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The orphans left the stockade early as usual and were met by Mutara’s herd just outside the stockade. 

Out in the bush, Esampu, the drama queen, happened to spot two dik diks ahead of her. She was excited and ran towards the dik diks charging and trumpeting. Her excitement attracted Mundusi, Rapa and Pare who joined in the race of chasing the dik diks away too. The dik diks disappeared very quickly as soon as they saw the danger approaching! Their disappearing restored the peace and quiet though as the four orphans forgot about their chasing games and went back to browsing. 

As the drought continues to bite, more wild elephants are now showing up at the mud bath and stockade compound to visit the water troughs. Fifteen wild bulls arrived at mud bath while twenty eight wild elephants showed up at the stockade later in the evening. The orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area later in the afternoon. In the evening, Nabulu led the first group back to the stockades. She is still doing very well at Ithumba since losing her friend Maisha, and is getting on very well in the company of the other orphans.  

It was extremely cold in the early morning and this temperature continued for the entire morning. The orphans settled for lucerne as usual and were joined by the ex-orphans in Mutara’s herd including Kithaka and co. Kuishi walked down to drink water and was followed by Nabulu and Jotto. Later, Mundusi decided to challenge Kithaka but couldn't withstand his strength and so had no option other than to surrender. 

Due to the cold weather, the orphans remained active and only concentrated on browsing. Enkikwe decided to take a break from browsing though to challenge Bomani. Perhaps he was feeling cold and felt like warming himself up with a pushing game! Bomani was very much willing for a warm up exercise and the two had a strength testing exercise that lasted for quite some time. By the end of it they had both warmed up significantly to resume browsing. 

At mud bath time, the orphans had their milk bottles before walking over to the water troughs for a drink. Today they walked straight back out to continue browsing without any games in the water or on the soil piles. Only Barsilinga decided to have some fun with Kalama, playing and messing around on the loose soil before walking to catch up with their milk dependent friends. 

The afternoon was a quiet one as the extreme cold weather continued to rule the day. The ex-orphans in Galana’s herd decided to visit the stockade compound early before five when the dependent orphans return. The little rascal Lapa played his usual tricks and wouldn’t allow the dependent babies back into the stockade compound as they returned, and he kept ambushing and charging at them. Mapia didn't take kindly to Lapa's game and since he didn't want to be late for his milk bottles, he decided to push Lapa out of the way for he was wasting his time. Quite out of character, as she can also be quite a hard little baby, Esampu pitied Lapa and decided to comfort him. She stretched her out trunk towards him and patted him to make him feel better. Lapa calmed down and walked back over to his mother. Esampu then walked into her stockade to have her evening milk bottles and settle down for the night.

The orphans woke up in a jovial mood this morning and happily guzzled down their milk bottles. Tusuja came out of his night stockade and walked down to the water troughs where he joined a wild bull that was drinking water, and engaged him in a lengthy conversation. Shortly later the ex-orphans in Galana’s herd showed up led up by the babies Lapa and Lili. Esampu and Mteto welcomed the babies with trumpets and rumbles. Sities forgot that she had Dololo to care of and instead joined the queue of following little Lapa around! 

When the lucerne was finished, the dependent orphans headed east while the ex-orphans headed south. 

At mud bath time, the sun was shining and hot. The orphans walked into the water of their own accord without even being directed there by the Keepers today. They were all too happy to enjoy a swim after all the cold weather, and even Kauro got into the water willingly. Twenty five wild bulls were present at the mud bath including Dad who looked very serene and calm. Also noticeable were four new wild bulls who had not visited the mud bath before. 

Later the orphans came out of the water and had a soil bath to dry off. Namalok accidentally stood on Ambo’s trunk which made him yell out but Namalok soon moved away as it was only an accident. Sapalan came over to check on Ambo and he was fine. He stood up and dusted himself off and followed the others back out into the bush to continue browsing. Mutara and her herd left with the Class Five members (Barsilinga, Tusuja, Siangiki, Olsekki, Oltaiyoni, Roi, Kamok, Naseku, Rapa and Enkikwe) and brought them back later in the evening. Sixty wild elephants reported for water at the stockade water troughs this evening, including two wild breeding herds with their young ones.

