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Mukkoka was limping slightly this morning. The Keepers checked his leg but there was nothing to worry about as it appears that he had a thorn, but it had since come out. The orphans settled to browse north of the stockades where they happened to meet with a group of the ex-orphans. Mteto, as usual, went for the wild born babies and abandoned her friends. Larro teamed up with Nabulu to browse while Sattao paired up with Kauro. Later, Malkia took over the care of Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu. Malkia then escorted everyone to the mud bath for their eleven o'clock milk feed. Soon after milk time, Enkikwe, Mundusi, Mapia, Malkia, Mukkoka, Larro, Naboishu, Dololo, Esampu and Rapa participated in a bush mud bath. Later, Rapa settled for a soil dusting exercise. 

In the afternoon, Mteto, who had disappeared with the ex-orphans, returned back and joined his friends. The afternoon was quiet with Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu having learned so much in just three days; they are already a part of the Ithumba herd! In the evening, Nabulu as usual led the new babies back to the stockades for the night. 

It was a lovely morning today and the new babies Larro, Naboishu and Mukkoka looked happy and bright-eyed. They joined their friends for some lucerne pellets but didn’t feed on them for long before they started to walk off into the bush to browse; they aren’t that used to lucerne as they do not really feed on the pellets in the Nursery, but no doubt with time they will enjoy the supplement food as much as the others. These are still times of plenty when there is a lot of nice fresh food out in the bush, but when it is a bit drier we are sure they will like and appreciate the lucerne more! Dololo started playing and rolled on the ground, accompanied by Esampu, Rapa and Musiara. When they were done rolling and stretching, they got up and joined their friends who were already walking out to the bush for the day.

It's still lovely and green and the new babies were evidently enjoying all the fresh greenery. Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu stuck together and walked along browsing close to one another. Dololo stopped browsing for a while to enjoy scratching his neck on a rock.

Ex-orphans Zurura and Challa passed by and came to say hi to the dependent orphans. Later on Yatta's herd with Sunyei and their babies passed by as well, but they just greeted the orphans and carried on with their patrol. Their wild born babies look so strong and healthy which is lovely to see – they are so energetic and run about everywhere. Kauro found a muddy puddle and decided to play in it, but it wasn’t long before the orphans had to walk to the main mud bath area for their noon milk feed.

It was quite warm today, unlike previous days, and the orphans decided to swim in the mud bath after having their bottles today. Zurura then appeared out of the bush to join them too. He joined Naseku, who was busy playing on the pile of loose soil to dry off after her swim. Naboishu, Larro and Mukkoka enjoyed a mud bath too, but Naboishu got out first before the others.

The orphans continued to enjoy browsing in the afternoon. Naboishu, Larro and Mukkoka are slowly becoming good friends with Mapia and Sattao as well as Musiara too. The herd slowly made their way towards the dam along the roadside for a drink of water before heading home in the evening. Siangiki, Olsekki, Naseku, Roi and Oltaiyoni went a different direction from the others, but returned to the stockades later during the night. They are learning to be independent, and yesterday they came back at midnight. 

All the orphans came out of their stockades this morning after having their milk bottles to feast on lucerne and begin their new day. Enkikwe tried to play with Oltaiyoni before setting off to the bush. 

Dololo was patting Rapa affectionally while they browsed next to one another. This morning Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu were browsing together but under the security of Malkia and Maramoja. Sometimes we observed Naboishu leading his two friends Mukkoka and Larro. He directed them towards a small puddle which Mukkoka and Larro really enjoyed playing in. Mteto and Jotto joined them, until Mteto came out wiping her eyes with her trunk as she had got some mud in her eyes. The orphans then walked to the main mud bath area for their noon milk feed.

Most of the dependent orphans enjoyed swimming in the main mud bath today after having their bottles as it was another warm day. The ex-orphans, led by Wendi, arrived with their babies as well. We had Mulika with Mwende and Mkuu, Naserian with Njema, Sunyei with Siku and Saba and Kilabasi with Kofi – all at the mud bath. They all enjoyed a swim with the dependent orphans. Olare was with Sunyei's younger baby Saba most of the time in the mud bath and she is clearly a very good and vigilant nanny. 

