Nairobi Nursery Unit

January 2010

Daily updates

January 2010

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

January 2nd

As soon as the small babies were let out of their Night Stables, Mutara ran to join the older elephant group, attaching herself again to Olare. Kilaguni and Kibo were bent on trying to mount onto her, but Olare protected her from these two exuberant little boys, who were keen to establish their authority.

Kibo leans against Mutara

Kilaguni playing in the mud

January 5th

At the beginning of each day Kilaguni looks for Kibo and the two engage one another in a strength testing match. Meanwhile Kimana and Sabachi also enjoy pushing games, while Tumaren and Olare chase one another around the stables for fun, until the Keepers called the orphans to order, since it was time to head out. There was more at the mudbath because both Turkwel and Kalama had an altercation over their respective milk ration.

Kilaguni in the forest

Turkwel playing in the mud

January 18th

Kibo is showing signs of being a dominant bull within the Baby Group. Usually, he is calm within his group of girls, but today he challenged Kalama, Nchan and even Tumaren to a test of strength. Normally, he takes on Kilaguni who is in the older group, but Kilaguni usually wins, so today he thought he would get one over the girls in his group.

Kibo playing with Tumaren

Kalama and Kilaguni running through the water

Kibo having a soil bath

January 26th

After exchanging the usual joyous morning greetings, the orphans were led by their Keepers out into the bush, where the older elephants split into two groups, one led by Dida and the other by Suguta. Kilaguni, Kibo, Kimana, Sabachi and Kalama decided to play the pushing game, Kibo and Kalama joining up to try and defeat Kilaguni who is large, older and stronger. Meanwhile Kimana and Sabachi decided to take each other on and iron out who was the stronger. At mudbath all the orphans, except Dida, Kimana and Mawenzi wallowed and played soccer in the pool, while Dida and the others dusted themselves instead. The Junior orphans, Kalama, Nchan and Kibo cut short their wallowing to instead charge the warthogs, who had also arrived, hoping for a cooling wallow.

Kilaguni having fun in the water

Suguta with Galgalo

Dida feeding

January 27th

Nchan entertained all the mudbath visitors today, playing with the football in the water, kicking it with her front feet, then her back legs, and eventually kicking it clear of the water and chasing after it like a professional. Kilaguni and Sabachi were also impressed and decided to do the same, Sabachi rushing into the pool ahead of Kilaguni, and getting hold of the second football that was floating on the water while Kilaguni waited on the side swinging his trunk from side to side waiting for the ball to be kicked out. However, he was thwarted when the rest of the herd jumped into the pool and interrupted the game. This annoyed Kilaguni, who went to rub his tailless bottom on the cordon while the visitors clicked away with their cameras. The orphans had fun at the mudbath for the full hour before being led off by their Keepers at 12 p.m.

Sabachi playing football

Sabachi playing with the ball

Maalim enjoying a leg scratch

January 28th

Out in the bush Kilaguni and Kimana began a pushing game but Tumaren ran to separate the two, head butting Kilaguni and backing up Kimana to chase him off. At mudbath the two groups who usually come in separately for their milk, all enjoyed the mudbath, except Mawenzi who, of late, has been “dull” but who is looking a little better after taking her new medication, She rolled in the loose red earth, closely overseen by Olare and Melia. Ndii, Kalama, Nchan and Chaimu are good foot-ballers, kicking and chasing after the ball in the water while Kilaguni and Dida went to greet the visitors along the line of the cordon. After the mudbath, the orphans resumed feeding out in the bush, one group led by Dida and the other by Suguta while the small milk only babies remained with the Keepers.

Mawenzi with Emanuel

Dida having milk

Ndii having milk

January 29th

Olare and Ndii were engaged in a pushing game when the three small babies were let out of their Night Stables to join the older group in the yard. Olare immediately abandoned the game and ran to greet them. They all rumbled with excitement as soon as they saw Olare who then lay down so that they could enjoy climbing over her. After the 9 a.m. feed, the two groups separated, the older orphans heading out to browse along the western side of the Park whilst the youngsters, headed by Suguta took the opposite direction. At the mudbath, the orphans enjoyed playing with the football in the pool. Even Melia, who normally is not in the team, took part today while Mawenzi soil dusted in between watching the football game. Chaimu and Nchan charged the warthogs who turned up for a wallow. The Keepers had a difficult time to prevent baby Mutara from jumping into the mudbath who might have been injured since Sabachi and Kilaguni play rough. Meanwhile Shukuru joined Mawenzi at the dustbath, so all the visitors enjoyed an action-packed hour!

Melia behind the others

Melia in the forest

Mawenzi

January 30th

Dida led the older group out to the bush today where Tumaren and Kimana teamed up to take on Kilaguni, but were defeated, which made Kilaguni very proud. Olare taught Shukuru, Tano and Mutara the usual rolling game and Suguta and her stockade-mate Tumaren charged some baby warthogs, chasing them far into the bush before returning looking very pleased with themselves, their trunks in the air and ears outspread. As usual, out in the bush, the orphans were divided into two groups, the older group and the babies. At the mudbath even Mawenzi enjoyed soil dusting, and indication that she is feeling better now. Shukuru entertained the guests by running up and down the cordon four times, and later on, during a Private viewing session Mawenzi partook of the mudbath, although she didn’t go in completely. However, all the others wallowed and dusted joyfully.

Tumaren with little Tano

Kudup playing with Mutara

Sabachi

Select another unit