On the first day of the month, Laikipia was our first visitor. Arriving early in the morning, the handsome bull stood strategically at the feeding trough, waiting for the Keepers to fill it with range cubes and for the dependent orphans to emerge from their shared stockades. Full of admiration for the 25-year-old bull, Lemeki stretched her trunk up high to measure his height.
On the first day of the month, Laikipia was our first visitor. Arriving early in the morning, the mature bull stood strategically at the feeding trough, waiting for the Keepers to fill it with range cubes and for the dependent orphans to emerge from their shared stockades. Full of admiration for Laikipia, Lemeki stretched her trunk up high to measure his height. After filling his belly, Emoli lay down and invited Godoma to play while Rokka and Losoito engaged in a wonderful wrestling match.
The orphaned elephants headed out from the stockades to browse over a landscape covered with lush green grass following recent downpours of rain. The herd spread over Mzinga Hill. Best friends Itinyi and Kenderi played several rounds of sparring on the slopes of the hill.
In the afternoon, the elephants padded down for a milk feed and a visit to the baobab tree water hole. On a cool and cloudy day, the orphans opted to paddle and lie in shallow puddles of rainwater instead of the deeper wallow. Tamiyoi and Baraka squashed themselves into a small puddle to play while Kilulu, Juni, Epiya and Ushindi enjoyed a mud bath in another puddle.
As light rain fell in the early morning, the orphans stood around and played in front of the stockades. Several were full of excitement. Mbegu squatted on a terrace wall, keeping an eye on the herd but especially on little Losoito who was playing in a shallow eroded trench. Itinyi and Kenderi enjoyed an energetic sparring match, trumpeting as they clashed heads and broke apart. When Itinyi clambered onto Kenderi’s back, Lemeki pushed him off her friend. The young bull calmed down and went back to sparring with Kenderi. As Thamana sat in another trench, he invited Losoito for a sparring match. The older bull played gently with the younger girl, making her happy by not using all his strength.
The orphaned elephants soon headed out to browse around Msinga Hill. We spotted Laikipia on the northern side of the stockades but he did not join our herd today. The orphans browsed in the direction of the baobab tree mud wallow for several hours. In the afternoon, they enjoyed another milk feed and cooled off in the wallow.
This morning, the orphans sprinted out of their stockades and down the path to drink milk and eat range cubes. Amid showers of rain, the elephants spread out over the terraces. Some played in the mud as others stood quietly with their friends. Ashanti and Losoito lay together on a patch of wet ground, waving their trunks in circles. We have not seen Ndotto, Murit and Lasayen since the end of last month when they wandered away with Mudanda’s herd.
Manda and Rokka led the dependent herd out to the browsing fields. They spread out over Msinga Hill which was covered with green grass, shrubs and creepers. Godoma stayed close to adopted baby Baraka, Mbegu to Busara, Tagwa to Juni, and Lemeki to Losoito. The older girls touched their little sisters frequently as they browsed.
In the afternoon, the elephants came down the hill for another milk feed and cooled off in large puddles of standing water around the mud bath.
On another wonderful morning, the milk dependent orphans gulped down their bottles and joined Mbegu, Tagwa, Godoma, Tamiyoi, Ngilai and Emoli (who are no longer milk dependent) at the range cubes feeding trough. Itinyi was chasing around after Kenderi, trying to persuade her to play, but Kenderi kept shifting her position, making it hard for her friend to catch her.
Matriarchs Mbegu and Tagwa led the herd out to browse, leaving Ngilai and Emoli behind to scoop up every last range cube from the ground. The two bulls soon caught up with the other orphans. Today, Manda, Rokka, Ashanti, Lemeki and Losoito climbed almost to the top of Msinga Hill.
After the afternoon milk feed, the elephants again chose to roll around in the small pools of rainwater instead of the larger wallow. Baraka and Busara played together in one large puddle, rubbing bodies and climbing on each other, until Kilulu interfered with the game. The two friends stood up and walked over to Mbegu.
