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It felt like a very peaceful morning today. Naleku, Sagateisa and Suguroi are now fully acclimatised to life at Ithumba and the daily routine. All three looked very relaxed this morning as they settled for a scratch on the nearby rocks before going back to feeding on lucerne. Half an hour later, the ex-orphans started trickling in. Among them we were delighted to see Sities, Suguta, Kalama, Chemi Chemi, Namalok, Turkwel, Kilaguni, and Lemoyian, who we hadn’t seen for some time. Mutara, Mambo and Kainuk were missing from the group but perhaps they might show up in the next few days. With the peaceful morning disrupted, the dependent orphans started to leave and walk out towards the bush, opting to respect their seniors and give them some space in the lucerne feeding area and to avoid any competition. Neshashi, who had started playing with Noah, pushed him hard as if to have the last say and bring an end to the game, before running to join her friends. 

Out in the bush the orphans were joined by Mundusi. Mundusi, Sapalan, Enkikwe, Mteto, Esampu and Maramoja have teamed up with the ex-orphans and have not been coming back at night to the stockade compound for the past two weeks or so. We felt sure that Mundusi was on a mission to try and recruit Rapa, Pare, Kauro and Kamok to get them to join him on his journey back to the wild. Only Pare agreed to follow Mundusi however, and the two walked off into the bush together. Jotto settled to browse with Ambo while Kuishi teamed up with Sagateisa. 

At the midday feed beside the mud bath, naughty Naleku ran off with her second bottle and tried to jump into the water with it. She dropped the bottle just as she was about to get into the water. A Keeper ran to pick it up quickly before it could be kicked into the water. Only Sagateisa, Nabulu, Suguroi, Naleku, Ndiwa, Kamok, Mapia, Roho, Ambo, Jotto and Musiara decided to go for a cool dip in the waterhole after finishing their milk bottles. After having enough of wallowing, Ambo, Mapia, Musiara, Ndiwa and Kamok left to go and dry off on the loose soil. Mapia then had a pushing game with Musiara. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill. Kamok, Malkia, Ndiwa and Sana Sana split from the main herd and left to browse a short distance away. In the evening, the ex-orphans were back at the stockade compound and had some water before heading off into the night.

The orphans left the stockade compound early as usual soon after finishing their morning milk bottles. The ex-orphans in Yatta’s herd were there to greet them in the lucerne feeding area. Yogi was in a playful mood and started his days activities by ambushing Suguroi. Suguroi rumbled to call Naleku for help, who came running to Suguroi’s rescue and helped in driving Yogi away. Yogi retreated to his mother where Suguroi and Naleku would never attempt to get him. Once happy that she was now safe, Naleku left to have a drink of water, leaving Suguroi still feeding on lucerne. Yogi waited until Naleku had turned her back and walked away before moved swiftly to push Suguroi again! Suguroi was caught unaware and so ran as Yogi pursued her. Luckily Kamok, the no-nonsense girl, met with Yogi running after Suguroi and whipped him hard using her trunk. Yogi didn’t hang about to be hit by Kamok again and so scampered back to his mother. Suguroi smiled as she slowed down and turned back to watch Yogi running back to his mother, happy in the knowledge that she has some older friends at Ithumba who will watch over her!

On the way out to the bush, Roho engaged Naboishu in a strength testing exercise. Challa, Kenze and Kilaguni chose to escort the orphans for about two hundred metres from the stockades, then they changed direction and headed off. Sagateisa found a suitable rock that she used to scratch her belly on while Larro teamed up with Roho to browse. Jotto had a strength testing exercise with Mapia while Neshashi chose Malima to browse with.

Again, the orphans decided to only dip their feet into the mud bath after their milk feed. Even Sagateisa refrained from her usual swim. It was quite cool and none of them felt like fully submerging themselves.

