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Twiggy set off with a handsome bull last November, and even once the honeymoon period passed, she chose to remain in the wild — a bittersweet but ultimately triumphant outcome for an orphan we hand-raised from just a week old. In the months since, our drivers occasionally spotted her out on their rounds, happy and thriving, and we contented ourselves with knowing she had found her place among her own kind.

But this month, as conditions dried up, she decided a visit was in order. Twiggy loped straight to her old stable block and stooped to greet each of her former Keepers. She is the picture of health — wild life clearly agrees with her — but interestingly, she doesn't appear to be expecting. Given a giraffe's gestation spans about fifteen months, we would expect to see signs by now if last year's romance had borne fruit. Perhaps that chapter is still to come.

Twiggy slotted right back into her old routines, ambling down to the mud bath to catch up with the elephants before lingering in the gardens among the buffalos, zebras, and antelope who always adored her. It felt just like old times — for everyone except Pips, that is, who had rather enjoyed her year-long run as Kaluku's only giraffe and was distinctly unimpressed by the sudden competition. We're not sure how long Twiggy will stay this time, or how the two giraffes will settle their new dynamic, but we're delighted to have her back in the fold.

Bumpy, meanwhile, is very much a hippo on the up. He's bigger, bolder, and has graduated to a larger pool — much to his delight, as it has given him a whole new stretch of water to explore! His swimming routines have only grown more elaborate as a result, with barrel rolls, dives, and dramatic belly-flops filling out his expanded stage. True to form, he times his best moves for whenever an admiring audience gathers poolside; Bumpy has never met a passer-by he didn't want to perform for.

Bumpy and Wangalla remain firm friends. By day, the two youngsters mostly go about their own business — Wangalla off on elephant activities, Bumpy holding court in his hippo pool — but mornings and evenings reliably find the pair back together, picking up right where they left off.

Wangalla continues to grow, gaining a few kilograms each week. At her latest weigh-in, she registered a sturdy 179 kilograms! Korbessa continues to be an exceptional nanny, treating Wangalla with diligence, patience, and protection in equal measure. We often remark that she is wise beyond her just-shy-of-three years.

Lamuu and Sibu, for their part, remain happily absorbed in their own world, still showing little inclination toward nannying duties. Whatever mothering instincts they eventually develop, they're plainly not ready to compete with Korbessa's self-appointed post just yet.

Kaikai has fully embraced her role as big sister to Bungalu, who was rescued back in February after a remarkable ordeal. Five months on, he's a different elephant entirely: settled, sturdier, and totally devoted to his new partner in crime. The two have become an inseparable double act around Kaluku, with easygoing Bungalu obligingly trailing behind as Kaikai charges headfirst into whatever mischief catches her eye. He is still finding his footing in the group's social order, but he grows a little more confident with each passing week.

Chamboi had a quieter month — which for a rambunctious young rhino is no bad thing! He has kept up his usual rounds between the mud bath and his favourite baobab, investigating any unfamiliar scent that drifts his way before settling back into his routine.

Over at Rhino Base, Apollo continues to do well despite the dry conditions settling over Tsavo. Food remains plentiful for now, and he's taken to testing the limits of his "grown-up" independence — some evenings wandering home well after dark, clearly relishing the freedom of his own comings and goings. Whatever hour he strolls back in, he's always glad to settle into his room for a peaceful, secure night's sleep.