to interact with Mwana, who is now used to them. 

Zongoloni has not yet visited home to see Lenny since she left during the time Lima Lima was in labour. Only Sonje has stayed close to Lima Lima. Murera rumbled to give direction to Mwana, and Mwana then came out from where she was with Amali to nurse under her mother. After a few minutes, Lenny rolled onto the grass to sleep, but the open field with its hot sunshine forced Lima Lima to move him to the shade. That marked the end of our midday show today. Immediately after, the nannies took Lenny to rest under the shade, allowing him to have a little nap and concluding the mud bath session. 

The two-week-long birthday celebration for Lenny was still ongoing. This morning, some of those who had been away since Lenny's birth arrived after hearing the news from their orphan friends about what had happened at home while they were gone. 

First, a big bull emerged from the thick bushes, his long tusks catching the Keepers' attention. Everyone stepped back, thinking it was still a wild bull. However, as soon as the Keepers noticed his half tail, they felt relieved and joyful, calling out his name, “Alamaya! Alamaya!” He had come to join the Christmas celebrations and meet little Lenny. 

But that wasn’t the end of the surprises. Another boy, Ziwa, who had been away even longer, followed close behind Alamaya. The Keepers were overjoyed to see Ziwa as well. Shortly after, Zongoloni appeared, joining them one after the other. The nannies, including Murera with her baby Mwana, came together to welcome Zongoloni and her friends back home. 

Zongoloni attempted to grab little Lenny away from Kiasa and Amali, but both Quanza and Lima Lima intervened and wouldn’t allow her to take the baby. Lima Lima quickly moved her baby back to the waterhole to cool him off in the heat of the sunshine. Afterward, the nannies and boys, now satisfied from the waterhole visit, escorted Lenny to a shaded area to ensure the sun wouldn’t burn him. 

The Keepers think that Zongoloni, with her love for the little baby, will not leave the herd any time soon, just like she did when Mwana was born.

Immediately after they had their morning milk bottles, Amali ran to the gate like she was in a marathon race at the Olympics. At the gate, she waited for Mwana and lastly Murera. They found Zongoloni trying her best to leave with baby Lenny. However, mum Lima Lima stood firm and was supported by the little nannies — Kiasa, Amali, Enkesha, and Quanza — who blocked the way, ensuring the baby would not go with her. If Zongoloni was to leave, she would have to leave alone.

The Keepers brought more pellets for the babies to keep the celebration going. At one point, Kapei tried to kick the baby, and Lenny accused him by making noise, which made all the elephants run and blow trumpets as a warning to Kapei. He was forced to run away, as staying close would result in harsh treatment because of what he had done to Lenny.

Mwana, after initially struggling to accept Lenny, has really come around. It wasn’t easy for her during the first few days, but she ironed out her grievances following a meeting chaired by Murera and Sonje. The resolution of the meeting was that every elephant within the Umani orphanage must respect Lenny and accept him as their new baby boy, just as they had done with Mwana. It was agreed that the family was growing, and they all needed to live together peacefully with both Lenny and Mwana.

Since that resolution, Mwana has accepted her role as the youngest nanny to her new little brother, Lenny. Now, Mwana is happy, loving, and attending to Lenny as though he were her own baby and not an enemy within the herd.

The morning was welcomed by the play-fighting boys, whose fighting did not end well for the one who refused to listen. Kiombo started the fight with his archrival friend Maktao. When Mwashoti saw the fight escalating, he tried to intervene, mediating between the two and urging Kiombo to back down. However, Maktao was determined to continue, and Kiombo, thinking himself strong enough, refused to stop the fight.

As Maktao seemed to overpower him, Mwashoti tried to separate them by taking Kiombo away, giving Maktao a chance to walk off into the bushes. But Kiombo, unwilling to surrender so easily, came from behind and attempted to ambush Maktao. This only exposed him further, giving Maktao the chance to target him directly. With a well-aimed push, Maktao sent Kiombo down and proved his strength by mounting him. This was a fitting sentence for Kiombo, who stubbornly refused to admit defeat even after repeated warnings from Mwashoti.