Big boys Ndotto, Murit and Lasayen were still not back at the stockades this morning. Knowing that they were with Mudanda’s and Mweya’s herds, we were not concerned – the three bulls are no longer milk dependent and will be ready to live independent lives in the near future.
As usual, the dependent orphans gathered in front of the stockades before heading out to browse. Tagwa and Juni made a stopover along the way, enjoying a quick dust bath and then catching up with the line of elephants.
After a morning of browsing on soft green shoots and grass, the herd visited the baobab tree water hole in the afternoon. Today, Lemeki, Emoli, Seri, Itinyi, Kilulu, Kenderi and Dabida padded into the large pool. Some hosed themselves with water as others submerged their bodies and rubbed against each other. Tamiyoi and little Baraka decided, however, to lie down together in a puddle of rainwater. As Baraka clambered all over her big sister, Mbegu wandered over to stand next to them.
Today was a very sad day. In the early morning, a group of ex-orphans including Mudanda, Ndii and Rorogoi arrived at the stockades with Ndotto, Lasayen and Murit in their midst. We immediately realized that baby Miale was not with her mother and that the ex-orphans were probably there to report to us that something was not right. They spent only a few minutes in front of the stockades before walking away. Several Keepers followed the ex-orphans in a vehicle, staying with them for hours in the hope that they might lead us to little Miale. She was nowhere to be found and we had to accept that Mudanda had lost her happy healthy baby. We suspected that lions had attacked and killed Miale and that Mudanda would have to endure the loss of her first-born.
Mweya’s and Mudanda’s herds of ex-orphans arrived at dawn. We were immediately able to confirm that Miale was still missing. Mwangaza (Mweya’s baby) was sandwiched between Mweya and Mudanda. They stood so close that we could hardly see the baby – the two mothers were being very protective. Mweya, Mudanda and the others (who included a teenage wild bull) spent some time with us before we opened the doors of the stockades of the dependent orphans.
Our orphans drank their milk and joined the visitors. Mudanda and Mweya moved apart and the orphans found only Mwangaza but no Miale. Today, the two matriarchs did not allow our orphans to greet Mwangaza. As they milled around, with some looking for Miale, Tamiyoi greeted the wild bull with friendly trunk touches.
The ex-orphans left the stockades first with the current orphans leaving a few minutes later. In the afternoon, the weather was cool and the herd stood along the edge of the wallow, unwilling to get wet in the water.
The sun was sending bright rays into the stockades as the orphans were busy feeding on milk and range cubes. The herd soon headed out, climbing inside an erosion trench before moving on to browse over Msinga Hill. Tagwa was teaching Busara how best to use her tusk to peel tasty bark off a big tree.
In the afternoon, we gathered the dependent orphans into groups of five and sent them down for a milk feed. Rokka, Manda, Losoito, Busara and Dabida were in the first group with their friends following immediately after. After a brief mud bath, Godoma did elephant-yoga stretches in a small hole with adopted baby Baraka watching in amazement. Ashanti, Losoito and Lemeki played on the mound of dry red soil.
Wandering back to the stockades later in the day, Ashanti knelt to twist up grass with her damaged trunk while Kilulu browsed next to her. Manda and Rokka led the herd with Mbegu bringing up the rear.
Mweya, her babies Mwitu and Mwangaza, and the whole herd of ex-orphans arrived early at the stockades with their teenage wild friend. After drinking water and grazing on range cubes, Naipoki and Ndotto had a wonderful sparring game.
When the ex-orphans ambled back out to the bush, Ndotto, Lasayen, Murit and also Ngilai walked out with them.
Having missed his friend Ndotto who has been living wild for many days, Ngilai followed along behind the ex-orphans.
