After a rather fraught end to last month, in which Murera went walkabout after being aggressively courted by a wild bull, February began on a blessedly peaceful note.
In fact, it started with a nearly full core herd. Only Maktao and Kiombo were still at large, after Mwashoti took them on a wild adventure. Poor Kapei seemed rather put out by the boys’ absence; it left him the only bull in the herd, and he seemed to miss having playmates to push around and roughhouse with.
Fortunately, Kapei’s loneliness was short-lived. After a few days, Mwashoti brought Maktao back into the fold. When the boys arrived, the entire herd clustered around Maktao, thrilled to have him back and eager to hear his stories. By contrast, Kiombo happily remained in the wild. He has joined the same wild herd that adopted Ziwa, although he visited periodically throughout the month.
We always marvel at how Alamaya seems to associate exclusively with giant bulls, rather than companions his own age. Whenever he appears, we can be certain that a massive friend or two will follow in his wake. As a result, Murera always makes a hasty exit whenever she sees Alamaya.
Murera was even more cautious than usual this month — the memories of last month’s torrid courtship were clearly still fresh in her mind. One afternoon, Ziwa and Alamaya joined the dependent orphans with a predictably large friend in tow. Just to be safe, Murera and Mwana excused themselves to the stockades. The Keepers were only too happy to accommodate Murera’s request, and mother and daughter waited calmly in their bedroom until the bull left.
Babies Sulwe and Lenny continue to dominate everyone’s focus at Umani. They are more like twins than friends — they love each other, but they also squabble constantly. Usually, milk is at the root of their arguments. Although she was born three weeks later, Sulwe is currently larger and stronger than Lenny. As a result, she typically comes out on top in their little skirmishes.
One afternoon, Kapei and Maktao were hanging out when little Lenny joined them, turning it into a gathering of big boys and a little boy. The girls were meant to stay out of their affairs, but Kiasa missed the memo. She came to fetch Lenny, but the older boys didn’t want her to take him away, so they shielded him from her. Left with no other choice, a shocked Kiasa was forced to retreat.
The orphans may bicker, but they also band together against a common foe — the buffaloes who have adopted the Umani herd, against their wishes! One afternoon, the dastardly buffaloes were blocking the road. After receiving their orders from the head girls, the boys set about handling the situation. Flanked by Quanza and Maktao, Mwashoti chased the buffalo blocking the road. Kapei, who is too small to have any real impact, nevertheless trumpeted loudly and charged at the empty bushes, just to make sure no interlopers remained in the area.
As wild-living elephants, Lima Lima and Sonje come and go as they wish. One morning, they failed to report to the stockades in the morning. Poor Amali was very upset by their decision and ran back and forth, trying to find them. Murera raised her trunk up to the sky and over her back, trying to catch their scent. The Keepers weren’t worried; they knew that the mothers would return soon — which they did, mere hours later.
While Kiasa has wrested her way to a top nanny position through sheer grit, Enkesha takes a more laid-back approach. One morning, her nannying skills were tested while looking after Lenny and Sulwe. Both babies were very happy in her company — in fact, they were so content that they started fighting over her. Lima Lima glanced over to see if Lenny was okay, but she was satisfied when she saw Enkesha quietly separating the babies and thus diffusing the situation.
Historically, Lima Lima has been our designated scout, raising the alarm about any potential danger to the Keepers and orphans. Now that she is busy with her mothering duties, Mwashoti has stepped up to the plate. One evening, the herd encountered a wild bull on their travels. Sensing Murera’s discomfort with the situation and understanding that the bull could pose a threat to the Keepers, Mwashoti moved forward and ‘sweet-talked’ the bull while everyone made for safety. Once he was sure that the Keepers and Murera had safely passed, Mwashoti left the bull behind.
We predict that Zongoloni will have her baby any day now. She has been visibly tired and acting like a ‘leave me alone’ girl, even eschewing the company of her close friends. She has also started to deny Lenny and Sulwe the opportunity to nurse from her, which wasn’t the case some weeks back. This signals that her day of delivery is just around the corner!
On the last day of February, the dependent orphans emerged from their bedrooms and were disappointed to find that the nightclubbers had not yet arrived. Hope was restored when Amali heard elephants trumpeting in the hills. She raised her trunk to discern where the noise was coming from and then ran in its direction. A few minutes later, she reappeared with Sonje, Sulwe, Lima Lima, Lenny, Quanza, and Mwashoti in tow. We wondered how Amali knew that the trumpeting elephants were her friends. Later, Alamaya, Faraja, and Jasiri joined the herd, making for a near-complete reunion.