Ex-orphans Loijuk, baby Lili, Makena, Lenana, baby Lapa, Kilabasi, Kilaguni, Chemi Chemi, Kitirua, Naisula, Ukame, Mutara, Sities, Turkwel, Suguta, Kithaka, Garzi, Lemoyian and Bomani were present in the morning for the lucerne feeding time. The little rascal Lapa engaged Esampu in a pushing game. Esampu tolerated Lapa as she understands that he is still a baby, but this wasn’t the case with Mapia! Mapia didn’t seem to care about Lapa’s age and he pushed Lapa hard when the youngster came to tease him. Mapia didn’t seem to mind the fact his mother and nannies were there too, and didn’t seem to fear being potentially reprimanded for pushing the little baby. Perhaps the elders knew that Lapa was being a little rascal and got what he deserved for playing with the older babies. 

Out in the bush Kuishi teamed up with Barsilinga to browse and have a conversation with him. Lemoyian had a disagreement with Sapalan and threatened to push him, but after a second thought, Lemoyian decided to go and team up with Siangiki to feed instead. Lemoyian is a funny little elephant as he never seems to grow very much and he is still small in stature for his age.

It was quite chilly as the orphans walked to the mud bath and only one wild elephant bull showed up to join them. The orphans had their milk bottles and some water before heading for a soil dusting exercise. Malkia and Sana Sana entwined their trunks as they tried to reflect on their lives for the past two and half years since arriving at Ithumba. 

Later, the dependent orphans marched back out browse led by Nabulu. Ndiwa, Mundusi, Kauro and Rapa lagged behind as they pondered whether to remain with the ex-orphans or follow their dependent friends. Eventually they unanimously agreed on following their dependent Ithumba friends and save spending time with the ex-orphans another day. Meanwhile all Class Five members Kamok, Barsilinga, Naseku, Roi, Olsekki, Oltaiyoni, Tusuja and Siangiki decided to stick with the ex-orphans but managed later to return to the stockade compound in the evening of their own accord.  

Ex-orphans Lualeni, baby Lulu, Melia, Kitirua, Naisula, Kalama, Kilabasi and Mutara with her herd were present in the morning to join in the lucerne feeding. Soon after finishing, the orphans headed east while the ex-orphans lagged behind but later followed the orphans. An hour later, the ex-orphans parted ways. Class Five members Kamok, Barsilinga, Roi, Naseku, Tusuja, Oltaiyoni Olsekki and Siangiki all followed the ex-orphans. Maramoja, without realizing, ended up following the ex-orphans too as she was trying to play with Lulu. 

A short while later some of the dependent orphans came across an ostrich which confused them a bit, as they weren’t quite sure what it was. The boys Mundusi, Sattao, Musiara, Enkikwe and Galla approached the ostrich with their trunks raised, smelling. When it saw the elephants approaching however the ostrich started to run off, which set the young elephant bulls off in a charging mood. They started running and trumpeting trying to scare the away ostrich. As the ostrich ran off into the bushes, even though it had already started to leave, the elephants saw this as a victory and started charging about and stamping their feet in celebration, before settling down to continue with their morning of browsing. 

Karisa and Pare settled for a strength testing exercise that lasted for quite some time, but it ended in a draw. This meant that the two boys would have a rematch another day. 

Shortly before mud bath time, Maramoja led the ex-orphans to the stockades in search of her friends but also to get her noon milk feed. However when they arrived they found that the car carrying the milk had already left for the mud bath. Maramoja and her team including Lualeni, Lulu, Mutara’s herd and the Class Five members, had some water from the troughs instead and then walked back out to the bush. 

Meanwhile at the mud bath it was quite hot and the dependent orphans got into the water to wallow after having their bottles without any encouragement from the Keepers. Twenty five wild bulls were present at the mud bath today. Challa showed up later and joined the orphans to wallow too. Esampu left the water all excited and ran off trumpeting into the bush. Mteto, Wanjala and Mundusi followed to check what the excitement was all about but they couldn’t find anything; sometimes Esampu just does that! Kauro, Malima and Galla skipped the wallowing exercise entirely. Kauro has never been a big fan of the water. 