The dependent herd headed out to browse for the morning before visiting the mud bath in the afternoon. Many wallowed and splashed in the water. As Ashanti, Epiya and Itinyi were charging around, kicking huge splashes of water into the air with their front feet, Ndotto and Ngilai arrived to join their herd (but not Lasayen and Murit). Ndotto joined the mud bathing club in the water hole, having fun with his friends. Feeling left out of the game, Thamana climbed onto Itinyi’s back as he lay in deep water.
Ndotto remained with the herd as they wandered back through the green bush and spent the night in the stockades.
Sprinkles of rain welcomed the orphans this morning when they emerged from their shared stockades. Ngilai and Ndotto enjoyed a wrestling match on the lower terrace while Itinyi and Ushindi sparred on the upper terrace with Kilulu looking on. Mbegu took Akina and Busara for a wonderful scratch on the twin trees.
The orphans ambled out to browse in a long line, spreading out over the summit of Msinga Hill. In the afternoon, they came back to the stockades for a milk feed rather than visiting the baobab mud wallow. Ngilai clambered up the terrace wall and then climbed onto Godoma’s back. Scratching herself nearby on the same wall, little Losoito moved quickly away, avoiding any risk of being mounted by Ngilai.
The herd returned to the top of the hill later in the day, feasting on the variety of browse, before returning to the safety of the stockades for the night.
On a bright sunny morning, the stockade dependents were enjoying their breakfast routine before leaving for their daily bush walk. When they emerged from their stockades, Mweya, babies Mwitu and Mwangaza, Mudanda and their herds of ex-orphans (including Pika Pika, Sagala, Ndotto, Lasayen and Murit) and the wild bull had already arrived. They were calmly drinking from the water trough.
Half an hour later, the ex-orphans left the stockades – today, Ndotto stayed behind with our herd. Ndotto and Ngilai had a sparring match and then Ngilai (behaving like the dominant bull in the absence of Lasayen and Murit) climbed onto Tagwa’s back. After standing still for a moment, she walked on and he went back to sparring with his friend.
In the afternoon, Mbegu lay down on her way back from the mud wallow. She seemed to have a stomach-ache. We encouraged her to stand and walked her back to the stockades. Our vet arrived to treat the matriarch of the herd.
The rain was drizzling at dawn when the ex-orphans arrived at the stockades. After drinking water, Pika Pika sheltered little Mwangaza from the rain sprinkles by keeping her under her head. The visitors did not stay long and left before the dependent orphans came out of their stockades.
Mbegu was still not herself this morning, subdued and not really browsing. Sensing that she was not well, Busara, her adopted baby, insisted on standing under her head to console her. As the hub of the herd, matriarch Mbegu is loved by all the orphans and Keepers and many elephants were worried about her. More medicine was flown down to Voi and the vet returned to treat her again.
In the afternoon, Mbegu was feeling better and started browsing but at a slow pace. By the evening, she was browsing normally on grewia branches in her stockade.
As the herd was heading back to the stockades in the early evening, Ndotto separated Ngilai from the other elephants and nudged him away in a different direction. The two bulls did not return during the night.
This morning, the earliest callers were Ndotto, Ngilai and the wild bull who is a few years older. The wild elephant was shy, running away on seeing the Keepers coming out of the milk-mixing room and leaving Ndotto and Ngilai.
After the morning milk feed, we led our dependent orphans out to browse on the southern side of Msinga Hill, still monitoring Mbegu’s improving condition. The hill is covered with green browse and the elephants were feasting on the lush plants. Ndotto anchored his big bottoms on a boulder to enjoy a wonderful scratch.
In the afternoon, the orphans came down the hill and walked back to the stockades. The milk dependent elephants drank down their bottles while the others gathered in and around the water hole. Many plunged into the pool on a hot afternoon. Afterwards Thamana and Hildana clashed heads in a sparring game before joining the herd as they ambled out to browse.
Early in the morning, groups of excited orphans jogged down the path for their bottles of milk (which today contained a de-worming medicine). Afterwards, they lined up at the range cubes feeding trough. Busara was trunk touching Mbegu at the water trough, checking that her adopted mother was feeling better. Thamana and Hildana were sparring again. Itinyi was pursuing and play mounting Kenderi. Eventually Kenderi gave in and the two friends played a wrestling game.
