June 1st
The sky was clear when the orphans left the stockade in the morning and settled for lucerne where they were soon joined by a wild bull. After finishing the lucerne, Laragai led the way to the browsing field. Shortly before 10 o’clock in the morning, the lorry carrying Vuria, Garzi and Ziwa arrived. The three new babies were offloaded and five minutes later Teleki, Orwa and Bomani came to meet them. Vuria, Garzi and Ziwa were happy to see someone they knew in these strange new surroundings. The older orphans also came to the stockade and everyone was very excited and anxious to meet the new arrivals. Laragai showed interest in Vuria while Makireti and Kainuk were attracted to Ziwa. When everyone had satisfied their curiosity they all had a wallow at the stockade mud bath and then the keepers led the orphaned herd to the browsing field. In the field only Ziwa showed signs of loneliness, but Makireti and Kainuk tried to give him company from time to time. In the evening, the orphans returned safely to the stockade.
Garzi runs out of the moving truck
June 11th
Early in the morning, Loijuk, Makena, Buchuma, Chyulu, Kenze, Yatta, Sidai, Ithumbah, Kina, Wendi, Madiba, Lenana, Nasalot, Naserian, Challa, Rapsu, Orok, Meibai, Galana, Mulika, Mwende, Yetu, Tomboi, Sunyei, Kamboyo, Kilabasi, Zurura, Kandecha, Kilaguni, Chaimu, Olare, Suguta, Tumaren, Melia, Murka, Kibo, Kasigau and four wild elephants, were at the stockade. The orphans intermingled with the herd for around 20 minutes before leaving the stockade. Orwa enjoyed a good scratch on the nearby rocks and then Laragai led the way to the browsing field. At around 10 o’clock in the morning, the orphans dodged the keepers and disappeared. The keepers didn’t locate them again until 2 o’clock in the afternoon when they were found near the mud bath. In the evening the ex-orphans came at the stockade for water.
Kanjoro challenging Challa
June 12th
It was a busy morning as the orphans strolled nonchalantly out from the stockade to meet Suguta and her group who had spent the night just outside and then the ex-orphans showed up. Kanjoro took some time to play with Challa as Orwa tried to play with Kibo and Vuria enjoyed a good scratch on the nearby rock. Later the herd left for browsing. At 8 o’clock in the morning, the elephant nicknamed Half Trunk came to drink water at the stockade with 30 wild elephants. At mud bath, the weather was still very chilly and thus no elephant that mud bathed. They took milk and water before proceeding back to the browsing field.
Vuria scratching on a rock
Half trunk with the juniors
Kanjoro plays with wild elephants
June 13th
Suguta and her group joined the juniors in the morning. As they were sharing lucerne, a wild herd of six elephants and a small baby, checked in and joined the orphans. The wild baby was playful and tried mounting some of the orphans and pushing others. The wild baby played with Orwa and later with Kanjoro. The herd even left for browsing with the orphans and parted ways after an hour of browsing together. At mud bath time, the weather was chilly and no orphan dared to mud bath. Orwa opted to scratch on a nearby tree before joining the others in the browsing field. On the way back to the stockade in the evening the orphaned herd was joined by Lualeni and Ololoo.
Orwa plays with a wild baby
Orwa scratching on a tree
A wild mother and her baby join the orphans
June 14th
It was a quiet morning at the stockade today; Bomani and Orwa had a scratch on nearby rocks as they continued to feed on lucerne. Orwa and Shukuru are particularly fond of rock scratching! Shortly later, the group left for browsing. An hour after the orphans left, the ex-orphans came for water at the stockade. In the evening, Half trunk with six wild elephants came for water at the stockade water trough.
June 21st
The orphans were joined by ex-orphans in the morning. Soon after finishing lucerne, the orphans left for browsing leaving the ex-orphans at the stockade. The ex-orphans were then joined by around 20 wild elephants. At 8:30am in the morning, four wild dogs came for water at the stockade and soon after quenching their thirst, the wild dogs disappeared. In the browsing field, Orwa came across a dry tree and used it to scratch against and later resumed browsing. At mud bath four wild bulls joined the orphans and shared water before joining Bongo in mud bathing.
Wild dogs at the stockade
Orwa scratching on a dry tree
June 23rd
After leaving the stockade, the orphans fed on lucerne. Shukuru and Garzi took some time to scratch on the nearby rocks while Orwa scratched against the only acacia tree remaining in the stockade compound. Later Shukuru had a pushing game with Mutara. As the orphans were leaving, 10 wild bulls came to for water and in the evening another 14 wild elephants came for water at the stockade.
Shukuru scratching on a rock
Garzi having a good scratch
Mutara and Shukuru are playing
June 26th
The orphans had a quiet morning. They settled on lucerne and later left for browsing. In the field the orphans concentrated on feeding up to 11 o’clock until Vuria led the first group to the mud bath whilst Orwa led the second group, Laragai the third and Turkwel led the last one. At the mud bath, the juniors were joined by Half Trunk and ten other wild elephants. After the mud bath, the wild elephants headed to Imenti while the juniors headed to the slopes of the Ithumba Hill where they settled to browse for the rest of the day.
Turkwel reaches the mud bath