The afternoon was quiet as the orphans browsed calmly throughout the rest of the day. Just before five in the evening and time to return home, Jotto, Wanjala and Ambo settled for a short soil dusting exercise on the side of the road and shortly later, Nabulu led Malima and Musiara in the first group back to the stockades for the night.  

The orphans awoke in a jovial mood today. They had their bottles and went to feed on the lucerne supplements. They have enjoyed the last few days without being interrupted by any ex-orphans or wild elephants as they have their lucerne in peace.

It is becoming very dry out in the bush and all the orphans are searching and jostling for enough browse to eat. The orphans always know the time and just before their noon milk feed they started to walk towards the mud bath area where they get their bottles. Nabulu led the orphans to the mud bath with her friend Malkia.

Some of the orphans decided to go into the mud bath after having their bottles. Sana Sana, Naseku, Dololo, Musiara, Sattao, Enkikwe, Esampu, Mteto, Maramoja, Ambo, Rapa, Jotto, Namalok and Sapalan all went in the water. It wasn’t because it was very hot but just that they felt like playing! There was one wild bull also playing in the water, and a group of wild bulls standing around the water trough drinking. Enkikwe, Esampu, Mteto, Musiara and Maramoja were the most playful today. When they were done in the mud bath they walked to the piles of loose soil to dry off. 

This afternoon the orphans all looked tired and they all concentrated on browsing. None of them were very active or playful, and just before 5pm they all returned home for their milk and to go to bed.

This evening a wild elephant herd visited the compound with some babies. Some ex-orphans from Lualeni's herd also came, along with Ishanga who was treated yesterday. She looks very strong and the wound is healing nicely. They all came to drink water and later they walked back out to the bush. Barsilinga’s group of the Class Five orphans who separated from the other Ithumba babies earlier in the day also arrived, and they were shut into their stockade for the night.

It was a lovely morning as the orphans woke up early for their breakfast milk bottles. At 6am exactly, they started rumbling and making a fuss, and we knew they were ready for their bottles! As soon as they were done they came out of their stockades and walked straight to the lucerne feeding area for their supplement food during this dry weather. Naseku is becoming a very maternal and caring little girl, as she is preparing for her life back in the wild and becoming more independent. Often she is spotted looking after Ambo, Sattao and Musiara. This morning she spent her time protecting Sattao and Ambo as they fed on lucerne, and no one was allowed to push or bully the two boys. There was a very beautiful sunrise today. 

Out in the bush all the orphans concentrated very much on browsing. A little later Ambo and Malima started a play fight while their friends were busy browsing. Later all the orphans walked to the mud bath for their noon milk bottle and to wallow in the water as it was quite hot morning. Some wild bulls joined the orphans in the water too, and others were drinking from the water trough. Rapa decided to climb on Malima while they were swimming. Pare and Ndiwa were having a lovely time wallowing next to Malkia as well. All the orphans came out of the water around the same time, and went straight to dust bath to play and dry off. Jotto, Kuishi and Malima had the best dust bath ever and really enjoyed. Esampu, Rapa and Musiara were also enjoying rolling around on the dust bath separate to the others. When they were done playing and wallowing, the orphans walked back out to the bush to continue browsing. They browsed right up until the last minute when Pare led the herd back home for the night at 5pm. Enkikwe and Sapalan were left behind but arrived back half an hour later.

When the orphans arrived back at the stockades they found a couple of wild bulls drinking water there. Barsilinga and the rest of Class Five, including Tusuja, Siangiki, Olsekki, Oltaiyoni, Roi, Kamok, Naseku, Rapa and Enkikwe, who walked off this morning after the mud bath, arrived back an hour after all the others. They are doing so well honing their wild instincts and learning to become independent. 

A buffalo came in to drink water with the orphans this morning, and shared the trough alongside Siangiki, Kamok and Barsilinga. There were a lot of guinea fowl birds around who came to drink water too, and later a group of wild elephant bulls arrived for some water while the babies were still feeding on lucerne. Sapalan started playing with Galla while Enkikwe was playing with Oltaiyoni. Karisa and Mundusi also were busy playing their own wrestling game, before eventually they all walked out to browse for the day. 