The orphans headed out to the bush (with Ndotto and Ngilai) and spent a peaceful morning browsing over the hill. In the afternoon, they cooled off at the middle Msinga Hill water hole. Hildana, Ashanti and Kilulu played together in the water with Lemeki joining them later. Emoli sat on his bottoms in the water and wrestled against Itinyi while still sitting. The elephants then wandered off to browse close by.
Worms are most common after the rains when elephants browse on very green grass and plants. Having regained her strength, Mbegu was de-wormed today.
After another peaceful morning of browsing, the orphans visited the Msinga Hill water hole in the afternoon for a long mud bath. Mbegu submerged herself in the water next to Busara and was trunk hugging the younger girl. Next to her, Godoma, Emoli and Tagwa wallowed in the muddy pool, rubbing against each other while waving trunks in the air. Baraka stood on the edge, watching her adopted mama in the water but was not tempted to join the older elephants. Manda and Rokka stood together in the shade of a tree while Ashanti massaged her backside against another.
Ngilai and Ndotto did not visit the water hole, spending time instead with the ex-orphans, but did rejoin the herd later in the afternoon and spent the night in the stockades.
On a cloudy morning, the orphans played and bonded in the stockade compound after the morning milk and range cubes feeding. In a dramatic encounter, Ngilai approached Baraka as she was standing with adopted mother Godoma close to the water trough. Ngilai held Baraka with her trunk attempting to ride on her back. Responding quickly, Godoma pushed away the older bull and ushered the little girl away. Emoli enjoyed a strength contest with Kenderi and then with Itinyi.
The head walked out to browse over Msinga Hill. Mbegu climbed up the rocky hill with Tamiyoi, Busara, Seri, Ashanti, Epiya and Akina trailing along close behind her enjoying the variety of green browse.
In the afternoon, the orphans returned to the stockades for a drink of water, some milk and a mud bath and then walked back to browse on the southern side of the hill. Ngilai took a break from browsing to play in a deep trench. In an invitation to join him, he grabbed Hildana’s trunk but the younger bull turned and moved away.
Many orphans were playing wonderful games in the stockade compound this morning. Lemeki and Losoito played a gentle pushing game while Rokka and Manda rolled around on the mound of red soil. Seri started a soil bathing game as she lay in a patch of mud but her friends did not join her and so she stood up.
The orphans then headed to the foot of Msinga Hill. After browsing for four hours, Tagwa and Busara lay down for a soil bath, rubbing against each other. The younger girl climbed on top of her big sister while Dabida, Ushindi, Kilulu, Hildana and Epiya stood on the sidelines.
Returning to the stockades in the afternoon, the orphans had fun mud bathing and playing in a rain-runoff trench. Mbegu played with Lemeki while Godoma played with Hildana and Ngilai. Itinyi and Kenderi engaged one another in a sparring match while sitting on their bottoms. They stood up to continue the contest of strength which came to an end when Itinyi play mounted his friend.
On a wonderful morning, the orphans were out enjoying their breakfast routine. Busara was scooping up pellets as she stood at the feeding trough with Mbegu on one side and Tamiyoi and Tagwa on the other. Sandwiched between the three nannies, she was getting all the love in lots of trunk touches. With Thamana and Manda standing behind her, Lemeki lay down to roll around in a trench close to the lucerne area.
Led by Tagwa, Juni and Ngilai, the orphans headed out from the stockades to the field. Along the way, Godoma stopped off to sit on a large boulder until all the orphans had passed her by whereupon she stood up and followed along at the end of the line.
The orphans browsed happily for the morning and then visited the Msinga Hill water hole in the afternoon. Many paddled and splashed and wallowed in the muddy water. Tamiyoi took advantage of Godoma being submerged in the mud to trunk hug Baraka – but not for long. Godoma soon noticed the attention and clambered out to claim her adopted baby.
