Keepers' Diaries, January 2015

Select your unit:

Voi Reintegration Unit

This month for the Voi Unit has been dominated by little baby Emma, born to ex orphan Emily at the Voi Stockades on the 23rd of December. The ex orphans have chosen to remain close this month And most days have visited the stockades. The juniors have been in awe of the tiny baby, but due to very possessive nurse maids in Sweet Sally, Thoma, Mweya, |Icholta, Edie, Sister Eve just to name a few any access to the calf has been difficult. Instead they peep through the legs of the big ex orphans and enjoy watching this gorgeous tiny baby from afar.

This month for the Voi Unit has been dominated by little baby Emma, born to ex orphan Emily at the Voi Stockades on the 23rd of December. The ex orphans have chosen to remain close this month
And most days have visited the stockades. The juniors have been in awe of the tiny baby, but due to very possessive nurse maids in Sweet Sally, Thoma, Mweya, |Icholta, Edie, Sister Eve just to name a few any access to the calf has been difficult. Instead they peep through the legs of the big ex orphans and enjoy watching this gorgeous tiny baby from afar.

Ndoria rescued last month and taken to the safety of the Voi stockades to be raised there has finally calmed down enough to be able to be out during the day. Her tentative beginning has necessitated a split in the junior herd leaving some to remain with Ndoria staying closer to home with the more senior herd heading further a field. Panda is the leader of the baby group with Bada, Ndoria’s favorite friend, and little Mudanda, all part of the mix. Kihari often chooses to remain with the baby group along with Ishaq B, and Naipoki.

Lesanju with Lempaute and Wassesa and Sinya, along with Ndii, Kenia, Kivuku and Mbirikani as able back up, heads the senior herd. Wasessa has missed her babies this month due to the split, but then they all have, including the boys Dabassa, Rombo and Layoni Taveta and Tassia who have missed the adoring young audience who watch their every move. Towards the end of the month, with Ndoria settled more and less likely to spirit away with the wild herds, the two groups joined forces and headed further a field which pleased them all to be reunited.

Ex orphan Thoma has been the focus of enormousmale attention this month, including Laikipia who has much of the time had to defer to rank and resort to being an observer. Different wild bulls have been accompanying Emily’s herd, and coming to the stockades often, clearly taking an interest in Thoma, but one magnificent wild bull seemed to win the day and she was separated from the rest and taken away on honeymoon a couple of days.

One day Icholta came in search of the little ones alone, but was unable to locate them in the bush. Lesanju still takes pains to separate her herd from the independent ex orphans as the last thing she wants is to loose any of her special babies to Emily’s group.

It has been a very joyous month with all the Voi elephants in good health and great spirits, and to be able to watch little Emma’s progress so intimately having the ex orphans remain so close to home has been very enjoyable for everyone, elephants and Keepers alike. Details and beautiful photographs are shared in the Keepers Daily Entries.

January 2015 day to day

01 Jan

It was a wonderful to see Ndoria experiencing her second day out of her stable with the others in the field. She seem to have tightened her relationship with Bada and was reluctant to change her favorite friend for the others who were trying to win her affections by all means possible. Ishaq-B tried so hard to adopt the little one but Kihari and Panda showed little interest in having her as part of their herd. Panda’s group, which comprises Mudanda, Ishaq-B, Kihari, Naipoki, Bada and now Ndoria, went on a tour of the browsing grounds to orientation little Ndoria before joining the seniors in Lesanju’s herd. The afternoon was hot and the little ones returned to the stockades for their afternoon milk, water and a mud bath. Mbirikani lay in the water rolling around and showing off to Ndoria who was suitably impressed and provided an appreciative audience. Bada seemed to be missing her adopted mother Wasessa and was often heard rumbling as if asking where she was. The same thing was also witnessed with Wasessa, several miles away she kept rumbling when thoughts of Bada crossed her mind. The rest of the day passed browsing peacefully. The keepers tempted Ndoria back into her stable with a milk bottle that she followed like there was nothing sweeter in the world.

Ndoria out in the fied

Mbirikani trying to impress Ndoria

Bada and Ndoria browsing together