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As the gates were opened for the orphans to come out, Malima decided to have a morning stretch exercise still inside her stockade. Ambo, who was passing by on his way out, decided to join Malima, not for a stretching exercise, but for a pushing game instead. Kauro and Mundusi entwined their trunks in morning greetings that later turned into a pushing game. The sky was clear thi morning and this was a clear indication of a hot day a head. The orphans settled to browse in Kone area. The orphans came across a water hole where they drank some water before having a bush mud, smearing themselves with red mud. 

Shortly before mud bath time, the orphans were joined by the senior ex-orphans and they all walked together to the mud bath. Mteto, Roi and Naseku decided to interact and socialize with little Yogi on the way, who cooperated with the girls and played with them for a while, before running back to his mother. Shortly later, the orphans parted ways with the ex-orphans. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill. The sun was bearing down and this prompted Enkikwe, Mundusi, Mapia, Kauro, Rapa and Kuishi to go for a mud bath along the roadside to cool off. In the evening, the orphans returned safely to the stockade compound. 

It was the first morning at Ithumba for Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu. Makena, who is trying to escape from the five bulls who have been following her, joined the dependent orphans as soon as they were let out this morning. Makena clearly wanted to have a slight break from these bulls. Zurura and Challa, who were among the wild bulls trying their luck, came and fished out Makena from the orphans. Makena ran away heading south amidst trumpeting from the orphans, especially the girls who were in disapproval of so many bulls persisting after one female. Shortly later, Kinna emerged from east with Kaia, Kama and Ithumba. Kama, who happens to be a tough girl, didn't take it lightly when Mundusi pushed her. The two had a pushing game for quite sometime as the dependent orphans left and headed north east. The game kept Mundusi so occupied that he didn’t even notice his friends leaving, but he ran to join up with them after his game with Kama ended in a draw. 

Malkia and Kuishi made sure that Naboishu, Mukkoka and Larro were doing alright as they took turns looking after them. Sattao tried to bully Naboishu but was pushed away by Malkia. At the mud bath Malkia, Nabulu and Kuishi encouraged the Nairobi babies to take a bath by leading them and walking into the water. Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu who are disciplined and fast learner's, duly followed their teachers into the water. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse east of Ithumba where Roi decided to spend sometime with Naboishu, Larro and Mukkoka. In the evening, Enkikwe decided to lag behind with the late-night gang but returned early before them, shortly before six o'clock in the evening. 

The orphans awoke from their slumber this morning to the sound of their milk being prepared for them. They had their bottles and then walked out to have some lucerne pellets. The three new babies, Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu are really enjoying life here at Ithumba. They have friends to guide and protect them, especially Malkia, Maramoja and Nabulu who have taken on this role with gusto. The orphans weren’t really interested in their pellets this morning but were eager to walk straight out to feed on the fresh green grass and leaves. Mukkoka and Larro were browsing together with Ndiwa. Siangiki was busy rolling and playing on the ground and it wasn’t long before Naseku went to join her. Mapia decided to keep Larro and Naboishu company and browsed together with them. Jotto and Malima seemed to be having their own private conversation. Mundusi and Siangiki had a playfight for a short while. A small group of orphans including Kuishi, Ambo and Mteto found a puddle which they started playing in. Later this group linked up with their other friends and they all walked to the mud bath area for their noon milk feed. Some of the orphans decided to go for a swim but others didn’t, namely the ones that had just enjoyed a bush mud bath!

It’s still very green and lush everywhere at the moment and the orphans are really enjoying their days of browsing with ease. Larro was seen busy browsing alone and later Naboishu and Mukkoka came to join her. They started patting each other with their trunks. Sapalan and Mundusi were busy playfighting in the bush and later the whole herd walked back home in the evening for their milk. As usual, Siangiki, Olsekki, Naseku, Roi and Oltaiyoni were left behind, to come back of their own accord. Tusuja and Barsilinga haven’t been seen since they joined a herd of ex -orphans two weeks ago and we assume they are doing well in their company. 

It was another sunny morning today. The orphans didn’t stay in the compound for long and walked out to the bush to browse quite early, eager to begin their day. Today Larro, Mukkoka and Naboishu tried a bit more of the lucerne grass so we think they will come round to it with time.

Once again Naboishu was fully enjoying the nice fresh vegetation with his new friends. He was together with Mukkoka, Ndiwa and Wanjala. Kuishi was browsing on her own off to the side. Sana Sana was checking on Larro while browsing alongside her. Later the three new orphans reconvened and started browsing as their own little group. Ambo decided to take a break from browsing and was busy playing and rolling on the ground, enjoying the weather, while Mundusi was busy scooping and tossing soil in the air and some on his back. 