The orphaned elephants left the stockades following the morning feeding to wander in the surrounding bush. After browsing for a few hours, Baraka rolled around on her back on a patch of dusty ground and then caught up with the herd. Itinyi kept pestering best friend Kenderi to play with him but Kenderi was determined to keep browsing and so refused every invitation. Ngilai, meanwhile, was pestering Thamana, trying to persuade him to a wrestling match. When Thamana ignored him, Ngilai punched his backside with his long tusks. Turning around in anger, Thamana head-butted the older bull, saying that he wanted to browse on his own.
The orphans visited the Msinga Hill water hole in the afternoon and had a lot of fun in mud bathing games. Rokka draped herself over Godoma in the muddy water while Ndotto made large splashes next to them. Dabida squatted on the edge, waggling her head and trunk, as Mbegu, Ashanti, Juni and Busara paddled in the water.
The rain drizzled later in the day as the herd browsed on the hill and Akina and Kilulu rolled on their backs in a patch of mud.
The dependent orphans padded out of their stockades in happy moods, drinking their milk in seconds and lining up at the range cubes feeding trough or around the pile of lucerne grass.
Tagwa and Tamiyoi led the herd out for their daily bush walk. After browsing for hours, Mbegu and Busara stood close under the shade of a peacock tree with Mbegu draping her trunk along the little girl’s back. Feeling left out, Lemeki joined the two elephants. She gently pushed her way between them and began also trunk touching Busara. Lemeki wandered on and Hildana took her place, also wanting to stand close to Mbegu.
The orphaned elephants browsed all the way to the Msinga Hill water hole for the afternoon milk feed and mud bath. Submerged in the middle, Thamana remained behind in the water when the herd climbed out and had to catch up with his friends. Dabida was browsing with Baraka - until adopted mother Godoma whisked away the little girl.
Mweya, babies Mwitu and Mwangaza, Mudanda, Rorogoi, Naipoki, Sagala, Pika Pika, Kihari and Panda padded up the path in the early morning and joined the dependent orphans at the range cubes feeding trough. Mbirikani, Murit and Lasayen were missing from the herd of ex-orphans. Epiya and Hildana seem to have a soft spot for little Mwangaza and enjoyed feeding on lucerne grass close to her.
When the ex-orphans left the stockades, Hildana tried to follow Mwangaza but was stopped head-on by big sister Mwitu. Our herd headed out soon after, stopping off around an erosion trench to play. Lemeki and Tamiyoi climbed into the trench for a roll-around game.
In the afternoon, the orphans visited the Msinga Hill water hole. Juni and Dabida had a wonderful mud bathing session and were joined by Baraka. Juni was so busy swimming that she was left behind and had to sprint to catch up with the herd.
The ex-orphans were already around the feeding trough in the early morning, waiting for the current orphans to emerge from their stockades. After enjoying range cubes, the two herds feasted on fresh lucerne grass and then the former orphans disappeared into the bush.
Our orphans wandered over the western side of Msinga Hill, enjoying a cool, calm browsing session. Mbegu, Busara, Godoma, Baraka, Tagwa, Juni, Lemeki, Losoito and Ashanti remained at the bottom while the others clambered over rocks to the summit of the hill.
After filling their bellies, Kilulu and Dabida began a sparring match. When Dabida gained the upper hand, Kilulu became angry and rammed his head into Dabida, breaking her small left tusk and knocking her over. Dabida screamed loudly and Kilulu sprinted away as we ran over. Two Keepers calmed her down and checked her broken tusk. After the herd returned to the stockades in the afternoon, we cleaned and treated Dabida’s little tusk.
On a bright morning, the orphans padded out in groups for another milk feed. Dabida was well although reluctant to drink her milk because she did not want the Keepers to apply antibiotic spray to her wound. With some encouragement, she drank both bottles and joined the others at the feeding trough.