It didn’t take long for the temperature to skyrocket in the afternoon, however. The orphans made their way to the small roadside mud bath again to cool off. It was so hot in fact, that the orphans chose to pass by the main mud bath for a proper swim as they made their way home for the night. They had the most spectacular evening wallow, rolling and splashing about. When they were done, Sagateisa led the way back to the stockades for the night.

It was a relief in the morning when Mutara and her baby Mambo showed up after being away for such a long time! We thought that she would turn up any day now, as her other group members Suguta, Sities Turkwel and Kainuk have been around for a few days already without their matriarch, but we couldn’t help but worry a little bit as it is unusual for this group to be separated. They are the only group who has remained intact ever since they left their human family and joined the wild. It was a happy reunion between Mutara and the rest of her herd.

The orphans had their morning milk, then walked down to join the ex-orphans who had already arrived to share lucerne with them. Everything was peaceful until Sidai started chasing Kandecha, Kalama and Kilaguni away for some reason. The noise made by the fleeing trio scared the younger orphans since they thought that Sidai might turn on them next too. Neshashi led the way out but Sagateisa decided to stay with the ex-orphans. The Keepers came and collected Sagateisa and walked her to join her friends. She seems very intent on becoming independent as soon as possible!

Out in the bush Sagateisa consoled herself, after having her morning plans thwarted, by teaming up to browse with Musiara and Ambo. Suguroi came across a dik dik and charged at it. The dik dik disappeared fast leaving Suguroi charging at empty bushes. Kauro, Kamok and Ndiwa lagged, browsing together.

Later on, six-year-old Sattao led the first group to the mud bath for the milk feed while Mukkoka led the second one. It feels like just yesterday that these boys arrived at Ithumba but already they are growing big and strong with nice tusks. Ambo and Naboishu competed who between them would get to the milk feeding area first. The vocal Naboishu, being a little lighter than Ambo, won the race. Mukkoka, who knows how to hold the bottle by himself, refused to give it back after finishing it. He walked off with the bottle still in his mouth and only dropped it when he was about to get into the water to cool off.

Fifteen wild bulls were present at the mud bath at the same time. One of the wild bulls joined the orphans to wallow in the mud bath. Sagateisa followed the wild bull into the water and she was later followed by Roho too. When they were done swimming, Neshashi, Rapa, Sana Sana, Suguroi, Naleku, Sagateisa and Roho went to dry themselves off by rolling around on the loose soil. Nabulu and Sattao walked over to the water trough where they joined several wild bulls drinking water.

The orphans browsed calmly throughout the remaining part of the day west of the hill. The heat of the day carried on into the afternoon and the orphans decided to pass by the mud bath for an evening cool-off. Larro led the way back to the stockades for the night.

Kithaka, Kilaguni and a wild elephant joined the orphans for lucerne in the morning. When they were done, Sana Sana led the way out. A lone buffalo met with the orphans on their way to the browsing field. The buffalo hesitated to get out of the way. The orphans couldn't take this lightly and Kauro led the team in an operation of driving the buffalo out of the way. Suguroi and Naleku, who are always happy about such encounters, danced in the bushes as they cheered their colleagues who were leading the charge. In the end, the buffalo surrendered by running away with the orphans in hot pursuit. After he disappeared out of sight, the orphans calmed down and settled to browse.

Roho teamed up with Sattao, Naleku, and Suguroi, while Neshashi teamed up with Sagateisa and Mukkoka. At mud bath time, Orok and Challa in the company of several wild bulls were present. The orphans briefly attended the wallowing exercise but were not comfortable with the wild bulls that got in for cooling off exercise. The orphans were avoiding being bullied the bulls while in water. Only Suguroi, Naleku, and Sagateisa stayed in water longer than the rest of their colleagues. Ambo, who didn't go into the water, walked towards Challa and stretched his trunk towards him just to say hi. Challa didn't respond but continued with his business as usual. Sattao headed for a soil dusting exercise soon after mud bath while Jotto led the way to the browsing field. In the afternoon, the sun was still hot and the orphans decided to take a break from browsing and relaxed under a tree until the temperatures dropped to a favourable level.