Later on at the mud bath, ex-orphans Sunyei and her two babies Siku and Saba, Kilabasi with her baby Kofi, and Makireti arrived, but they only had some water before walking away again. It wasn’t as hot today and only a few of the orphans decided to wallow in the mud bath before walking back out to browse.

We haven’t had any rain recently, so it has started to dry out a bit, but there is still lots of food to eat. It was Mukkoka who led the herd back home in the evening. Everyone came into the stockade for the night except for are no longer milk-dependent - Siangiki, Olsekki and Roi. Oltaiyoni and Naseku arrived later in the evening and were locked into their stockade for the night. 

The late-night gang arrived early at dawn and waited outside the stockades for their friends to be let out. Mapia and Ambo apparently dreamt about fighting each other as the first thing they did this morning was lock trunks in a tussle. Their pushing game went on for quite sometime until Olsekki, who was passing by, intervened and separated the two boys. Wanjala settled to play with Mundusi while Ambo later played with his friend Sattao. Malkia developed an itchy ear and so decided to scratch against a tree. 

Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu, who have now fully settled into Ithumba, browsed quietly without interruptions or stopping to play; they continue to be good learners as they follow their friends and learn everything there is to know about Ithumba and living in the wild. Esampu and Kuishi took Naboishu off to browse with them and spend some quality time with him. 

At noon while at the mud bath, the orphans were joined by Zurura, who left shortly afterwards. In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse east of Ithumba Hill and in the evening, some of the ex-orphans passed by the stockades again with their young ones. Rapa reported back later after his friends had settled in for the night. 

The orphans left the stockades early as usual and settled for lucerne before making their way out to browse. After Karisa had enough lucerne, this streetwise boy led the way out. Enkikwe and Ambo lagged behind as they tried to clear up all the leftover lucerne their friends had left.

Out in the bush, Jotto combined browsing with a scratching session, as Pare isolated himself from his friends and moved off a short distance away to browse on his own. Larro, Naboishu, Mukkoka and Musiara teamed up with Malkia to browse. 

At noon when the orphans visited the mud bath, Rapa, Nabulu, Mundusi, Enkikwe, Mteto, Ndiwa, Kuishi, Esampu, Ambo, Mapia, Sana Sana and Kamok all decided to get into the water and have fun. Esampu was the first one leave however, running and trumpeting as she ran into the bush; she is still a little drama queen! Mundusi and Enkikwe were the last ones to leave the water. 

In the afternoon, the orphans settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill and they had a quiet time browsing. Later, the orphans came across a small water hole where they decided to have a bush mud bath. In the evening, Larro led the first group back to the stockades for the night, while Nabulu led the second one. 

The orphans settled for lucerne soon after leaving the stockades. The late-night gang arrived sometime during the night and had slept in the stockade compound. Naboishu walked over to Roi and settled to share lucerne with her. Roi was kind enough to allow Naboishu share lucerne and give the young boy some attention. Later, Naboishu walked to join Mukkoka and Larro. 

Out in the bush the orphans were joined by Kibo and Tusuja who have been away for quite sometime! Mukkoka briefly teamed up with Ambo before walking off in his own direction again. The orphans settled to browse in the Kone area again. Pare and Sattao isolated themselves from the rest of the group and browsed a short distance away. It's not clear why the two boys distanced themselves from their friends or what they were talking about! The two boys re-joined their friends later on the way to the mud bath. 

Soon after coming out of the mud bath, Wanjala, Rapa, Esampu and Kuishi spotted two Egyptian geese beside the water trough. Led by Esampu, the four orphans trumpeted and charged as they headed for the birds. The birds were clever though and flew away the moment they heard the orphans trumpeting. 

In the afternoon the orphans settled to browse in between Ithumba Hill and Imenti. Later in the evening, shortly before going back to the stockades, the orphans came across a small water hole that they used to cool themselves off in. After they had enough of wallowing, Nabulu led the way back to the stockades for the night. 

The orphans left the stockades soon after finishing their milk. Kauro and Mundusi greeted each other this morning by starting a pushing game. Their game ended when Olsekki intervened and pushed them away as he informed them that it was too early for such games. Mundusi looked rather confused at Olsekki's actions because he too is partial to a morning pushing game every now and then, and he concluded that he was just jealous that he didn’t have anyone to play with. Mundusi walked away for fear of being bullied by Olsekki. 

The orphans settled to browse in the Kone area. Malkia, Kuishi and Sana Sana spent their entire morning feeding with Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu. Jotto rumbled, signalling that it was time for the midday bottle feed. Mukkoka, Larro and Naboishu responded quickly and followed Jotto who had started walking off towards the mud bath. The rest of the herd did the same when they saw the three new babies following Jotto. The orphans had their milk and shortly later, headed off to browse again, without wallowing. They settled to browse west of Ithumba Hill. As the day wore on it got hotter though, and the orphans opted to pass by the mud bath to cool off. 

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.