While they were browsing, Garzi and Orwa came to greet the dependent babies. Malkia was enjoying rolling on the ground and dusting herself.

Later on at the mud bath there were some wild bulls enjoying the fresh water from the water trough and wallowing in the mud bath to cool down. Our orphans had their milk bottles and then some join the wild bulls to wallow, but they swam in their own area and left the wild bulls to their own corner of the mud bath. Dololo had fun climbing on Jotto while they were in the water. Esampu and Ndiwa were having their own conversation while in the mud bath too. When they came out of the mud bath Mundusi, Kauro and Jotto had a lot of fun rolling around on the piles of loose soil. 

While the orphans browsed in the afternoon, Musiara enjoyed being looked after by Maramoja. Pare stopped to scratch his neck and trunk on a rock. Karisa and Rapa escorted each other when it was time to return home to the stockades in the evening. 

This evening a big group of wild bulls came to drink water from the stockade compound. Orwa, Garzi and Bomani came to join them and later they all walked out into the night together. 

The orphans enjoyed feeding on lucerne this morning and it has been relaxing for the past few days without being disturbed by any ex-orphans and wild elephants. Mundusi started play fighting with Sapalan while Esampu scratched and enjoyed playing around a big rock. At one point it looked like she was trying to jump over it! Mapia was enjoying some morning exercise as he squatted down to scratch his belly on a rock. The dependent orphans later walked to the water trough to have some water before it was time to head out for the day.

Mundusi took a break from browsing to start a play fight with Karisa. Malima was busy playing and scratching against some rocks as the others started to make their way towards the mud bath for their bottles. The orphans looked quite tired this morning and walked slowly towards the feeding area, and none of them jostled to be in the front groups. 

We came across some ex-orphans at the mud bath with Mutara's herd among them. Kalama was spectacularly enjoying wallowing in the mud wallow while the wild bulls were at the far end of the pool. A wild young bull got in to play with Kalama and they enjoying playing and swimming together. Some of the dependent orphans got in the water as well and relished the company of their older and wild friends. Kibo was among some of the ex-orphans playing in the water, but he decided to get out and follow the orphans to the dust bath to dry off. Later, the orphans walked back out to the bush to browse.

All the orphans enjoyed browsing in the afternoon despite it being so dry. Wanjala, Karisa, Rapa, Ambo and Mundusi were all playing together. Later Sapalan went to scoop and toss soil into the air and onto his back. The orphans later walked back home in the evening for their milk and to go to bed. Very few wild elephant bulls appeared at the compound for water today.

It was a bright morning today as the dependent orphans had their morning milk bottles and walked down to the lucerne feeding area. Only ex-orphan Kilaguni decided to join them this morning. They had their lucerne and walked out to the bush to browse.

Galla and Wanjala started play fighting while the others were busy browsing. Later the herd walked to the mud bath for their noon milk bottles. They found only a few wild bulls there today who were very friendly towards the orphans. They were happy to share water from the same water trough. Some of the orphans like Rapa, Esampu, Mundusi, Enkikwe and Sapalan were busy enjoying wallowing in the mud bath. 

This afternoon Esampu and Mapia browsed together while others browsed as a group. Ambo and Jotto enjoyed sparring with each other. Naseku enjoyed looking after Musiara as he browsed. Namalok found a tasty bush which he loved feasting on, as it is hard to find good browse these days. Later, Nabulu led the herd back home for the evening.

The orphans at Ithumba had their delicious milk bottles in the morning before walking out to have some lucerne, where they found ex-orphans Loijok, Sunyei, Lenana and Galana with their babies Lili, Siku, Lapa and Gawa waiting for them. They all shared lucerne together before the orphans walked away to begin their day of browsing.

