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Whilst many of the orphans were busy browsing this morning, Malima, Kuishi, Jotto, Ambo, Maisha and Enkesha were all busy scampering about in the thicket, charging and stamping their feet in protest of we were not sure what! They were in a very lively mood. The keepers wondered if it was because of the cold weather and they were just running around to keep warm. Malima and Kuishi were running about so much and then they started trumpeting, which stirred up everyone in the group, even poor Luggard with his bad leg who started stamping his feet close to his good friend Musiara. All the orphans remained in this restless mood trying to beat the cold weather for almost an hour, when it seemed they had all warmed up from this very active game and they all just settled down to browse. It is so cold in Nairobi at the moment for we are well into our ‘winter’ months when it is very grey and cold but not rainy. This also means the orphans do not mud bath anymore as it is too cold and also there is not very much sun to protect their skin from, but instead they prefer to roll and dust themselves in the loose soil. In this weather even Maxwell the rhino stays in his bedroom on his hay bed until it is warm enough to wake up! His friend Shabby the Sacred Ibis with the bed leg who we have raised stays next to him in the hay too sometimes.

Kiko the giraffe was behaving very badly today. It is almost because he is the tallest amongst all of the orphans, he believes he can do whatever he likes. As the elephant orphans were browsing in the afternoon, the tall boy decided to interrupt their peaceful feed. The elephants were not interested in his attempts to disturb them, but Kiko kept provoking them and looking for attention. At one point he threw a little side kick towards Sattao to get his attention, and a few minutes later he tried to prod Kuishi with his head. Then Kiko threw a back kick towards Maisha which caught her on the bum and she cried out in protest. This now attracted all the elephant’s attention as they are always ready to protect one another and come to one another’s aid, and Tagwa rushed over quickly to find out to find out what was happening. She started chasing the giraffe and playful girls like Malima mock-charged from the side, as Emoli and Kiasa trumpeted in an attempt to scare Kiko away. The herd of elephants eventually managed to drive the naughty Kiko away from the herd and Kiko went running all the way back to the stockade compound kicking his legs out in protest and excitement. Calm was then restored amongst the elephants and they went back to enjoying their peaceful browsing session.

At the moment Mapia doesn’t seem to have any permanent friends in the Nursery herd. Most of the older ones like Kuishi, Ndiwa, Malkia and Sagala are pushing him around a bit at the moment and don’t like him standing with the group sometimes. Today Kuishi and Malkia were unfair on him and during the midday milk feed Ndiwa and Sagala kept charging at him. This means he avoids crossing paths with the older girls as much as he can. Sometimes as they browse out in the forest it is either Maisha or Enkesha keeping him company, as long as none of the older girls are trying to keep little Maisha or Enkesha company too! We are sure they will all settle down soon and as Mapia is quite big for his age perhaps the older girls are just trying to make sure he knows his place.