Roi got out and start playing on the mound of soil to dry off. Rapa was busy playing with Jotto in the water. Then Sunyei got out of the water and took her family Siku and Saba off into the bush; Naserian and Njema followed them. Yatta’s daughter Yetu got excited and started charging around as the Keepers started gathering the orphans to walk back out to the bush with them, but eventually she followed the rest of the ex-orphans, and the dependent orphans decided to go back to browsing too.

The orphans browsed peacefully for the rest of the day and returned home in the evening on time, but Enkikwe decided to follow Class Five who are weaned off milk and are starting to explore their independence and stay out at night; they didn’t return home this evening and Enkikwe stayed with them. Wendi’s herd arrived during the night to have some water, before walking off into the bush again.

It was a sunny morning today and the orphans were enjoying their lucerne after their milk bottles. The three new orphans love the green vegetation the most and don’t really like hanging around feeding on the lucerne pellets. They impatiently stand about at the periperhy of the herd, desperate for the new friends to hurry up and get moving with the day! Eventually as the herd started to make their way out to the bush, Naboishu got fully stuck in and started browsing with fervor. Larro and Mukkoka browsed together. Dololo and Nabulu were busy playing separately from Malkia and Jotto who were patting one another and having their own private conversation. Galla started climbing on Mapia while they were playing a pushing game. Pare and Musiara then went to greet one another and they started walking off together towards the mud bath area for the noon milk feed, so everyone decided to follow them. 

After the milk feed, Rapa and Wanjala went to get into the water for a swim and really enjoyed playing together. Olsekki then came over to interrupt their game by climbing on Rapa. Enkikwe, Dololo, Kauro and Musiara all came to join them as well and enjoy a swim. Later, Naboishu led them out of waterhole to the loose soil to dry off, before finally walking back out to the bush to browse.

All the orphans were browsing and enjoying the green vegetation they can still find in abundance everywhere. They had a quiet afternoon and then walked back to the stockades for the night. Around dusk, ex-orphans Nasalot, Noah, Nusu, Lili and Loijuk visited for water. They had a drink then walked off out to the bush again. While yesterday Enkikwe stayed out with Oltaiyoni’s herd who are becoming more independent, tonight he joined his group and returned to the stockades for the night.

Enkikwe, who joined up with Class Five a couple of weeks ago, woke up at the stockades today in a playful mood as he engaged his long-time friend Olsekki in a strength testing match. Mukkoka was limping slightly, suggesting that he might have slipped in stockade during the night, or slept funny, as he was walking fine yesterday. The orphans settled to browse in the Kone area where they were briefly joined by the ex-orphans. Malkia, Ndiwa, Mteto, Esampu, Sana Sana and Nabulu spend some time with Kaia, Lexi, Njema, Yogi and Noah. The ex-orphans were just passing by however, and they disappeared a few minutes later. 

Malkia and Ndiwa took sometime off from feeding to have a game of rolling on the ground. Mapia played with Ambo while Mundusi played with Sapalan. Challa joined the orphans on their way to the mud bath. Challa encouraged the orphans to get into the water by showing by example, and being the first one to get into the water. The orphans duly followed and ended up having a wonderful time in the water. Rapa enjoyed climbing on Dololo, who these days is missing the love and attention that he used to get from Mutara’s herd, who have been away for a while now. After wallowing, Jotto led a small group of orphans for a soil dusting exercise. Challa parted ways with the orphans soon after mud bath. The orphans settled west of Ithumba Hill and had a quiet afternoon. 

Olsekki and Ambo walked to the water trough soon after they were let out this morning, as the rest of their friends settled for lucerne. Shortly later, Karisa led the way to browse again. On the way, Olsekki, Mukkoka and Larro came across some rocks that they used to scratch against. 