Out in the bush, the dependent orphans enjoyed browsing together despite it being very dry at the moment. Wanjala and Enkikwe started play fighting, before leading the way to the mud bath. When they arrived the orphans found some wild bulls there wallowing and some drinking water from the water trough. While the wild elephants were really enjoying the mud bath, our orphans decided not to join them because they felt it was too cold. Instead they had a dust bath on the loose soil. Wanjala was scooping and tossing soil in the air and some on his back. Esampu and Mundusi were running around playing, while Malkia rolled on the soil with Nabulu and Mapia and Jotto had a pushing game just off to the side. Sapalan is a very quiet elephant and he just enjoyed rolling on the soil peacefully. Later, when the orphans were browsing again, Sapalan enjoyed browsing with the little boy Sattao. They seemed to be having their own private conversation. Nabulu was also busy browsing, stretching her trunk high to try and reach the greener leaves up top. When it was close to 5pm, the orphans started their walk back to the stockade compound for their last milk feed of the day, and to go to sleep.

Today only a few wild elephants visited the stockades, but it wasn’t as hot today so not as many came for water it seems.

It was a busy morning today as we had a big group of wild elephants visiting the stockade water trough. The orphans had their milk bottles and then came out of their stockades to begin their day. They almost couldn’t find any space, the Ithumba stockade compound was so full of elephants! It was so full some of the orphans decided to walk straight out to the bush without having any lucerne, although the Keepers tried their best to convince them to stay and have some. Ex-orphans Ishanga, Sunyei, Galana, Loijuk, Lualeni and Lenana with their wild born babies were among the wild elephants too. Ishanga seems fine and is improving every time we see her. The veterinarian did a wonderful job. Before Esampu left for the bush, she decided to do some morning exercises by kneeling down and pushing her head on the ground, and generally just messing around! Jotto stayed behind as well stretching his legs and they later they walked out to the bush together.

Mapia was browsing together with Galla before Galla decided to join his friends in Barsilinga’s herd, who wanted to go their own direction as usual. They walked away from the dependent orphans just before mud bath time. Malima was busy playing with a stick for a short while, and then she decided to chew on it as she walked along. 

Barsilinga’s herd in Class Five met up with the other orphans at the mud bath again. Some of Mutara's herd also appeared today. Suguta, Sities, Kainuk, Bomani and Orwa all decided to visit the mud bath, and they started wallowing in the water hole with pleasure. Slowly, once they were done visiting the mud bath and had finished with all the various activities, the orphans made their way back out to the bush, leaving Mutara's herd behind together with Barsilinga's group.

Malima browsed together with Mundusi while Dololo was busy play fighting with Pare. The rest of the herd were concentrating on browsing and filling their tummies, and later Nabulu and Dololo led the herd back home in the evening.

We are well into the dry season now. The orphans settled for their lucerne supplement in the morning as usual. Orwa and Bomani joined the orphans and later escorted them out to browse. Musiara teamed up with his friend Maramoja. Enkikwe came across a suitable tree that he used to scratch his belly on. Malkia and Sana Sana teamed up with Nabulu and Malima and had a girls talk while feeding. Two dik dik antelope’s darted out of a nearby bush, startling Mteto, Mundusi, Sattao and Ambo and the four orphans ran towards the Keepers. Esampu, also known as the drama queen, couldn't understand why the four orphans were scared off and decided to trumpet and charge in the direction they had come from – she might be a drama queen but she is also brave! She didn’t find anything there though, so came running back to the rest of the herd where she settled down and continued browsing. 

At mud bath time the orphans were joined by thirty eight wild bulls. ‘Dad’ was among them, who has the biggest tusks of all and he is such an impressive bull. Wanjala and Pare walked straight over to join the wild bulls at the water trough. One of the junior wild bulls wasn’t happy about Pare and Wanjala approaching them without what he thought was enough respect, and so he decided to chase them away as a lesson for not respecting their elders. The Keepers felt bad for the two youngsters, who were just thirsty, and intervened by requesting the bulls to kind step back and make way for the young orphans to have some water, as they only spend an hour or so at the mud bath. When all the orphans were done having some fresh water, they walked over to the loose soil for a dust bath. Esampu and Malima decided to enjoy by relaxing on the soil, almost as if they were having a little nap. 

In the afternoon the orphans settled to browse in the Kanziku area where they looked for as much vegetation as they could to fill their tummies before returning home. In the evening, as usual, Nabulu led the way back to the stockades for the night.