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Mutara, Suguta, Sities, Kainuk and Kilaguni were at the stockade compound early before dawn. Kanjoro and Turkwel, who are part of Mutara’s group, were missing and hopefully they with another herd. After having their milk, the orphans were let out and joined Mutara’s group. Olsekki engaged Tusuja in a pushing game and when the going got tough for Tusuja, he disengaged himself and ran towards Suguta for help. Olsekki couldn't go close to Suguta because he knew that Suguta wouldn’t entertain his nonsense. Shortly later, Mutara’s group escorted the juniors into the browsing field. Mutara and her group were not in a hurry and so spent the whole day with the orphans.

At eleven o'clock in the morning, the weather was chilly and none of the orphans or the ex-orphans dared to step into the mud bathing water. The herd had water then slowly walked back to the browsing field. Wanjala and Namalok briefly engaged each other in a strength test which was an exercise to warm them up as well because it was a cold morning. Mutara took the herd along the eastern side of Ithumba Hill where the orphans settled to browse the entire afternoon. In the evening, Mutara escorted the juniors back to the stockade where they were joined by Yatta’s group, although Yatta herself and her babies, Kinna and her baby Kama and Mulika and her baby were not present. The group appeared confused in decision making after drinking water since Sunyei wanted them to go west while Wendi wanted them to go east. At long last the group headed east.

Mutara, Sities, Kainuk, Suguta, Chaimu and Kilaguni spent the night outside the stockade. The junior ex-orphans then joined the orphans as soon as they were let out. Twenty minutes later, Yatta and her group joined in and they enjoyed the lucerne together. Wendi created a scene when she tried to deny her baby Wiva a bale of lucerne she was holding with her trunk. Wiva tried to have some, begging her mum, but Wendi could hear none of it. Wendi even went to the extent of nudging her own daughter to stop the disturbance. Wiva gave up and went to play with Siku, Lulu and Yoyo instead. After finishing the lucerne, Yatta and her group headed south while Mutara’s group escorted the juniors to the west. It was a cold morning and the orphans concentrated mostly on browsing.

On the way to the mud bath Enkikwe and Lemoyian dodged the Keepers and disappeared with Barsilinga, Garzi and Kithaka. It took the Keepers nearly two hours to locate them and walk them back to join their friends. Due to the chilly weather, the orphans didn't have bath but just had their milk bottles and some water. Two wild bulls joined the orphans to drink and shortly later parted ways. Chaimu and Kilaguni had a brief mud bath in a smaller water hole close to the big mud bath. Mutara and her group then escorted the orphans back to the browsing field and they spent the rest of the day browsing together. 

Mutara, Sities, Kainuk, Suguta, Chaimu, Turkwel and Kilaguni arrived at the stockade compound early before dawn. At day break, we saw that Turkwel showed signs of limping and upon getting a closer look, we realized Turkwel had yet another incident with the lions, who had apparently tried her bring her down again. Turkwel first had an encounter with the merciless lions in August last year that left her with no tail, and now six months down the line they have got her again. Thanks to her herd, who would most certainly have intervened since the injuries she has are not life threatening, she is okay. Turkwel allowed us to treat her and after she re- joined the other dependent orphans. Turkwel stay with us for a bit until she has completely recovered. The orphans sympathized with Turkwel and touched her with their trunks.

At mud bath time, the weather was chilly and none of the orphans dared to step into the mud bathing water. They only had their milk and did some soil bathing before returning to the bush browse. Galla engaged Tusuja in a strength testing exercise as Roi stood aside cheering her friend Galla to emerge as the winner, but the game ended in a draw. Meanwhile Maramoja, who was feeding close to Namalok, decided to use him as scratching post to scratch her itchy ear. In the evening, the weather changed and it was really hot. This prompted the orphans to pass by the mud bath for an evening cool-off. 

The orphans had their milk as usual and walked to feed on lucerne as usual. Ex-orphans Kilaguni and Chaimu came in thirsty and walked straight to the water trough to drink water. Wendi and Yatta’s herd as well as Olare’s herd walked in too and drunk water. The dependent orphans gave them space and walked out to browse.

Enkikwe concentrated on browsing, Naseku was scratching her neck with her trunk as the others browsed. At the mud bath, all the orphans went to swim as it was very hot, including Enkikwe who does not always get in the water. They all swam in a straight line enjoying the mud bath. While still in the water Wendi and Yatta’s herd as well as Olare’s group arrived and joined them to swim. Later, the dependent orphans walked out to go and dust bath. Babies Yoyo and Kama were playing in the mud bath while Kinna watched over them. The orphans walked back out to the bush, leaving the ex-orphan herds at the mud bath.

Malkia and Ndiwa browsed together as friends with Oltaiyoni, Kamok and Dupotto browsing separately from the others. Later they walked back home in the evening. At the stockades today we had a herd of wild elephants who came to drink water and walk away in the evening. There have been some signs of rain and we are waiting for it eagerly to come.