Later, Ambo had a disagreement with Musiara that led the two boys to engage in a pushing game. Malkia passed by and separated the two boys before carrying on with her journey. Naboishu, who we are finding to be quite an independent boy who isn’t very attached to Mukkoka and Larro, settled to browse with Olsekki, but left when Olsekki attempted to bully him. Mapia teamed up with Kamok while Sana Sana took care of Mukkoka and Larro. 

The ex-orphans passed by the stockades shortly before eleven o'clock, heading to an unknown place. At the same time the dependent orphans were heading to the mud bath for their noon milk feed. Nabulu, Sattao, Ambo, Enkikwe, Mundusi, Sana Sana, Esampu, Kauro and Larro decided to have fun in the water while Mukkoka, Naboishu, Kamok, Jotto, Musiara, Dololo, Rapa, Wanjala and Malkia opted for a soil dusting exercise. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill and later in the evening they passed by the mud bath again for an evening cool-off. When he was done cooling off Enkikwe decided to have a strength testing game with Olsekki, and then all the orphans slowly made their way back to the compound for the night.

Mist covered the tip of the Ithumba Hill this morning when the orphans were let out and settled for lucerne. Mukkoka and Musiara had enough of lucerne and decided to walk down to the water trough for a drink. Shortly later, Larro led the way out, but Mteto, Malkia, Esampu and Sana Sana couldn't allow Larro to lead as she doesn’t know the area well enough yet, so they hurried a head of her and walked together with the courageous girl. 

The orphans headed to the area known as Kone where they settled to browse. Galla and Pare took a break from feeding and engaged each other in a strength testing game that ended when Pare decided to surrender. Ndiwa played with Karisa as Malkia settled to browse with Mukkoka and Naboishu. Mteto teamed up with Esampu while Sapalan attempted to ride on Galla. 

On the way to the mud bath, the orphans were joined by Loijuk, Lili and a one-tusked female that used to be quite aggressive at one time but now she is much more settled around the Keepers and the orphans. Loijuk escorted the group to the mud bath. Ndiwa, Roi, Mundusi, Malkia and Rapa took turns in playing with Lili. 

At the mud bath Jotto played with Rapa as Dololo played with Musiara and as they made their way back to the stockades, Dololo and Musiara took up their game again. They were fully invested in their wrestling match, and it wasn’t until the Keepers were close to the stockades that they realised the two boys were missing. Two Keepers went back to look for Musiara and Dololo and found the two boys, still in their pushing game and totally oblivious that their friends had left them behind and that it was time to return home. The Keepers separated them and led them to the safety of the stockades for the night. 

The orphans settled for lucerne soon after leaving the stockades. Sana Sana and Roi shared their lucerne with Naboishu and had a brief chat with him, encouraging Naboishu and offering his positive thoughts. Esampu engaged Mapia in a pushing game that was cut short by Sapalan who came up behind Mapia and pushed him away. 

The orphans found themselves in the Kone area again, where Sana Sana spend the entire morning browsing with Naboishu who has become her favourite little baby. Musiara played with Mapia and later tackled Dololo. At mud bath time, Nabulu led the first group for the milk feed while Esampu led the second group. Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu were in the last group. 

It was very hot and the orphans participated fully in the wallowing exercise with the exception of Sapalan and Jotto who opted for a soil dusting exercise instead. They then settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill and had a quiet afternoon. In the evening, the orphans passed by the mud bath and cooled off there before heading back to the stockades for the night. Later, Esampu, Karisa, Mteto, Sapalan and Wanjala dodged the Keepers and ended up coming back to the compound late at night. 