The orphans soon headed out to browse over the southern side of Msinga Hill before returning to the stockades in the afternoon. After a group mud bath, Kilulu challenged Kenderi to a sparring match. When Kilulu grabbed Kenderi’s trunk, Kenderi backed down, allowing Kilulu the victory. Although the incident yesterday with Dabida was unexpected, contests between upcoming bulls are normal as they compete for supremacy in the herd.
The elephants wandered back out to browse some more in the early evening. Many stood quietly in the shade of trees, flapping their ears to keep cool, while others continued twisting up mouthfuls of green grass.
Mweya’s herd of ex-orphans arrived at first light while our orphans were still in their stockades. As soon as we opened the gates, the elephants sprinted down the path in groups and gulped their milk in seconds, avoiding Rorogoi and Sagala who were trying their luck for a bottle. Former and current orphans shared range cubes and gathered around the pile of lucerne grass. Dabida and Hildana, who have a soft spot for little Mwangaza, Mweya’s baby, tried to greet her but met with resistance from big sister Mwitu who is a good gate keeper.
The ex-orphans left the stockades and the dependent orphans followed a few minutes later led by Hildana and Godoma, two elephants who do not usually lead the herd. We soon realised the reason – they were hoping to catch up with Mweya’s herd. When the orphans spread out over Msinga Hill to browse, Hildana and Godoma stood together at the bottom. Hildana draped his trunk over Godoma who lifted hers in the air, sensing the location of the ex-orphans. She decided not to follow them and persuaded Hildana to settle down to browse with the others.
On a wonderful morning, all the ex-orphans of Mweya’s herd – Mudanda, Rorogoi, Naipoki, Sagala, Pika Pika, Kihari, Panda, Mbirikani, Murit, Lasayen and Arruba – with wild-born babies Mweya and Mwangaza padded up the path in the early morning and joined the dependent orphans at the range cubes feeding trough. They mingled with the resident elephants for some time on the terraces, around the water trough, and in the lucerne area. Today, Mbegu’s herd headed out first, leaving the visitors behind.
Later in the afternoon, the orphans returned to the stockades for another milk feed and mud wallow. Many paddled or played in the water today. Juni pushed her head against Akina’s backside while her friend lay in the mud. Climbing out of the wallow, Itinyi and Kenderi enjoyed a lengthy sparring contest while Epiya, Seri and Ushindi rolled around on the dust hill, and Tamiyoi, Tagwa and Juni scratched themselves against the twin trees.
Before going to bed, the herd enjoyed some untouched green browse on the top of Msinga Hill.
Our resident orphans left the stockades earlier than usual this morning, gathering in the walkway soon after first light. Mbegu and Tamiyoi made a stopover along the way, stretching up their trunks to pull down green branches from an acacia tree, before catching up with their friends. The Voi area is very green and there is an abundance of browse for the elephants.
Later in the day, we sent the orphans down in groups of five for another milk feed. After emptying their bottles, they carried on to the baobab tree mud hole to drink water and cool off. Thamana, Lemeki, Rokka, Manda and Losoito wallowed in the pool, rubbing their trunks along the edge and spraying water in every direction. After submerging her body in the muddy pool, Mbegu stood with Busara – the nanny and her little girl scratched themselves against the bark of a tree. Busara then joined Godoma on the pile of red earth. The two elephants rolled around and squirted soil along their backs before catching up with the herd as they meandered out to the bush.
The sky was clear again this morning when Mudanda’s and Mweya’s herds of ex-orphans arrived at the stockades. The dependent orphans soon sprinted out of their stockades and down the path for their milk bottles. The two groups enjoyed range cubes and lucerne grass before ambling out in different directions to browse. Lemeki was browsing close to adopted baby Losoito, who rumbled happily as she toddled around after her big sister.
In the afternoon after mud bathing, Godoma and Baraka enjoyed a soil bathing session. As they lay together, the older girl kept trunk hugging the younger one. Mbegu, Juni, Ashanti, Epiya and Kilulu walked over to join the session, hosing themselves all over with dry soil.