Kapei attempted to join the fight, thinking it would now be a contest between the boys, but he was quickly warned to stay back. Being still a young boy, he was far from ready to take on the older bulls.

Umani is now becoming like a maternity ward for elephants. With Murera bringing Mwana and Lima Lima introducing Lenny, the Keepers now eagerly await Sonje and Zongoloni, who are still due to give birth. This development has made the Umani Keepers proud "fathers" to their growing family, marking a decade since the Umani orphanage was officially launched.

All eyes remain on Sonje as we prepare for her baby’s arrival, which is expected soon. Meanwhile, the celebrations continue for Lenny, who was warmly welcomed into the world. Lenny is proving to be an energetic and strong baby boy. He loves playing around and even tries to charge at his Keepers, though it’s all in good fun. Lima Lima, Kiasa, and the other nannies keep a close watch over him as he runs about, playfully interacting with the Keepers and showing off his big personality.

The orphans had a very good start this morning, though it was cold after some rains last night. The rain was good for the elephants, providing lush greenery to celebrate. Amali came running out of her stockade as if she was in a race to the finish line. She was eager to get to baby Lenny and his mother, Lima Lima, who had spent the night out.

Kiasa tried to block Amali from Lenny, but Amali used all her tricks, and Kiasa failed. Amali found Lenny playing with Mwana, like brother and sister. Kapei moved toward the little babies but was shown the door and pushed aside by Enkesha, who didn’t want Kapei near the babies, fearing he might play rough. Everyone knows Kapei isn’t good with babies. Sonje and Quanza rushed over as well, shielding Mwana, who had started to complain but soon redirected her energy to chase baboons that had arrived early to scavenge leftover pellets.

Mwana took charge, targeting one baboon, while Amali and Mwashoti handled the rest, chasing them deep into the bushes and leaving the area safe for the little ones to mingle. With the place secured, the orphans prepared for their day as Murera was already moving upfront, ready to lead.

Kiasa stayed side by side with the babies, blocking the boys — Maktao, Kiombo, and Kapei — from getting too close. This tight shielding of the two babies continued as the orphans stretched toward the hills where they had planned to start their day. However, the presence of buffaloes in the area disrupted the calm.

The Keepers decided to call Murera and Lima Lima, the two mothers, to guide the herd to a safer location. Lima Lima came quickly, but Murera hesitated. Mwashoti stepped in, sweet-talking Murera until she agreed to follow Lima Lima. With Mwana and Amali joining them, the group moved toward the Kenzili area, where the Keepers had redirected them after the buffalo disruption.

As we entered the last stretch of this year's Christmas season, it came early for the Umani Unit and its orphans with the birth of Prince Lenny. It has been a joyful start to December, with much rejoicing. All our orphans have been reporting back, including Zongoloni, who arrived just a few days ago and met newborn Lenny alongside Mwashoti.

Lenny has already shown himself to be a strong and energetic baby boy, playfully engaging with little Mwana, who sees Lenny as her stepbrother. She has stepped into the role of the youngest nanny we now have in Umani, surpassing Amali, who previously held that position. Mwana has shown herself to be a loving and playful nanny to Lenny, taking care of him without hurting him, even as she remains cute and in need of care from the other nannies. Mwana now joins the ranks of the nannies but still holds her title as the Princess of Umani, while Umani now celebrates Prince Lenny.

At mud bath time, Kiasa and Quanza headed to the waterhole after having their bottles and led all the babies into the swimming pool. Mwana jumped into the water and started swimming. With help from Sonje, Lenny also joined the swimmers, proving himself to be an elephant bull in the making, already learning how to clean himself.

The day started early when Murera and the milk-dependent orphans became unsettled after hearing a baby yelling behind the stockades. This made them think it was Lima Lima and Lenny, but it turned out to be wild elephants walking near the springs. Amali and her friends shouted back and wanted to leave the stockades during the night to check on the crying baby. The Keepers had to come out from their tent to calm them down, inspecting the area around the stockades to ensure the sound wasn't coming from Lima Lima's baby.