Mutara, Sities, Sugata, Kainuk, Turkwel, Kalama, Melia, Rapsu and Lemoyian were the guests of honours this morning. Mutara and her group had been away for quite sometime. The group was happy to find some new babies at Ithumba! Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu didn't show any interest in the big girls and almost appeared to be avoiding them. Nabulu and Wanjala stayed close to the three new orphans. Suguta and Turkwel tried to go back to Dololo, but it seems as if Dololo was wise to them now and avoided the two girls like the plague! It appears he didn’t want to be let down again when the ex-orphans would just decide to wonder off again anytime, or show more attention to a new born wild calf than him, and he went on his way as if the girls didn’t exist. Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu did the right thing not to get too attached to the big girls, for sure enough, as soon as Mutara’s first baby comes along any day now, they will all be jostling for their nanny positions with her new baby! Sities decided to say hello to Musiara and later Enkikwe. Lemoyian played with Galla while Jotto embraced the spirit of sharing by inviting Sapalan to feed with him. Mutara and her herd joined the dependent orphans on the way to the mud bath. The weather was chilly and only Nabulu decided to wallow in the mud bath. The others opted for a soil dusting exercise. 

In the afternoon, the dependent orphans parted ways with Mutara’s herd who took Siangiki, Olsekki, Oltaiyoni and Roi with them. The rest of the orphans took a break from feeding and relaxed under a tree for some time before going back to browsing. Pare had a brief conversation with Musiara before parting ways. In the evening, Yatta and her herd reported to the stockade compound and left an hour later. 

Soon after arriving out in the bush, the orphans were joined by Mutara, Sugata, Sities, Turkwel, Kainuk, Lemoyian and Kibo. Mist was everywhere and it almost looked as if it was snowing. Suguta and Turkwel tried to sweet talk Dololo again after abandoning him for so long, but Dololo would hear none of it. Mutara and her group left about an hour or so later. 

Ambo, the only baby that Kamok really loves, rumbled and Kamok, who was quite far away, ran to respond to Ambo's call. Kamok found that Ambo had started a game of rolling on the ground and she stayed to watch over him in case any of the other boys decided to come and bully him while he was playing. After Ambo had enough of rolling and playing, Kamok took him and they walked together while browsing. Jotto engaged Sana Sana in a pushing game while Pare found a suitable tree that he scratched his belly on. Later, Kuishi, Malkia and Malima had a game of rolling on the ground too. 

It was quite chilly when the orphans went to the mud bath for their bottle, and they decided to only dip their feet in the waterhole after their feed. Enkikwe totally to get into the water at first, but later decided to do what the others were doing and washed his feet too. 

In the afternoon, Mutara and her herd joined the orphans again west of Ithumba Hill. When it was time to return to the stockades, Enkikwe, Karisa, Mteto, Sapalan and Rapa disappeared and were no where to be seen. The five orphans reported back later in the evening shortly before 7pm in the company of the late-night gang. 

Ex-orphan Kibo joined the orphans for lucerne in the morning. Its not clear where he had left Mutara and the others who he had been with yesterday. An hour later, Mutara, Turkwel, Suguta, Sities, Kainuk and Lemoyian joined the orphans in the Kone area. Turkwel and Suguta went up to Dololo as they apparently continue to beg for his forgiveness, promising not to leave him again soon. Dololo appeared to soften a bit and stopped playing so hard to get, as he was then seen following the two girls. 

Malima, Kuishi and Esampu took a break from browsing and decided to have a game of rolling on the ground. A wild bull in the company of Nasalot, Nusu, Noah, Ithumba and Naisula passed by close to where the orphans were feeding. Ndiwa and Mteto ran to catch up with Noah, and the Keepers had a hard time trying to get the two girls to go to the mud bath just before noon, as they wanted to stay with Noah. Suguta and Turkwel escorted Dololo for his milk bottle and later they all had a soil dusting exercise together. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill. Jotto engaged Sana Sana in a pushing game while Lemoyian played with Rapa. Dololo settled to browse with Turkwel while Wanjala settled to browse with Mteto. In the evening, the late-night gang lagged behind with Enkikwe, Galla, Wanjala, Mteto and Rapa, and showed up at the stockades an hour after the others had already gone inside for the night. A wild herd with two small babies checked in briefly at the stockade compound and left immediately after taking water.