Later in the evening after dark, the ex-orphans returned to the stockades and gathered around the water trough. Little Mwangaza lay down to sleep, surrounded by her herd. Much later in the night, they left - heading towards the southern side of Msinga Hill.
Mweya’s herd of ex-orphans (including Lasayen and Murit) came down Msinga Hill early in the morning to join their dependent friends at the range cubes feeding trough and around the pile of lucerne. After filling their bellies, the two herds separated - the ex-orphans left first followed later by the young ones. Mbegu’s herd spread out over the hill to enjoy their favourite kinds of lush greens. Older bulls Ngilai and Ndotto went off on their own but joined up with their friends in the afternoon on their way to the mud wallow.
On a hot afternoon, many of the orphans cooled off in the baobab tree mud wallow. Tamiyoi enjoyed a relaxing wallow until Juni lay on top of her. Tamiyoi went under for a few seconds but then pushed Juni off and trunk hugged Baraka to assure her that she was fine and that Juni had just been playing. Dabida had a good time scratching herself against the tree next to the water hole before Mbegu and Ndotto took her place. After cooling off in the water, Ngilai chased after Godoma and tried to mount her while holding her back with his trunk. Godoma ran to Mbegu for protection and Ngilai abandoned his attempt.
On a calm morning, current and former orphans gathered as usual in front of the stockades. Mweya then led her herd of ex-orphans back to the browsing fields. Mbegu prevented Epiya and Ushindi from following them and led her herd out to Msinga Hill. Today, Emoli was hanging out with Rokka on the lower slopes while Ndotto and Ngilai browsed at a distance from the herd, giving them the freedom to join the wild herd and then come back to Mbegu’s herd.
In the afternoon, the dependent orphans padded down for another milk feed and a wallow. Ushindi stopped off at the water trough, while some orphans plunged straight into the mud hole. Kilulu and Kenderi had a wrestling match next to the wallow while the others splashed in the water. Kenderi was first to walk over to the pile of red soil for a dust bath and soon Ashanti joined him. Emoli and Thamana were having a water sparring contest. After subduing Thamana, Emoli took on older bull Ngilai. Rokka scratched her backside against an underwater boulder while Manda made large splashes with his feet and Tamiyoi dug into the pile of earth with her tusks.
The orphans walked away to resume browsing, leaving Ndotto and Godoma still enjoying a dust bath. The two friends caught up with the herd soon after.
Mweya, babies Mwitu and Mwangaza, and nannies Rorogoi, Arruba, Panda and Sagala were waiting at the feeding trough at dawn this morning. We filled the trough and opened the gates of the stockades whereupon the orphans sprinted out. In fear of missing out, Epiya, Ashanti, Ushindi and Hildana dodged the milk feed and went straight to the range cubes trough.
After breakfast, current and former orphans headed out to browse in two groups on Msinga Hill. Ndotto and Ngilai kept moving back and forth from one group to the other, unsure whether to stay with the older orphans or the younger ones. When our elephants climbed up the hill to the top, Ndotto stayed back with Mweya’s herd. Later in the day, however, he returned to the stockades and to best friend Ngilai.
On the last day of the year, matriarch Mbegu led her herd up Msinga Hill to browse. Tamiyoi, Dabida, Kilulu, Hildana, Godoma, Baraka and Epiya spent the early morning browsing on the slopes and later came down to join Ngilai and Ndotto on the open grasslands. Tagwa browsed close to Kenderi and Busara while Juni and Baraka foraged for tasty greens together at the foot of the hill.
In the afternoon, the orphans ambled down to the milk feeding area and on to the mud wallow. The weather was cool and cloudy and so the orphans did not get wet. Instead, they drank from the trough and hung around the baobab tree. Itinyi and Emoli played the sparring game while Godoma posed on the edge of the mud hole. Later Lemeki led the herd into some marshy grass to continue browsing for a time before returning to the safety of the stockades for the night.