Everyone waited anxiously for morning, with the Keepers staying by the stockades to keep the orphans calm. When morning finally arrived, the Keepers fed the orphans their milk bottles. Amali and Kapei rushed out eagerly to the gate, ready to greet Lenny. They found Lima Lima already at the gate with Zongoloni, Quanza, and Sonje, all waiting for Murera and Mwana to join them so the "mothers' club" could be complete and ready to start the day with their little ones.

Meanwhile, Kiombo and Mwashoti had a disagreement that escalated into a fight. Despite attempts by Maktao to separate them, the conflict continued. Mwashoti became too aggressive and pushed both Kiombo and Maktao down. This drew the attention of Sonje and Zongoloni, who approached to intervene. Upon seeing the two head females coming towards him, Mwashoti quickly ran into the forest to hide, avoiding a confrontation with Sonje and Zongoloni. With their help, Kiombo and Maktao were able to recover from the scuffle.

Some wild elephant bulls came to visit after midday bottle times, but before reaching the orphans, they encountered a group of seven buffaloes. The buffaloes blocked their path and tried to assert dominance, challenging the bulls to see which group was stronger. Due to their larger numbers, the buffaloes refused to give the wild bulls space, ultimately forcing the bulls to retreat. By the time the buffaloes moved on, the orphans had already relocated to another area.

Kapei and Kiombo were later seen attempting to return, searching for the wild bulls. Mwashoti, knowing they might get into trouble with the wild elephants, moved ahead to intercept them and guided them back to where Sonje and the others were relaxing under the shade.

Mwana climbed up a dusty hill, followed by Kiasa and Lenny, who joined her for some playtime. Mwana played gently with Lenny, showing her understanding of how to handle a little baby. Her nurturing behavior showed that she might become a great mother in the future, as she seemed to have learned a lot from caring for Lenny. Lenny played with Mwana like a younger brother, while Mwana acted as his elder sister.

Amali, feeling jealous about being left out, eventually joined the babies on top of the hill. Meanwhile, the two mothers, Murera and Lima Lima, rested in the shade, leaving the babies to play with their nannies.

At one point, Lenny felt thirsty and walked under Kiasa, attempting to suckle from her. Realizing what he was trying to do, Kiasa, Amali, and Enkesha decided to escort Lenny back to his mother for nursing. Along the way, Lenny encountered Murera and attempted to nurse from her instead. Murera allowed him to suckle briefly before he continued to his mother for a "top-up." Meanwhile, Amali and Kiasa stood guard, keeping a watchful eye on him.

Mwashoti and Maktao turned out to be critics of each other the moment Mwashoti joined the herd. Mwashoti is known as the peacemaker among the fighting boys or a trainer preparing the junior boys for what awaits them when they join the wild side, which for them is just around the corner. However, today and yesterday, Mwashoti and Maktao got into some disagreements. Instead of avoiding Mwashoti, Maktao turned to fight back this morning.

The play-fighting became too aggressive, turning into a real fight between Maktao and Mwashoti, while Kiombo stood by, just watching how Maktao fought back against the giant elephant, who looked oversized compared to him. Maktao was determined and pushed back strongly. Soon, the Keepers intervened, stopping Maktao from continuing, as he was building momentum and energy for more fighting. One Keeper warned Maktao, while another Keeper warned Mwashoti to move away and stop the fighting. Mwashoti agreed and left, heading toward Kiombo, who had no problem with anyone.

Maktao moved to where Enkesha and Kapei were to cool his high temper. However, Kapei turned against him when Maktao tried to climb on his back. Kapei, unhappy with being climbed on, had to fight for his freedom until Maktao gave up. 

It was a very good morning to the babies after a long night's stay inside the stockade and for those who spent their night away from home, as both were getting ready for the Christmas party day to come. As it was, Christmas came early for us in Umani since Lenny was born earlier in the month. Today, the same Lenny was playing and proving himself to be a bull elephant in the future.

He came from the forest walking along tall grass following his mother, and tiny ears were spotted inside the tall grass. Later, it was Lenny behind mother Lima Lima, since Lima Lima was demanding her milk bottle to be given back as a thank you. For the celebrations of bringing a new baby, she came straight to demand her one bottle from her Keepers. They obliged in order to treat the new mother.

As Lenny was nursing, Amali moved to the baby and hugged him. Later, Mwana also went to Lenny and did the same thing. Then Lenny moved to Murera for more breastfeeding, which Murera allowed very generously while Mwana just watched calmly.

The time for heading out came when Murera signaled the herd to move. Sonje followed Murera, but Quanza and Mwashoti were sorting out some in-house disagreement before joining Murera and team.

With Christmas Day just a few hours away, today seemed like Sonje’s last day before giving birth, as she appeared to be in pain that the Keepers suggested could be her labour pains. She moved slowly and separated herself from the herd, allowing only Mwashoti near her while kicking out Kiombo, Kapei, and the younger elephants. She clearly wanted her own space. This behaviour mirrored what had been observed with Murera and, more recently, with Lima Lima before they gave birth. The Keepers were convinced that this was Sonje’s final day before delivering, and the Umani Unit awaited the moment with great joy, hoping she would reward them with a new baby before the New Year.

Amali tried to approach Sonje, but she was warned off when Sonje extended her trunk straight out, clearly drawing a line not to be crossed. Sonje moved around and lay down, attempting to roll over due to the discomfort she was feeling. She then got up and moved to consult with Murera and Lima Lima, seeking guidance from the experts as she prepared for her big day. Murera had acted as a midwife when Lima Lima struggled to give birth, and now it seemed it might be Lima Lima’s turn to support Sonje as her midwife.

After their consultation, both mothers returned to the shade, taking Lenny along so he could rest or nap, as it was getting too hot for the little baby boy.

All good days begin in the morning. Earlier in the month, we met Lima Lima’s baby, Lenny, in the early hours. Today was another day for big news to unfold — on a special day like this, Christmas morning.

At 7 a.m., the nightclubbers were seen walking slowly, hiding something exciting. Before the Keepers could figure out what the news was, Sonje, who had once acted as a midwife for Lima Lima, was now the centre of attention. Little did we know that, in return, Lima Lima and Zongoloni had stepped in to assist Sonje as midwives during the night. Sonje had given birth to a beautiful baby girl and brought her home to introduce her to the family — both the two-legged Keepers and the four-legged herd.

The news broke when Amali arrived, walking with two tiny babies in front of her. The Keepers realised that Sonje had given birth during the heavy rain the previous night. The other babies, who were initially unaware of the news, were quickly alerted by Enkesha and Kiasa, who came running. This excitement spread to Murera and the rest of the herd, who rushed to see what everyone was talking about. They discovered the little baby girl, and the moment was filled with joyous commotion — trumpeting and even peeing everywhere in excitement, as if they'd forgotten all manners.

The Keepers were overjoyed that Sonje had given them such a precious gift on Christmas Day, a day that now felt even more special. The new mothers took time to bond with their babies, and the little babies, still learning, tried to nurse from every available breast. The Keepers couldn’t help but laugh when they saw Murera’s generosity, nursing both Lenny on one side and Sulwe, the newborn, on the other.

Meanwhile, Mwana observed the scene with maturity, showing no issue as the two babies nursed from her mother. This moment showed how much Mwana has grown and how understanding she has become, even allowing her mother to nurse other babies peacefully.

The Umani triplets — Mwana, Lenny, and the new baby Sulwe — are doing well. The new mothers, however, are having a hard time keeping track of which baby has gone under their belly looking for milk. Any baby who approaches a mother would be allowed to nurse, except for Mwana. Mwana only nursed from her own mother, Murera, and watched as her mother generously allowed both Lenny and Sulwe to nurse without complaint.

Lenny, now strong and much bigger than the newborn Sulwe, seemed uncomfortable with sharing. He became jealous when he saw Sulwe trying to nurse from Lima Lima. Lenny moved to push Sulwe away, not wanting anyone near his mother. Sonje quickly intervened when her baby rumbled in distress. She rushed over with Murera to pick up her one-day-old calf.

Kiasa, who had always adored Lenny before Sulwe’s arrival, now seemed torn between Sulwe, Lenny, and Mwana. Meanwhile, Mwana has graduated to a new role, stepping into the big shoes of a nanny. She has moved up from being a baby herself to taking on the responsibilities of caring for the younger calves.

During the waterhole visit, all the babies joined in for a mud bath, with Lenny leading the way alongside Kiasa and Mwana. When Sulwe arrived with her mother, she and the nannies entered the water together. Sulwe, despite being so young, proved to be a natural swimmer and seemed eager to show off her skills.

As they swam, Kiombo and Maktao got into trouble. Kiombo made the mistake of touching Sulwe, the "untouchable" baby, and faced immediate consequences. The females banded together to punish him for daring to approach the very young calf. Kiombo learned his lesson the hard way, receiving what the Keepers joked was "bitter medicine" for his misstep.

Mwana spent her time quietly watching little Sulwe joyfully nursing from her mother, Murera. She remained calm as she continued observing Sulwe. Meanwhile, Lenny was spotted once again under Murera, but this time Mwana became jealous and blocked him from nursing. Disappointed, Lenny screamed loudly, drawing attention to the situation.

Amali and Kiasa immediately rushed over to check on Lenny to find out why he was upset. However, they couldn’t locate Mwana, as she had quickly sought cover under her mother, Murera. Protected by Murera, Mwana appeared innocent, as if she hadn’t done anything to upset little Lenny.

Amali and Zongoloni later returned to the new babies at the waterhole, joined by Sonje, Quanza, and Lima Lima. As the day grew hotter and the babies began to feel the heat after their muddy waterhole visit, all the orphans moved the little ones under the shade to cool off.

Some buffaloes wandered into the fields, but the boys took charge of the situation. They worked together to chase the buffaloes away to ensure the mothers and their babies weren’t bothered as they sought shade. Mwashoti, the big brother, joined forces with Kiombo, Kapei, and Maktao to drive the buffaloes out of sight.

The morning started well as usual. Very early, all the babies received their milk bottles and were allowed out by their Keepers. Murera ran out first to get the pellets, with Mwana following closely behind. Amali came running and rumbling, eager to see the newborn babies, but she found none waiting for her. It was a big surprise for the orphans, who had come out expecting to see Lenny and Sulwe.

Today, their mothers, Lima Lima and Sonje, did not show up. Since Lima Lima gave birth about three weeks ago and Sonje gave birth on Christmas Day, they had stayed close to the group. But today, it seemed they had decided to take their new babies in a different direction. Mwashoti made sure he was not left behind, and Quanza, Zongoloni, and Kiasa were also eager to escort the new mothers and their little ones.

Amali, however, could not believe her eyes when she didn’t see Lenny and Sulwe. She took off running into the bushes, thinking she might find them there, as she had last seen them heading in that direction the previous evening.

The Keepers followed Amali as she led the way. She trumpeted loudly and kept her pace high, facing the direction she thought the babies might be. However, no reply came from Lenny or Sulwe. After her search had no luck, Amali returned, visibly disappointed, and the Keepers also came back without success.

Enkesha went to meet Amali, and Amali seemed to express her frustration at failing to find the babies. Both stood there, clearly disappointed.

The Keepers were equally concerned. The Head Keeper decided to take a vehicle and drive around the Kibwezi Forest, calling for Lima Lima and Sonje. Unfortunately, after a long search lasting about four hours, there was still no sign of them.

The joyous day began early this morning for the Keepers, who were greeted with big smiles after seeing Lima Lima, Sonje, and their tiny babies, Lenny and Sulwe, bouncing back to the gate. Lima Lima raised her trunk to the fence, asking for a bottle when she saw Murera and the other dependents being fed. The Keepers quickly obliged.

There was song and dance from the Keepers, who had been worried all day yesterday when Lima Lima and Sonje failed to bring Lenny and Sulwe back. But this morning, very early, Lima Lima arrived with everyone at the gate just as the Keepers were preparing the morning bottles. Lima Lima stood by the fence, making sure she was seen and that her bottle would be ready.

Lenny, a very active baby — much more than Mwana was at his age — showed his energy at the mud bath. When Lima Lima spotted her bottle waiting for her, she momentarily forgot about her baby and rushed for it. Lenny, however, didn’t shy away and ran hard to catch up with his mother. As Lima Lima enjoyed her bottle, Lenny continued to nurse from her.

Meanwhile, Sulwe moved to Murera, who was busy breastfeeding her. Both mothers, Lima Lima and Sonje, appeared more relaxed as Murera took over their role, nursing both babies at once. Kiasa and Quanza stood nearby, watching as Lenny and Sulwe were fed by Murera, who had taken on the role of expert mother, capable of feeding all the babies. Mwana, who is shaping up to be an excellent mini nanny and big sister, remained unbothered, calmly observing the activity around her.

Kapei played his own game this morning when he started fighting with Kiombo and later turned against Maktao, who didn’t give him any chance. When Kapei saw Maktao chasing him, he turned and tried to climb to the top of the dust hill to become the king of the mountain. This didn’t stop Maktao, who went up after him. Kapei was grabbed by his legs and tail until he was brought down to where Maktao disciplined him, teaching him to respect his elders.

As they reached the bottom of the hill, Kapei’s terrified yells alarmed the herd, forcing Sonje, Sulwe, and Lima Lima to intervene. They rushed to where Kapei was being punished and moved to keep Maktao from pushing him too hard. Maktao, realising the danger looming as the head girls approached, quickly ran away to where Kiombo and the others were browsing. That was how Maktao escaped further punishment from the head girls.

Sulwe moved to Murera for nursing, and Mwana followed her under the shade where Murera was. However, Mwana didn’t seem bothered seeing Sulwe breastfeeding. After some time, Lenny came to nurse as well. When Sulwe finished nursing with Murera, she turned to look for her mother, Sonje. On the way, she encountered Lima Lima, who also allowed her to nurse.

But then Lenny came to his mother and found Sulwe taking the milk he was expecting. Lenny pushed Sulwe aside, ensuring that every baby could nurse from their own mother. Sulwe returned to Sonje, while Lenny nursed happily from Lima Lima. Mwana, seeing that Sulwe had taken all the milk from Murera, turned her attention to browsing instead.

As this year comes to an end, with just a few hours left, we feel very lucky in Umani. It has turned into somewhat of a maternity ward for elephants. On Christmas Day, Sonje gave us another beautiful gift of a baby girl by the name Sulwe in the early morning hours. Kiasa, who up until then was still milk- and stockade-dependent, wanted to be the babies’ top nanny, but she knew that Amali and Enkesha had the same wishes. So, Kiasa played a trick: Instead of fighting for leadership and nanny roles each morning, she stepped up her strategy and left the stockades, so she could spend every minute with Lenny and Sulwe.

For two days now, Lima Lima, Sonje, Zongoloni, and friends have decided not to check in with the dependent herd. Amali and Enkesha were very upset by the decision and spent most of the morning searching for the babies and their mothers. Amali kept raising her trunk, trying to locate the scent and direction of their friends. She was tricked when she heard one elephant yelling inside the forest, who she thought was Lima Lima. After realising that it was just a stranger elephant, Amali came back with Kapei and rejoined the herd.

Mwana has been an excellent big sister to the new babies, but we wonder if she secretly welcomed a few days without them. In their absence, Mwana was again the baby of the herd and was left to enjoy the normal environment she was used to before Lenny and Sulwe arrived.